Anxiety and Panic disorder

Annie Sawyer, PhD

 

Most people suffer from anxiety at some stage of their lives. Anxiety is usually a relatively natural response to a situation which appears threatening or one to which we are not accustomed. So, for example, people are sometimes quite naturally anxious about passing tests, going for job interviews, or even speaking in public. They may experience 'butterflies' in their stomachs, sweaty palms, restlessness, insomnia, or even slight dizziness. This usually goes away after the actual event has passed or once they have become used to it. The person who is terrified of their first public speech may become so accustomed to public speaking after awhile that she doesn't give it a second thought.

Panic Disorder Symptoms: Panic disorder is characterized by panic attacks, acute episodes of terror accompanied by a sudden barrage of symptoms, including at least four of the following:

·         Racing or pounding heartbeat

·         Chest pains

·         Dizziness

·         Nausea

·         Difficulty breathing

·         Flushes or chills

·         Sweating

·         Tingling or numbness in the hands

·         Dreamlike sensations or perceptual distortions

·         Fear of losing control and doing something embarrassing

·         Fear of dying

·         Sense of impending doom

Panic attacks typically occur spontaneously, with no apparent trigger. In fact, they can even begin during sleep. Attacks usually last for a few minutes, rarely longer yet they often feel like an eternity for the patient. All too often, patients with panic disorder experience such extreme distress that they present repeatedly to emergency departments or other health care professionals. With each panic attack, they may fear they are dying from a heart attack, or suffering from a respiratory problem, neurological disorder, or gastrointestinal condition. They may also fear that they are losing control or becoming psychotic. When a person has repeated panic attacks and feels severe anxiety about having another attack, he or she has panic disorder. Panic disorder tends to worsen over time if not effectively treated.

Proper Diagnosis is Critical

The criteria noted above should distinguish panic disorder from everyday anxiety and stress. To help confirm a panic disorder diagnosis, consider the following approach. To differentiate panic disorder from other medically important conditions, the patient should, of course, have a thorough physical examination. Panic disorder symptoms mimic other conditions, such as myocardial infarction, cardiac arrhythmias, hyperthyroidism, and certain types of epilepsy. People with panic disorder may also suffer from clinical depression, substance abuse, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or irritable bowel syndrome.

Causes of Panic Disorder

Research suggests that panic disorder has both biological and psychological components, which interact.

(1) Family and twin studies indicate that panic disorder involves some genetic vulnerability.

(2) There is hypothesis that panic disorder patients may have learned to perceive essentially normal physiological events as being dangerous may help in understanding the lowered stress response threshold, giving rise to a "false alarm." Some researchers theorize that the disturbance in coping mechanisms is a product of repeated life stresses in predisposed individuals, leading eventually to panic disorder.

(3) Research also suggests that people with panic disorder may not be able to utilize the body's own naturally produced anxiety-reducing substances. It may be that the neuronal receptors that bind with these substances are abnormal in people with panic disorder.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy:

CBT teaches patients to anticipate the situations and bodily sensations that are associated with their panic attacks. This awareness sets the stage for helping the patient to control the attacks. Helping patients identify and change patterns of thinking that cause them to misperceive commonplace events or situations as dangerous and to "think the worst.". Teaching patients exercises to prevent the hyperventilation that often triggers a panic attack. CBT is a short-term treatment, typically lasting 12 to 15 sessions over several months. Patients with panic disorder who go through CBT are reported to have very few adverse effects and a relatively low relapse rate of panic attacks.

Natural Treatments for Anxiety:

Natural Remediesfor anxiety can also be very effective methods of treatment. Before trying any natural remedy, consult your doctor or a certified professional. If your anxiety is mild, or if you are already taking another treatment, try these natural ways to combat panic disorders and anxiety attacks:

1. Herbal Supplements: Herbal supplements can boost your body’s ability to fight anxiety and improve relaxation.

·         St. John’s Wort is the most popular treatment, with effects seen in 2 to 6 weeks. It has been shown to combat mild depression and anxiety without the side effects commonly associated with anti-depressants. Hypericin, one of its constituents, increases the concentration of serotonin in the central nervous system, and inhibits two enzymes responsible for the breakdown of serotonin.

·         Valerian root works to improve sleep by minimizing stress and relaxing the nerves.

·         Kava Kava is excellent for short-term relief of panic and anxiety.

·         Passionflower helps to calm the whole body, making it easier to manage anxiety.

·        Rhodiola Rosea- Traditional folk medicine used R. rosea to increase physical endurance, work productivity, longevity, resistance to high altitude sickness, and to treat fatigue, depression, anemia, impotence, gastrointestinal ailments, infections, and nervous system disorders

·        Bacopa- Famed in Ayurvedic medicine, brahmi has antioxidant properties. It has been reported to reduce oxidation of fats in the blood stream, which is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. It has been used for centuries to help benefit epilepsy, memory capacity, increase concentration, and reduce stress-induced anxiety. It is listed as a nootropic, a drug that enhances cognitive ability.

·         Ginseng is said to have many effects on the human body. The cooling effects or relaxing effects are felt from the "Yin" ginsengs such as the American or Siberian species. The warming or stimulating effects are seen from the "Yang" ginsengs which include the species of Korean and Chinese ginsengs

2. Diet. A balanced diet containing zing, magnesium, and vitamin B-complex are also used in the diet to relieve anxiety disorders. Some believe that an enriched diet can help an individual avoid many of the anxiety disorders.

3. B vitamins are indicated in the creation of neurotransmitters, which help to improve mood and control communication between nerves in the brain. Inositol is a component found in B vitamins, which can be found naturally in cantaloupe, nuts, wheat, beans, and oranges, or in supplement form.

4. Aromatherapy: Aromatherapy baths or facials can really help the body reduce stress and deal with anxiety. Try a bath with one of these scents – bergamot, cypress, lavender, lime, or jasmine.

5. Massage: Massage helps to ease anxiety by relaxing your muscles, improving joint function, and inducing sleep. Try getting a massage from a friend, or, better yet, from a professional, once a week.

6. Yoga: Any type of exercise will help to reduce your anxiety and prevent panic attacks, but yoga is especially effective. Yoga helps to build natural coping methods to deal with anxiety, including meditation and proper breathing. It also relaxes the body by stretching the muscles.

7. Methyldonors and Cofactors-Methyl donors are involved in the regulation of normal brain cell metabolism as well as neurotransmitter production and function. When people are methyl deficient, they are at much greater risk of developing depression and a variety of neurological and other disorders. Methyl deficiency is characterized by too little SAMe (s-adenosylmethionine), too much homocysteine, or a loss of DNA methylation. SAMe, a methyl donor that's been heavily studied in the past 10 years is involved in the synthesis of various neurotransmitters in the brain.

 SAMe-Derived from the amino acid L-methionine, SAMe has been shown to have antidepressant properties. Cofactors including ATP (the energy carrier found in all cells), vitamin B6, magnesium chelates and calcium are also necessary for the conversion of 5 HTP to serotonin and its uptake in the brain. It is imperative that we get enough methyl donors and methyl cofactors to support normal serotonin synthesis and methylation. This is especially important as we age since DNA methylation levels generally decrease and homocysteine levels increase.

5-HTP is an amino acid that is the precursor to serotonin. A growing base of scientific evidence suggests that 5-HTP does everything that SSRIs do, but without the side effects. Unlike drugs like Prozac, Zoloft and Paxil, which cause serotonin depletion by interfering with serotonin recycling, 5-HTP raises serotonin levels by enhancing a natural process—the synthesis of new serotonin molecules. One reason 5-HTP and Prozac-like drugs have such similar effects is that they each act on the same chemical in the brain a neurotransmitter called serotonin. The general effect of both 5-HTP and Prozac-like drugs is to increase the availability of serotonin at specific sites in the brain, known as "serotonin receptors. Increasing the availability of serotonin at these receptors - by a variety of means -has generally been associated with alleviation of these disorders.

L-Tryptophan is an essential amino acid. This means that your body requires it to function but cannot manufacture it itself. Therefore, it must come from dietary sources that are rich in tryptophan, including animal proteins (turkey and milk are especially good sources) and tryptophan supplements. For many years, tryptophan was one of the best known and widely used nutritional supplements. Many people found it to be particularly effective for relieving depression and anxiety and for enhancing sleep.

8. Natural Formulas

Pure Calm combines the soothing properties of Melissa Officinalis, with those of Lavender and Passiflora Incarnata, bringing you relief from anxiety, stress, irritability and nervous tension. Pure Calm can be used whenever necessary and is also useful in the treatment of shock. Just a few drops in a little water can bring almost instant relief!

Triple Complex Nerve Tonic contains Ferrum Phosphoricum, Kalium Phosphate and Magnesium Phosphate to protect against and treat anxiety and panic attacks. Use daily to soothe anxiety levels and more frequently at the first signs of an anxiety attack. Triple Complex Nerve Tonic can be effectively used along with our all herbal

Mind Soothe Caps can be combined with Pure Calm.

Seredyn provides fast-acting, long-lasting anxiety relief. Up to 93% of Seredyn users report positive results.

9. In addition to regular treatments, several relaxation techniques are also recommended for anxiety relief. Muscle relaxation techniques and breathing exercises, can rejuvenate the brain tissues. Spirituality is idea for mental relief too. Engaging in favorite activities and participating in social activities are also good for anxiety relief.