Andre Agassi this week revealed he took crystal meth. He took it at a low point. He didn’t get addicted. He didn’t sink into a life of indulgence and squalor. And he did not suffer panic attacks. Rather he used it to power him on the drag his tennis ranking from being ranked outside the top 100 to winning several more GrandSlams. He felt euphoric and energised.

Agassi, was lucky however that he did not get addicted and take a slippery slope towards panic attack symptoms and paranoia.

And for most people it is a slippery slope. For example I start each morning with a coffee. Coffee is a drug! It’s a psychoactive stimulant drug. Studies have shown that heavy and prolonged use can induce panic attacks, OCD and even phobic symptoms mimicking mental diseases such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. These symptoms may afflict as many as one in 10 of the population.

And coffee is addictive! I had better watch my intake!

What about alcohol?

Alcohol is rated as the fifth most harmful drug after cocaine, heroin, barbiturates, and methadone. The misuse of alcohol causes an estimated 22,000 premature deaths each year in the UK. (To put this into perspective, the illegal drug ecstasy kills 30 people a year). We know alcohol is addicitive too and creates many problems in society and damages family relationships when it spirals out of control. When misused it also makes it more likely for someone to suffer paranoia and panic attacks.

Smoking cannabis is also known to create an increased risk of psychotic illness. Smokers of cannabis are more likely to suffer panic attack symptoms and 2.6 times more likely to have a psychotic-like experience than non-smokers.

So watch your drug use- what starts out as recreational may start to control your life. If you do have any panic attack symptoms click, here to get help straight away…..

Women are most at risk of developing panic, anxiety and fear during the menopause. Due to decreasing levels of estrogen, the body’s hormones are changing and out of balance. Previously thought to be an emotional state it is now thought to be physiological.

 Symptoms include shaking, rapid heartbeat, sweating and discomfort. The brain is alert for fight or flight. The limbic system in the brain is responsible for managing our emotions. Estrogen is directly tied to anxiety with ups and downs of hormone levels. Progesterone also is known to have a calming effect on your system but when levels fall so does mood and energy levels.

Menopause does not cause anxiety but it amplifies what was already present. Hormone Replacement Therapy or natural remedies can relieve symptoms of anxiety or panic. Consult with your doctor to make  sure there are no interactions with other medications you may be taking.

Rachel

Email: info@panictool.org 
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Most people fear public speaking worse than death.

For people who suffer panic attacks, public speaking becomes literally impossible. The fear centers on looking foolish, being unable to get the words out and having to flee the stage or the meeting room.

Most people experience some sense of butterflies and nerves before a speech but for panic attack sufferers it becomes an all encompassing dread. The focus is on the symptoms that will come- the pounding heart, the shaking hands, the dizziness, the hot flush…

Instead change the focus to feeling confident and calm no matter what.

Know that you will always finish your speech.

Know that panic symptoms can never harm you.

Act with confidence and banish self doubt from your mind.

Use the energy that comes through nerves to enhance and accent your speech.

Continue to breathe, use pauses and use gestures.

Welcome these nerves and jitters, do not be afraid of them. They will help you deliver a speech filled with passion and meaning.

Remember if possible to engage the audience so they do some thinking and some talking. This will give you a break and divert attention from you so you can breathe, take a sip of water and congratulate yourself on how well you are doing!

If you want more practical tips on beating panic attacks, read more here….

Rachel

Email: info@panictool.org

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The best way to start to control your panic attacks is to understand them.
 
1.Learn the triggers:
 
Everyone is different and what triggers a panic attack for one person may not trigger an attack for someone else. If you can learn to identify the situations that trigger your panic attacks that can help you prepare for them and cope with them.

2. Avoid caffeine:

Coffee, soda, diet pills, and other products may contain caffeine. Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system which may aggravate or possibly even trigger a panic attack.

3. Learn relaxation techniques:

Relaxation techniques such as meditation, yoga, or breathing exercises will help you to remain calm and focused. During a panic attack you are overreacting to whatever your trigger is and learning to relax and remain focused can help to put a stop to the overreaction.

4. Get plenty of sleep:

When you don’t get enough sleep you will feel added stress which may make you more susceptible to a panic attack. Getting plenty of sleep will help to alleviate stress and reduce the chances for triggering a panic attack.

5. Exercise regularly:

Exercise releases endorphins into the bloodstream. Endorphins are hormones that give you a natural feeling of euphoria. Regular exercise will also boost your energy level, improve your self-esteem, and help you to relax all of which will help to reduce the chances of having a panic attack.

In addition to the tips above there are many herbal supplements that can be taken to help relax and help reduce anxiety. For some people a visit to a psychiatrist who can prescribe medication may be necessary.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeffery_Harrison

You may be reading this because you suffer panic attacks or you know someone who does.

Bascially at the time of an attack you feel like you are about to die.

It completely controls your life. You have to completely abandon what you are doing and go home or lie down. Sometimes you taste vomit in your mouth, sometimes your heart beats so fast you think it will burst, sometimes you get a hot flush or feel chilled to the bone.

It could happen in the cinema, in the supermarket or at a party- there is no pattern. Sometimes all the deep breathing in the world will not help. No amount of muscle relaxation will calm you down.

All that happens is you feel a growing sense of terror and feel people are now looking at you.

Should you let these attacks continue you may develop panic disorder which is an increasing frequency of attacks that completely controls your life.

Once you control your fear, you are well on the way to conqering this affliction. The trick is to want to have one.

Instead of dreading it, face your fear head on and want to have one every day…you will not be able to have one.

It is also a medical fact that a panic attack can never harm you and is not life threatening.

Very reassuring!

Rachel

Email: info@panictool.org

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