Anxiety Treatment: Don't Take It Lightly

Anxiety Disorder can be mild or it can be crippling. A mild version would be the person who is nervous about the monsters in the dark basement. A crippling version would be the person who dreads the next panic attack, making life uncertain at best. What is a good anxiety treatment for you?

Panic attacks have these hallmarks:
* heart palpitations
* perspiration
* hyperventilating
* fear
* avoiding situations that might trigger a panic attack.

People who suffer from panic attacks never want to have another one. But often they are looking for circumstances that exist when they have panic attacks. These folks come to associate certain thoughts and fears with a panic attack. And in fact, their fear of a panic attack can cause a panic attack.

There's good news, though. Antidepressants can deliver you from fear of monsters in the basement. For panic attacks, extensive behavioral therapy helps you conquer the situation. Conquering the fear of a panic attack can be a key. And for those who want a quick remedy, there are accupressure-type treatments that many people say have cured them.

The first order of business for an anxiety sufferer is to get a thorough check-up by a physician. Rule out any physical causes, such as thyroid imbalances and hypoglycemia. Your physician may want to put you on an antidepressant.

Traditional methods for combating anxiety attacks involve cognitive behavioral therapy. A cognitive behavioral therapist can help you identify your panic attack thought triggers and work on mastering them. You can also learn to relax in order to moderate your body's response to the triggers.

Non-traditional methods involve acupressure. It's all a bit mysterious, but people say it works!

Here's a tip: hyperventilating can make you dizzy from too much oxygen. If you carry a bag with you and breathe in and out using the bag for 30 seconds or so at the beginning of an attack, you won't get as much oxygen because of the carbon dioxide exhalation in the bag. So carry a bag and try it out!

Phyllis Wheeler writes on various topics. For plenty of advice on anxiety treatments, visit www.BeatAnxietyNow.com, the blog-magazine on anxiety treatments.