This information is taken from several sources, as well as, my own experiences. To the best of my knowledge it is correct. If some part is not clear, please let me know.

Question: Are panic attacks new?

Answer:No. They were described in medical literature over 100 years ago.

Question: Are they becoming more common?

Answer:It seems so but it could be due to better diagnoses, a greater public awareness, and more information being available. Some people think our more stressful lifestyle is a contributing factor.

Question: Do men and women both develop anxiety/panic attacks?

Answer:Yes, but more women than men seem to develop them. Some alcohol programs believe that some men tend to start drinking excessively in an effort to overcome anxiety.

Question: Can people of any age have anxiety/panic attacks?

Answer:Yes.

Question: Are people who suffer from anxiety/panic attacks sane?

Answer:Absolutely. However, until diagnosed and assured, it is not uncommon for the people to feel they are going insane.

Question: Can you tell if a person is having a panic attack?

Answer:In many cases no. They look and act as though nothing is wrong. However, in the midst of a panic attack, they may suddenly have to bolt for the nearest exit without regard to anything else.

Question: What causes anxiety/panic attacks?

Answer:There are various ideas. Some feel it is genetics, others believe past environment - particularly the environment in which they grew up. Still others say a combination of the above, and there are those who say none of the above. --- Regardless of the cause, it is a chemical imbalance in the brain. Diabetes is a chemical imbalance and so are panic attacks.

Question: How often do panic attacks occur?

Answer:From one every few years; to several a day.

Question: What is anticipatory anxiety?

Answer:It's rather like stage fright which some actors experience before going on stage. The actor overcomes it and goes out onto the stage. In the case of people with panic attacks, the stage is the area outside of their safe zones. They have an anxiety that they may have a panic attack. If they do not leave their safe zone because of the anticipatory anxiety, they have developed agoraphobia.

Question: What is agoraphobia?

Answer:If a person becomes uncomfortable or develops panic attacks when they leave the house or a certain part of the house, then agoraphobia is present. It is very difficult, if not impossible for them to venture very far from their comfortable area or safe spot.

Question: Are safe spots always in the house?

Answer:Not always. There may be additional safe areas, such as, in the office, etc.

Question: Why do elevators, bank line-ups, etc. cause anxiety to build up?

Answer:The person is trapped. An escape route is not readily available.

Question: Do all people with anxiety/panic attacks show the same symptoms?

Answer: No. Some may be perfectly all right driving while others have a terrible time. The same is true of various situations.

Question: How is the illness treated?

Answer:Usually with a combination of medication and counseling.

Question: Where can I find a doctor/psychiatrist/psychologist who is able to treat the illness?

Answer:Ask your doctor, a local hospital, or university.

Question: Will the person ever get over the illness?

Answer: Yes. For some it takes more time than others, but they will.

Question: What are panic attacks like?

Answer:Try to explain to a man what being pregnant is like. Unless you have been there, it is difficult to understand. Have you ever been so frightened that you panicked and just wanted to get out of the situation? If you have been in this situation, you know the adrenaline starts flowing as it prepares you to fight or run. Your heart speeds up, your breathing rate increases, and you are just plain scared and want out. Once you have left the danger zone and found a safe place, your body starts returning to normal. With panic attacks, this same response is triggered off; frequently with no apparent cause.

Question: Do panic attacks ever reoccur after one is free of them for several months or years?

Answer:Some people have a relapse. Most get over it much faster than they got over the first bout. Sometimes this relapse lasts for a few days.

Question: Where can I find out more information?

Answer:Other parts of this site contain a great deal of information. 

Question: What is a caregiver or support person?

Answer:A very important person(s) in the life of ill people. The support person is their emotional supporter, as well as; being the person who will help them get well by being with them as they go into scary situations. The ill person trusts the support person to see that no harm comes to them. They rely on this person to be their hand-holder. Their supporter. The person who will lead them to safety if overwhelming problems arise. In short, you are their life line.

Question: Isn't that a very responsible function?

Answer:Yes, but also a very rewarding function. Spouses frequently find that when the panic attacks have gone, they have grown closer together and understand each other more.

Question: Can more than one person be a support person?

Answer: Certainly. If several people in a family/friends work together, all the better.

Question: Where can I find out more information on being a support person?

Answer: There is not that much information on the net. Also, you will find some people do not agree on the best approach. I have written up a few suggestions which I have found help.

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Anxiety, Panic Attacks and Agoraphobia and Anxiety Disorders: The Caregivers

Information For Support People, Family and Friends

Ken Strong is a graduate of the University of British Columbia. During his 35-year teaching career, he has published widely in the fields of Science Education, Forensics and Herpetology.

His books are based upon his personal experiences as both a past sufferer of panic attacks and a long-time role as a support person to those with panic attacks. As the maintainer of this multi-award winning Caregiver's site, Ken has been in close contact with hundreds of people who had the disease and an equally large number of families who were both looking for and willing to share information. These books, ANXIETY, PANIC ATTACKS AND AGORAPHOBIA - Information For Support People, Family and Friends and Anxiety Disorders: The Caregivers reflects their needs and advice.

From the Preface to the Second Edition:

"The tremendous response to the 1st edition indicated there was a definite need for this information. Your comments and letters of encouragement have made the whole project more than worthwhile. Many have gone so far as to say the material in the text was a God-send and had made a large difference in their lives. What more could those involved in writing this book ask for?" Ken

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Hello, I'm Ken and I live in Victoria, B.C. Canada. I have been maintaining this caregivers' site since 1995.

About halfway through my high school teaching career, I developed cancer which led to almost continuous rounds of radiation and chemotherapy. I beat the cancer, but the stress triggered panic attacks, agoraphobia, depression and more than a touch of OCD. I overcame those too, but what I went through was almost worse than the cancer. I will not forget the way I felt and the 'demons' which tried to control me.

A few years after I recovered, I found myself the primary caregiver to a dear friend who had recently developed severe agoraphobia and panic attacks. Based on my own experience, I could offer some help but I didn't feel I had a sufficient number of tools with which to be an effective support person and not allow the vortex of fears in which she lived to control my life. 

Not finding anything in print which offered suggestions to families of those with these anxiety disorders, I turned to the Net. The Net had no information, but there were many people (both caregivers and those with the disorders) looking for similar information. We hoped we would be able to support each other until the professionals who had the information were able to disseminate it.

Pioneer Efforts to Help the Caregiver

Basically, I found that we were the pioneers in gathering this information and professionals and lay people alike come to take advantage of it.

I actually started the site with the hope I could get large publishers interested in having something written by experts. It didn't take too long before we all realized there were few if any experts and much of what has subsequently appeared on many "expert" pages seems startlingly similar to what is on this site. Also, material on some other sites reflects only the programs offered by the site maintainers and does not give alternate methods of help. Not everyone responds to the same procedures.

In short, it appeared hardly anyone had thought of the anxiety sufferer's caregivers. I was constantly faced with people who didn't have a clue about what was wrong with the people who experienced severe anxiety and had less of an idea about what to do to help out.

The contents and format of the material on this site and in our publication are the result of the combined input from caregivers, those with the disorders, teachers, employers, health professionals and other interested people.

Today, we are still gathering information and probably have the largest collection of anxiety caregiver/support information available anywhere. In addition to making some of it available on this site, Oakminster Publishing is assembling the information and will make it available as part of their Anxiety Caregiver Series.

Thanks for dropping by.

Editor's Note: Ken Strong passed away in 2007. His contributions are important and we keep his site alive.

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We all experience some level of anxiety before a test. A little nervousness can actually help motivate us to perform our best. Too much anxiety can become a problem if it interferes with your performance on tests. Some strategies for dealing with test anxiety:

• Be prepared. Study the material in advance; do not leave cramming for the day before your test. Do not do a last minute review.
• Get plenty of sleep, it is hard to function at your best when overtired.
• Avoid any use of drugs and alcohol, they can interfere with your mental ability.
• Exercise may increase your alertness and sharpen your mind.
• Have a moderate breakfast, fresh fruits and vegetables help reduce stress; avoid caffeine, sugar and junk foods.
• Allow yourself plenty of time; arrive at the test location early.
• Choose a seat where you will not be easily distracted.
• Use abdominal breathing to help reduce anxiety. Place one hand on your abdomen, right beneath your rib cage. Inhale through your nose and feel your abdomen fill like a balloon. Count to three on your inhalation and then slowly exhale counting to four, feeling your abdomen contracting with the exhalation.
• Do a reality check, how important is this exam in the grand scheme of things. Put it in perspective.
• Use positive affirmations, say a phrase to help keep things in perspective. "I've done this before, I can do it again" or "I have all the knowledge I need to get this done."

During the test take a few minutes to:

• Review the entire test. Read the directions carefully.
• Work on the easiest portions of the test first.
• Pace yourself. Do not rush through the test.
• If you go blank, skip the question and go on.
• Multiple choice questions, read all the options first, eliminate the most obvious.
• Essay questions, make a short outline. Begin and end with a summary sentence.
• Take short breaks, tense and relax your muscles throughout your body.
• Pause, do a few abdominal breaths, say your affirmation.
• Stay in the present moment.
• There is no reward for being the first done.

After the test, reward yourself:

• Try not to dwell on your mistakes.
• Indulge in something relaxing for awhile.

If these test taking anxiety strategies do not work for you, visit your school counselor or other health care professional.

Source:

• Freedom From Fear website

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Learn how to relax using these relaxation techniques.

To overcome anxiety, phobias, or panic attacks it is of paramount importance to learn how to relax. It is impossible to feel relaxed and tense at the same time. People who live with high levels of anxiety often do not know how to relax or to release the tension stored in their muscles that is contributing to the experience of anxiety.

Regular, daily practice of relaxation techniques will assist you in relieving muscle tension, greatly improve your overall feeling of wellbeing and reduce your anxiety. Deep relaxation involves a number of physiological changes including:

• Decreases in heart rate
• Decrease in respiration rate
• Decrease in blood pressure
• Decreases in skeletal muscle tension
• Decrease in metabolic rate and oxygen consumption
• Decrease in analytical thinking
• Increase in skin resistance

Regular practice of deep relaxation for 20-30 minutes on a daily basis can produce, over time, a general feeling of relaxation and wellbeing that benefits every area of your life. When you feel relaxed and at ease you are less likely to turn on the anxiety response and will find that you feel more in control most of the time.

Other benefits of deep relaxation include:

• Reduction of generalized anxiety
• Reduction of frequency and severity of panic attacks
• Prevention of stress becoming cumulative
• Increased energy and productivity.
• Improved concentration and memory
• Increase in ability to focus
• Reduction of insomnia and fatigue
• Deeper and sounder sleep
• Prevention and or reduction of psychosomatic disorders such as hypertension, migraines, headaches, asthma, ulcers etc.
• Increased self confidence and reduced self blame
• Increased availability of feelings. Muscle tension is one of the chief impediments to an awareness of your feelings.

How do you achieve a state of deep relaxation?

• Correct abdominal breathing
• Progressive muscle relaxation techniques
• Meditation

Progressive Muscle Relaxation Technique

Progressive Muscle Relaxation is a technique for achieving a deep state of relaxation. Tensing a muscle and holding it for a few seconds, then releasing that tension will produce a deep sense of relaxation, and will rid the body of the built up tension from living with high levels of anxiety on a daily basis.

Guidelines

• Practice for at least 20 minutes per day
• Find a quiet location free from distraction
• Ensure the room temperature is comfortable - not too hot, and not too cold
• Practice at regular times - on awakening or before retiring or before meals
• Assume a comfortable position - your entire body needs to be supported
• Loosen any tight clothing and take off shoes
• Make a decision not to worry about anything - if you have any other thought come into your mind, just let them go and bring your attention back to your relaxation
• Assume a passive, detached attitude

Technique

Progressive muscle relaxation is a technique where you tense and relax one at a time, all the major muscle groups of the body. The idea is to tense each muscle group hard for about 10 seconds, and then to let go of it suddenly. You then give yourself 15-20 seconds to relax and become aware of the contrast between the feeling of relaxation to how it felt when tensed. You then move onto the next muscle group until you have worked your way through your whole body. Often it is helpful to have some quiet, gentle music in the background.

Reference

Bourne,E.J.,(1995) 'The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook - A step by step program for curing yourself of extreme anxiety, panic attacks and phobias', MJF Books, New York., p.65-76 passim).

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Learn about critical incident debriefing, a tool for prevention of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

One day in 1993, my 7-year-old son was home sick from school and called me in my office to tell me that the World Trade Center had been bombed. I thought he was joking and told him so, but he said, "No Dad, I'm not kidding. Come and look at the TV." Some days later I was asked if I would volunteer to be available to victims of the bombing for critical incident debriefing. This was the first time I had ever heard about this process.

Critical incident debriefing is a tool for prevention of post-traumatic stress disorder. When the World Trade Center was bombed, people had to climb down up to one hundred flights of smoke filled stairwells. Those who worked in the Trade Center had no clue of what had happened; they just knew they had to get out of there at all costs. People emerged for hours, faces blackened with smoke, some injured and requiring hospitalization. Volunteers were needed who could help people talk about this experience, process the terror they experienced, and try to get on with their lives without suffering symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Critical incident debriefing is a prevention tool that works well for victims of traumatic events. It is one that you can do for yourself when you feel it's appropriate, either with friends and family, or in a support group with others. Of course, sometimes a trauma is such that you need to see a professional if you are going to get through it acceptably. However, it's a good practice to integrate into your life, because trauma is something that we all experience to varying degrees with some regularity.

I once conducted a critical incident debriefing for a small record company in Manhattan. This was a twenty person office, and there was a young man, Jose*, who was killed in a car accident. Jose was a college student by night, hoping some day to work in the recording industry. By day Jose worked as an office assistant in this small record company in the hopes of learning about the industry to which he aspired.

Jose was the kind of young man who, everyone felt, would go far in the business. He was bright, hardworking and charming, and his winning ways made him much beloved throughout the company. I met with this group of twenty employees about a week after Jose's death. None of them had been able to attend Jose's funeral which was held in another city, and they had never had an opportunity to grieve and mourn publicly and try to put some closure on the experience. They were a cohesive and cooperative group with which to work in that they all acknowledged that their functioning was adversely effected by the loss of Jose.

I proceeded to explain to them for a short while about the nature of psychological trauma and loss. I talked about how there were limited opportunities for expression of grief in this situation, and how important it was for all of them to talk about the loss of Jose whenever they felt a need to do so. I explained the stages of coming to grips with a loss and used a technique called "normalizing" when I explained the varied symptoms that they were all experiencing at that point.

After this, I encouraged everyone in the room to reminisce about Jose, and also to talk about their experience of this loss. I facilitated the discussion with a goal of making people feel comfortable expressing very vulnerable emotions with their co-workers. This was a very heartfelt and touching experience, and the participants said they were very grateful for this help in learning to deal with their loss. They also reported improved functioning to their supervisors in the next few weeks. This was helped by the fact that the company decided to hold a memorial service for Jose in a neighborhood church. Everyone who had something to say about Jose was welcomed to get up and address the group, and they ended the memorial with a silent prayer for Jose.

Dealing with the turbulent emotions that arise after a trauma by talking about them, seeking support, and performing rituals of closure can help you get through a traumatic time without having to experience the unsettling aftershocks of a post-traumatic stress disorder. If you or someone you know has recently undergone a trauma, be sure to seek help of this nature for yourself or for others as soon as possible. Let your trauma become a thing of the past.

* The names of all individuals have been changed to protect their identities.

About the author: Mark Sichel, LCSW is a psychotherapist in private practice in New York City. He created the website, Psybersquare.com and is author of Healing from Family Rifts, a guide to mending even the most difficult family estrangements.

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Your life is not in danger. During a panic attack, the sufferer is often convinced that s/he is having a heart attack or a stroke, and is dying. THIS IS NOT SO. The symptoms of heart attacks and strokes are quite different from those of extreme fear.

A panic attack is maintained by fear. Are you brave enough to try the technique of 'paradoxical intention'? All you have to do is to WILL the panic attack to hit you. Invite it. Dare it. This is particularly effective for people whose panic is predictable: occurs in particular circumstances. Go into the feared situation and say within your head: "Come on, you wretched panic: hit me! Go on! I'm not afraid of you!" If it helps, have a trusted friend with you for support.

The panic will be helpless against you, will not be able to touch you, AS LONG AS YOU REFUSE TO BE AFRAID OF IT!

A panic attack is not a sign that you are going crazy. It is true that you are in the grip of something and therefore 'out of control' of yourself, but the symptoms and feelings are very different from those of any mental illness. They are exactly the same as those of a person in extreme physical danger. They occur in response to A SIGNAL YOU ARE MISINTERPRETING, THEN THE FEAR IS MAINTAINED BY WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT YOUR FEELINGS IN RESPONSE TO IT. The fear is real. It is not an illusion or a hallucination. You are not crazy.

A panic attack is not a sign of weakness. Anyone can have them, in the right (well, wrong) circumstances. I once had one while watching my daughter stand on the bottom rail of a wrought iron safety fence, at the top of a very tall tower. I had the unreasonable feeling that, regardless of the laws of physics, she could topple over the fence (which was above her chest height) and fall to her death. I knew this was unrealistic, but could not stop an extreme fear reaction. Fortunately, I knew enough to bring myself out of it, and it has never recurred. Had I been less knowledgeable about psychology, I might now have a full-blown phobia.

You can control it. Just knowing the above facts can help a person get rid of panic attacks, EVEN IF THEY HAVE BEEN A PROBLEM FOR MANY YEARS. When you feel the next panic attack coming on, say to yourself: "This will be uncomfortable, but it cannot kill me. It's not a sign that I'm going crazy. If I can stop being scared, it will never come back. Anyone can have a panic attack."

Feelings of terror or impending doom, including full-blown panic attacks may be side-effects of drugs such as marijuana, amphetamines, caffeine taken to excess, or for certain people, even certain food additives.

Control is the Key

Here is a very slightly modified extract from my book, 'Anger and Anxiety: How to be in charge of your emotions and control phobias.'

"Abigail was shopping at the local supermarket when she suddenly had a 'queer turn'. Her vision went blurry, and there were spots dancing before her eyes. She felt dizzy, and had to hang on to her trolley to avoid falling. Heavens! she thought, I'm having a stroke or a heart attack!

Immediately she had this thought, she felt a pain in her chest. It was as if a steel band was constricting her lungs — she just couldn't get enough air. Her heart was beating so hard she could feel it. And it was very rapid. Her face and body were covered with cold sweat.

Somebody noticed her distress, she was looked after and driven home. This terrible experience did not recur for awhile, even back in the same shop. But months later, in a different place, suddenly it happened again.

After this, the panic attacks (as Abigail now knew them to be) occurred with increasing frequency, always in a crowded store. Then they spread to other situations. When I met Abigail, I had to go to her house to see her — she was unable to leave home.

This is 'agoraphobia'.
I don't know what set off the first attack. It could have been a temporary drop in blood pressure. She could have been coming down with an ear infection which affected her sense of balance. Perhaps some smell, or a combination of things around her, brought back a long repressed terrifying situation from her infancy. Whatever it was, she misinterpreted the symptoms as life threatening. Then she panicked in response to this fear.

While this first panic attack was in full flight, Abigail was surrounded by sights, sounds, smells, touches on her skin, sensations within her body, thoughts in her head. Any of these, or any subtle combination of them, had the chance of becoming new triggers for the fear. For example, the new 'signal' might have been the sight of a packet of self raising flour while a particular tune was being played on the store's sound system, combined with the feel of the cold steel of the shopping trolley's handhold. This particular complex (whatever it was) didn't recur for a few months. When it did, it was in a different place. It set off the second panic attack. Again, there was a good chance that a new constellation of sights, sounds, smells, feelings, whatever, would become a signal for the fear.

So, over time, the fear could be induced by a growing number of signals, until Abigail was imprisoned by her fear of the fear.

[I have to say here that there are different, competing explanations for how agoraphobia arises. I believe that the 'classical conditioning' model I described is correct — otherwise I wouldn't have used it. However, there is no controversy over the method for controlling agoraphobia. The method is described in Chapter 5 (page 23).]

Classical conditioning is how we pick up our automatic ways of responding to our experiences: to the world around us, to the sensations in our body, to the thoughts and emotions within our consciousness. A tune or a smell can vividly bring back apparently forgotten memories, or merely the emotions you experienced back then. You might respond with strong emotion (positive or negative) to a stranger. Unknown to you, you are reacting to some similarity between this person and somebody from your past. Parents tend to treat their children in exactly the way they were treated when little, often without realizing it. Prejudices, likes and dislikes, ways of responding to novel situations are all affected by conditioning from the past.

We couldn't function without having this storehouse of automatic ways of responding. But sometimes, our conditioned habits are no longer relevant, or, as in this example, they are unfortunate and distressing.

About the author: Dr. Bob Rich, author of Anger and Anxiety, is a psychologist based in Australia. He is a member of the Australian Psychological Society, College of Counselling Psychologists Associate Member, and Australian Society of Hypnosis.

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Cognitive therapy for panic disorder is very effective. Read about this treatment for panic attacks.

Cognitive therapy for panic disorder is a relatively brief (8 to 15 sessions) treatment derived from the cognitive theory of panic disorder. According to this theory, individuals who experience repeated panic attacks do so because they have a relatively enduring tendency to misinterpret benign bodily sensations as indications of an immediately impending physical or mental catastrophe. For example, palpitations may be interpreted as evidence of an impending heart attack. This cognitive abnormality is said to lead to a "positive" feedback loop in which misinterpretations of body sensations produce increasing anxiety. This in turn strengthens sensations, producing a vicious circle that culminates in a panic attack.

Treatment for panic attacks starts by reviewing with the patient a recent panic attack and deriving an idiosyncratic version of the panic vicious circle. Once patient and therapist have agreed that panic attacks involve an interaction between bodily sensations and negative thoughts about the sensations, a variety of cognitive and behavioral procedures are used to help patients challenge their misinterpretations of the sensations. The cognitive procedures include identifying observations that are inconsistent with the patient's beliefs, educating the patient about the symptoms of anxiety, and modifying anxiety-related images. The behavioral procedures include inducing feared sensations (by hyperventilation), focusing attention on the body or reading pairs of words (representing feared sensations and catastrophes) to demonstrate possible causes of patients' symptoms, and stopping safety behaviours (such as holding on to solid objects when feeling dizzy) to help patients disconfirm their negative predictions about the consequences of their symptoms. As with cognitive therapy for other disorders, treatment sessions are highly structured. An agenda is agreed on at the start of each session, and repeated belief ratings are used to monitor within-session cognitive change. In addition, frequent summaries are used to guarantee mutual understanding. At the end of each session a series of homework assignments are agreed on as well.

Controlled trials in the United States, England, Germany, The Netherlands, and Sweden (see Clark, 1997, for a review) show that cognitive therapy is an effective treatment for panic disorder. Intention-to-treat analyses indicate 74% to 94% of patients become panic free, and the gains are maintained at follow-up. The effectiveness of the treatment does not appear to be entirely due to nonspecific therapy factors as three trials have found cognitive therapy to be superior to alternative, equally credible, psychological interventions.

Source:

• (1) Clark, D. M. (1997). Panic disorder and social phobia. In D. M. Clark & C. G. Fairburn (Eds.), Science and practice of cognitive behaviour therapy (pp. 121-153). New York: Oxford University Press.

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It is well-known that certain foods and substances tend to create additional stress and anxiety, while others promote a calmer and steadier mood. Certain natural substances have a direct calming effect and others are known to have an antidepressant effect.

Stimulants

Caffeine - coffee, tea, alcohol, coke stimulate an adrenal response in your body, which can provoke anxiety, nervousness and insomnia to name a few side effects. They also deplete the body of necessary vitamins and minerals that help balance our mood and nervous system. Recommended dosage - less than 100mg per day (one cup of percolated coffee or two diet cola beverages per day. Less than 50mg per day is preferable.

Nicotine - this is as strong as caffeine - it stimulates increased physiological arousal, vasoconstriction and makes your heart work harder. Smokers tend to be more anxious than non-smokers and tend to sleep less well than non-smokers.

Stimulant Drugs - beware of prescription drugs that contain caffeine and amphetamines, and recreational drugs such as cocaine that increase levels of anxiety and panic attacks in people using them.

Salt

Salt depletes the body of potassium, a mineral important to the proper functioning of the nervous system. Salt raises blood pressure that in turn puts a strain on the heart and arteries and hastens arteriolosclerosis. Recommended dosage - do not excess 1gm of salt per day.

Preservatives

There are over 5000 chemical additives in commercial food processing. Our bodies are not equipped to handle these, and little is known about long term biological effects. Try and eat whole unprocessed foods as much as possible. Try to purchase vegetables and fruit that haven't been treated with pesticides (organically grown).

Hormones in Meat

Most commercially forms of meat have been fed hormones to promote fast weight gain and growth. One hormone diethylstilbestrol (DES) has been implicated in the development of breast cancer and fibroid tumors. Try to replace red meat, pork and poultry with organically raised beef, poultry and fish such as cod, salmon, snapper, sole, trout.

Sweet, refined foods

Reduce intake of sweet refined foods as these affect the blood sugar that can lead to anxiety and mood swings while also affecting how the brain functions.

MSG

MSG from Chinese takeaway should be avoided as it can have a major irritating effect on the nervous system producing the following: headaches, tingling, numbness and chest pains.

Drink Soda Water

Soda water increases the levels of carbon dioxide that helps the body to become balanced when someone is hyperventilating. Soda water also decreases smooth muscle contractions and dilates blood vessels, which allows blood to flow easily around the body.

Food Allergies

Be aware to check for food allergies as they can be one of the main causes of many emotional problems.

Food to eat to reduce anxiety and maintain calm state

• Wholegrain cereals
• Asparagus
• Garlic
• Eggs
• Fish
• Molasses
• Wheat germ
• Brewers yeast
• Carrots
• Onions
• Beetroot
• Spinach
• Paw paw
• Celery
• Stone fruit
• Avocado

Stressful Eating Habits

Stress and anxiety can be aggravated not only by what you eat, but the way you eat. Any of the following habits can aggravate your daily level of stress:

• Eating too fast or on the run
• Not chewing food at least 15-20 times per mouthful
• Eating too much to the point of feeling stuffed or bloated
• Drinking too much fluid with a meal which can dilute stomach acid and digestive enzymes (one cup with a meal is sufficient)

These behaviours put strain on your stomach and intestines in their attempt to properly digest and assimilate food. This increases stress in two ways:

• Directly through indigestion, bloating, and cramping
• Indirectly through malabsorption of essential nutrients

Nutrients

There are specific nutrients which can decrease anxiety. These include:

Magnesium aids with muscle relaxation, maintenance of the heart muscle, neuromuscular transmission and widening of the blood vessels. A deficiency of magnesium can cause

• Agitation
• Anxiety
• Behavioral disturbances
• Confusion
• Cold hands and feet
• Depression
• Insomnia
• Restlessness

B Complex Vitamins these are the spark plugs for our body. They help provide energy by acting with enzymes to convert major nutrients such as carbohydrates to energy forms. They are important for the normal function of the nervous system and are helpful in bringing relaxation or energy to individuals who are stressed or fatigued. A deficiency of certain B vitamins will cause:

• Fatigue
• Irritability
• Nervousness
• Depression
• Insomnia
• Loss of appetite

Calcium works with maintenance of electrolyte balance, muscle contractions, nerve transmission, regulation of cell division, hormone secretion and bone and teeth formation. A deficiency can cause:

• Agitation
• Depression
• Heart palpitations
• Insomnia
• Irritability

Sources:

• Part of the information in this section on Nutrition has been provided by Janet Schloss, a qualified Naturopath and Nutritionist from Brisbane, Australia.
• Bourne, E.J. The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook, (4th Ed) 2005. New Harbinger Publications.

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The steps to controlling your fear and overcoming fear. Plus what is fear, acknowledgment of fear, and controlling your fear.

Two thousand years ago, the Roman philosopher and playwright, Seneca, said, "Nothing is terrible in things; except fear itself" and people have continued to echo him down through the centuries.

What is fear? Fear is an emotion that develops out of uncertainty. And uncertainty itself is, basically, the perceived inability to control. Put this way it appears very simple — fear is not real, fear is just a perception. If only we could convince ourselves of that! Who knows?... maybe we'll manage it one day.

The first step in overcoming fear is acknowledging that it is causing a problem.. Too many people deny the problem exists — they procrastinate, make excuses and convince themselves that the choices they make are for preference, not avoidance. You know the kind of thing... putting off the visit to the dentist for example, it's inconvenient just now — of course you're not afraid! Getting someone else to run into the store while you drive around the block because that way there's no need to find a parking space — of course you're not afraid to go into the store! And, of course, you much prefer to stay home and watch television than waste time at a party. Then there are the people who admit to being a little stressed out — a bit nervous perhaps... And they have their ways of dealing with it, too. But a couple of drinks is never going to provide control however much you kid yourself. Neither will illegal drugs. These are the "solutions" which aggravate the fear-prone condition and place you squarely in the fast lane to becoming a complete basket case.

Acknowledgment of fear puts you in a position to gain control. You are ready to turn the fear into a positive and constructive force by counteracting it with action. Robert Louis Stevenson said, "You cannot run away from weakness; you must some time fight it out or perish; and if that be so, why not now and where you stand?" Who wants to perish? Let's get on and fight it."

How? The only way there is — facing it! Oh, it's hard and it takes a long time. Trustworthy people must be found to help — people who won't get impatient or misunderstand. They're few and far between. And there's failure — lots of failures. But each failure means a small step on the way to success because a failure is a step ahead of avoidance! Right?

Right!

There's something else that's happening, too. All the time you're challenging fear with action, you are developing problem-solving techniques. You're learning a skill that can be applied to your 'life after fear'! And there's going to be a lot of that once you make the decision to challenge your condition. We all have problems to solve — at every stage of our lives. From infancy to old age, we face uncertainties and must apply ourselves to solving the problems those uncertainties bring. Once you learn problem-solving techniques, you have an ability that can become the basis for all kinds of success.

There are people who hate themselves for being too weak to take the action required to control their problem — indeed, they actually use it to excuse their inadequacies — and there are people who have worked hard to control their panic. They have gone on to succeed in other areas of their lives. The great English philosopher, Thomas Carlyle, put it this way, "Obstacles in the pathway of the weak become stepping stones in the pathway of the strong." Carlyle knew all about obstacles — the almost finished manuscript of one of his major works was accidentally burned (this was two centuries before the micro-chip solved such problems) and he had to sit down and write it all over again!

Developing control over your panic provides you with another highly sought-after capability — initiative. You have to have initiative to control a problem that can easily get out of hand! Once developed, initiative can take you a long way. Initiative separates the person who makes the decision when an opportunity presents itself from all the other people, who are in a position to take the same decisive step on the road to achievement, but never do so. You make the decision to challenge the panic your fear creates and you take the initiative required in learning how to solve the problem. Decision-making. Initiative. Problem-solving. You're all set to achieve success! And all because you turned panic disorder into a positive force.

It can be done.

Source: Lifeline Anxiety Newsletter