Archive for March, 2008

Published by anxiety disorder on 31 Mar 2008

Healing Anxiety And Depression Natural Method Or Scientific Approach?

Healing Anxiety and Depression Natural Method or Scientific Approach?

In healing anxiety and depression, you must remember that a magic cure or pill does not exist. This is not to say that healing rates are low. It is quite the contrary, in fact. Both patients and medical professionals have taken healing anxiety and depression to high, encouraging success rates.

One of the more successful methods involves the use of alternative or herbal treatments in conjunction with scientific CBT (cognitive-behavioral therapy).

Healing Anxiety and Depression: Natural Medicine

One of the most popular alternative treatments uses SJW or St. John’s Wort. It has the same effect to prescription drugs that work on the biochemical processes of the human body to treat anxiety and depression but without side effects, developed tolerance, and withdrawal symptoms.

SJW stimulates your brain neurotransmitters (e.g., Norepinephrine, Serotonin) into activity. This is the same reaction you would get from antidepressants like Prozac.

However, do NOT use SJW together with antidepressants. Prozac, for instance, raises Serotonin brain levels, the same as SJW. Excess Serotonin has been known to lead to Hyper Serotonin Syndrome, symptoms of which include fever, agitation, and confusion.

The Amino Acid 5-Hydroxy Tryptophan is another natural medication that you should not be combined with prescription antidepressants for the same reason.

Healing Anxiety and Depression: Natural Treatments

It is important to remember that all your professional help should have one goal: to establish the belief that you have the power to control your body as well as your life.

Self-help methods for fighting anxiety and depression include the following.
Sufficient exercise and physical activity
Proper eating habits
Stress-management techniques

Healing Anxiety and Depression: Scientific Approach

Cognitive-behavioral therapy differs from other kinds of psychotherapy in that it emphasizes the self-help aspect of treatment. CBT focuses on practical, personal skills for dealing with stress and keeping your reactions in check.

CBT directly addresses a common pitfall of anxiety and depression: overreaction. Patients who are prone to overblown reactions and, consequently, feelings of hopelessness are taught mental techniques that direct these thoughts towards a more constructive mindset.

However, note that many doctors will not normally recommend CBT as a substitute for regular psychotherapy. But many mental health professionals agree that CBT can indeed increase the effect of regular therapy.

Also, there is a consensus that in healing anxiety and depression in mild cases where standard psychotherapy is not required (e.g., a patient recovering from an illness), some CBT sessions would be beneficial.

Published by anxiety disorder on 15 Mar 2008

Physical Anxiety Symptom What Are The Signs?

Physical Anxiety Symptom What Are The Signs?

Fight or flight is a typical physical anxiety symptom in anxiety disorders. This is characterized by the heightened aggression or strong desire to flee. This is a common response to life-threatening situations in most animals. However, people who have anxiety disorder experience this feeling even if the situation does not warrant it. If the physical anxiety symptom begins to affect the life of the person, medication and treatment is required.

Physical Anxiety Symptom How To Detect Anxiety Disorders

There are many types of anxiety disorders and each variant has its own set of visible signs. People, however, tend to ignore these signs and try to live normally. While some mild cases of anxiety disorders can go away on their own, the more serious variants dont. If left untreated, these anxiety disorders can severely affect the lives of sufferers. People should be aware of the symptoms so they can get treatment quickly.

Immobilizing or Intense Fear If you experience such an intense form of anxiety that you feel that you cant move or do anything there is a good chance that you may be suffering from an anxiety disorder. Your chances of having the disorder is much greater if the anxiety attacks frequently occur. This feeling of irrational fear is frequently triggered by an event, situation or object.

Lack of Concentration Its possible that a person who is suffering from concentration problems is suffering from an anxiety disorder. Such people have difficulty focusing on their tasks because of persistent irrational fears. This is also one of the most evident symptoms.

Depression Most people have anxiety disorders that are rooted in depression. People who lack energy, avoid socializing, and generally spend their time all by themselves may be suffering from depression. To treat the anxiety attacks, the doctor must remove its cause in this case the source of depression. Depression is usually hard to detect. People should make an effort to ensure that their friends and families are not suffering from depression.

Phobias Most people who have anxiety problems also have phobias. In this scenario, the physical anxiety symptom is situational. This means that only specific incidences and scenarios trigger the anxiety attack.

Published by anxiety disorder on 03 Mar 2008

Prozac For Anxiety Is It Effective?

Prozac for Anxiety Is It Effective?

There is a lot of talk about the effectiveness of prozac for anxiety. Prozac was a phenomenon when it was first introduced. The brand practically became a household name. Prozac is considered by people to be the best anti-anxiety medicine out there, probably because of its popularity. But the truth is that prozac is just like any other anti-depressant on the market. Prescribing prozac for anxiety also has its negative aspects.

Prozac for Anxiety Side Effects to Watch Out For

Prozac makes serotonin more available to the brain. Serotonin is a chemical that influences moods. Prozac gets positive reviews from patients. Approximately sixty to eighty percent of patients who received prescription for prozac report recovering from anxiety disorders or depression. As a result, prozac has become one of the most commonly prescribed drugs for anxiety disorders. Despite all the positive response, however, there have been many experts who warn about its possible side effects.

Some are concerned about the possibility of addiction with prozac. Just like other types of anti-depressants, prozac has the potential to be addictive. But the risk of addiction is not greater than other anti-depressants. Other types of side effects reported by users include headaches, insomnia, stomach pain, diarrhea, and sexual dysfunction. Some claim that it has increased suicidal thoughts among patients but there is no conclusive study to substantiate this.

Most of the time the side effects are temporary and they disappear as the patients body adjusts to the medication. The side effects disappear completely when medication is stopped. Prozac is big in most clinics but is it the only treatment for those suffering from anxiety disorders and depression? There are many alternative treatments available that are completely safe and natural.

What are some of the other treatments aside from Prozac for anxiety disorders? Pure psychotherapy is one of them. It relies purely on behavior modification and relaxation techniques to eliminate anxiety symptoms. Acupuncture and herbal medicine are also gaining ground as natural remedies. While not exactly embraced by medical experts, Eastern medicine has a lot of followers who attest to its efficacy. The positive aspect of acupuncture and herbal medicine is the fact that both are non-addictive.

Next »