The symptoms of depression may vary from person to person, and also depend on the severity of the depression. Depression causes changes in thinking, feeling, behavior, and physical well-being.

• Changes in Thinking - You may experience problems with concentration and decision making. Some people report difficulty with short term memory, forgetting things all the time. Negative thoughts and thinking are characteristic of depression. Pessimism, poor self-esteem, excessive guilt, and self-criticism are all common. Some people have self-destructive thoughts during a more serious depression.
• Changes in Feelings - You may feel sad for no reason at all. Some people report that they no longer enjoy activities that they once found pleasurable. You might lack motivation, and become more apathetic. You might feel “slowed down” and tired all the time. Sometimes irritability is a problem, and you may have more difficulty controlling your temper. In the extreme, depression is characterized by feelings of helplessness and hopelessness.
• Changes in Behavior - Changes in behavior during depression are reflective of the negative emotions being experienced. You might act more apathetic, because that’s how you feel. Some people do not feel comfortable with other people, so social withdrawal is common. You may experience a dramatic change in appetite, either eating more or less. Because of the chronic sadness, excessive crying is common. Some people complain about everything, and act out their anger with temper outbursts. Sexual desire may disappear, resulting in lack of sexual activity. In the extreme, people may neglect their personal appearance, even neglecting basic hygiene. Needless to say, someone who is this depressed does not do very much, so work productivity and household responsibilities suffer. Some people even have trouble getting out of bed.
• Changes in Physical Well-being - We already talked about the negative emotional feelings experienced during depression, but these are coupled with negative physical emotions as well. Chronic fatigue, despite spending more time sleeping, is common. Some people can’t sleep, or don’t sleep soundly. These individuals lay awake for hours, or awaken many times during the night, and stare at the ceiling. Others sleep many hours, even most of the day, although they still feel tired. Many people lose their appetite, feel slowed down by depression, and complain of many aches and pains. Others are restless, and can’t sit still.

Now imagine these symptoms lasting for weeks or even months. Imagine feeling this way almost all of the time. Depression is present if you experience many of these symptoms for at least several weeks. Of course, it’s not a good idea to diagnose yourself. If you think that you might be depressed, see a psychologist as soon as possible. A psychologist can assess whether you are depressed, or just under a lot of stress and feeling sad. Remember, depression is treatable. Instead of worrying about whether you are depressed, do something about it. Even if you don’t feel like it right now. 

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It’s normal to worry and feel tense or scared when under pressure or facing a stressful situation. Anxiety is the body’s natural response to danger, an automatic alarm that goes off when we feel threatened.

Although it may be unpleasant, anxiety isn’t always a bad thing. In fact, anxiety can help us stay alert and focused, spur us to action, and motivate us to solve problems. But when anxiety is constant or overwhelming, when it interferes with your relationships and activities—that’s when you’ve crossed the line from normal anxiety into the territory of anxiety disorders.

Signs and symptoms of anxiety disorders

Because the anxiety disorders are a group of related conditions rather than a single disorder, they can look very different from person to person. One individual may suffer from intense anxiety attacks that strike without warning, while another gets panicky at the thought of mingling at a party. Someone else may struggle with a disabling fear of driving or uncontrollable, intrusive thoughts. Still another may live in a constant state of tension, worrying about anything and everything.

But despite their different forms, all anxiety disorders share one major symptom: persistent or severe fear or worry in situations where most people wouldn’t feel threatened.

Emotional symptoms of anxiety

In addition to the primary symptoms of irrational and excessive fear and worry, other common emotional symptoms of anxiety include:

Physical symptoms of anxiety

Anxiety is more than just a feeling. As a product of the body’s fight-or-flight response, anxiety involves a wide range of physical symptoms. Because of the numerous physical symptoms, anxiety sufferers often mistake their disorder for a medical illness. They may visit many doctors and make numerous trips to the hospital before their anxiety disorder is discovered.

Common physical symptoms of anxiety include:

Anxiety attacks and their symptoms

Anxiety attacks, known as panic attacks in mental health circles, ­are episodes of intense panic or fear. Anxiety attacks usually occur suddenly and without warning. Sometimes there’s an obvious trigger— getting stuck in an elevator, for example, or thinking about the big speech you’re giving in a few hours—but in other cases, the attacks come out of the blue.

Anxiety attacks usually peak within ten minutes, and they rarely last more than a half hour. But during that short time, the terror can be so severe that you feel as if you’re about to die or totally lose control. The physical symptoms are themselves so frightening that many people believe they’re having a heart attack. After an anxiety attack is over, you may be worried about having another one, particularly in a public place where help isn’t available or you can’t easily escape.

Symptoms of an anxiety attack include:

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Panic Attacks have become a regular peculiarity in today’s stressful environment. It seems that entire humanity is on the run almost constantly. It is a rat race out there and all of us are forced to be a part of it. Sadly a few of us are not as well equipped to handle these stress filled corridors of time leading to a particular condition of our mind called Panic Attacks.

Do not fret though. Every problem has a solution and maybe you should take a look at what hypnosis can do for you. Try hypnosis, the science of treating the ailments of your mind. Hypnosis will act on your subconscious because the root cause of these Panic Attacks lies somewhere deep within the realms of your mind.

I found a site where you can download a MP3 and get instant help. Click Here for relief from your panic attacks.

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A panic attack is a particular episode in which an individual experiences intense stress and / or fear that can last for mins or perhaps hours. You may experience an acute fear over nothing at all or a fear of having a panic attack itself. There actually is no certain way to grasp the whole scope of what makes a contribution to your panic attack without careful analysis with a medical pro and probably a trick cyclist. Many folks don’t see their doctors or bother with a psychologist as they are embarrassed of the indicators of a panic attack. Pride isn’t a symptom of panic attacks, but it’s a byproduct at times of an individual’s need to remain “normal” at any price. To stop panic attack symptoms, you may wish to consider speaking to your doctor about these medicines or other methods.

Always follow the recommendation of your medical professional and the laws set forth by the drug firms as it is vital to use any medicine correctly.

Never stop taking a medicine all of a sudden without the recommendation of your doctor and never start taking medicine without the recommendation of your doctor, either. As with anything in life and the realm of health, nothing is better than the experience and recommendation of a certified medical pro.

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Panic attacks come on at any time of the day or night.  If you’re ever been so scared and out of control, then you’ve probably had a taste of what a panic attack feels like to the typical sufferer.  Ever feel as if you were in immanent danger and had to flee?  That’s kind of what a panic attack feels like.  It comes on strong, scares the heck out of you, and it’s
gone

Here are a few ideas on how to cope…

Once you’ve finally visited doctor and have been diagnosed with panic attacks you will be offered a course of treatment. In order to make sure the treatment has the best chance of succeeding, YOU need to take control of your life!

1.  Participate in Your Treatment

Do not sit back and wait for relief to come by itself! You must remain active and aware of your mind and body’s reactions to treatment. Be ready and willing to ask any and every question and to address every concern you have with your health care provider. Open lines of communication will increase the chance of control and success.

2.  Be Patient

While many patients respond within weeks or sometimes even days to treatments for panic attacks, no one responds the same. Furthermore, no known treatments for panic work instantly. Be prepared to spend at least a full two months following your initial course of treatment before you start judging its effectiveness. If you still haven’t experienced the improvement you were seeking, you can always work with your provider to adjust your treatment plan then.

3.  Be Alert To Side Effects

If part of your treatment involves medication, you will likely need to be aware and provide a lot of feedback to the doctor until the dose and type of medicine is determined.  Make certain your doctor explains to you the side effects you might have to expect. Usually they get easier to tolerate with time but it’s critical that you know what to expect.  Your doctor may begin lowering your dosage, or trying alternatives if the side effects are pronounced or cannot be tolerated.

4.  Join A Panic Disorder Support Group

If misery loves companionship, then a great source of support, relief and information for those who suffer from panic attacks can be found in the support group.  Now I’m NOT a big fan of support groups in that they tend to validate problems instead of focusing on fixing or living with them.  I do recognize however that some people find great solace and support in these groups and for those people, please attend and enjoy.  Most attendees will be talking about their experiences, their treatments and coping tips.

Just keeping these tips in mind and putting them to use during your treatment may help make you feel much better and increase your chances of treatment being effective.

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Basically, a person who is experiencing intense feeling of anxiety and worry for more than six months is most likely suffering from a severe type of anxiety disorder. Cases of anxiety that involve excessive worrying and stress from relationships, work, environment, or situations are also sure indicators of anxiety disorders. With this, doctors and health practitioners always recommend immediate recommendations whenever anxiety becomes extreme to the point that it is already affecting a person’s daily activities and productivity.

Fortunately for those who are suffering from anxiety disorders, these forms of health condition are highly treatable. After thorough examinations and the confirmation that a patient is indeed suffering from anxiety disorder, doctors and health practitioners will then recommend the treatments that will best aid the patient’s condition. These treatments may be in the form of medication, therapy, and natural or herbal remedy.

Apart from the three common treatments recommended by physicians, there are other forms of treatments that people can try as means to stop anxiety attacks. Treating anxiety does not necessarily require one to spend a lot of money on medications and expensive treatments. As such, below are a couple of self-help tips that can aid one in managing and coping with anxiety and stress:

1. Maintaining a healthy and balanced diet.

Eating right is probably one of the simplest and the most rewarding ways to cope and manage panic attacks. This not only keeps the body fit and healthy, but it also helps reduce and control stress.

2. Eliminating caffeine.

Since caffeine is known to trigger tension and anxiety, avoiding too much coffee or soda consumption can really decrease one’s susceptibility to experience anxiety, sudden panic attacks, as well as mood swings.

3. Building a strong support system

Support from family and friends is a very important aid for those who are experiencing extreme anxiety conditions. Spending time with people who are emotionally supportive and understanding can really help a person from coping and dealing with panic attacks. It is said that the more a person seeks comfort from trusting family and friends, the lesser chances of experiencing sudden anxiety and extreme worrying attacks.

4. Practicing different kinds of relaxing techniques

Patients diagnosed with anxiety disorder are oftentimes advised by doctors or health practitioners to try practicing different types of relaxing techniques such as yoga, controlled breathing, and guided imagery. These modes of relaxation really help in reducing stress and anxiety.

5. Meditating

Regular meditations is also a good way of reducing one’s susceptibility to experience extreme anxiety and stress. Many people suffering from anxiety disorders prefer to adapt meditation methods like walking meditation and transcendental meditation in their everyday activities.

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His panic attack was interpreted in a humorous way for the sake of the movie, but real panic and anxiety attack survivors know there’s nothing funny about it.

Impending divorce triggered my first major panic episode. It stirred almost daily, waiting for any event that would bring it to the surface in a full blown attack. Sure enough such an event did arise, but not from any outside force.

While I contemplated taking a shower one day, anxiety swept over me, along with an unexplained dread that something terrible was going to happen.

Suddenly, I was afraid to eat, afraid to go out, afraid to stay home alone.

As I drove down the highway, uprooted trees and black garbage bags along the route took on indistinguishable grotesque shapes. Passing through overpasses was particularly alarming as I dreaded losing control and smashing into the abutment. Elevators and stairwells triggered a new symptom: claustrophobia.

Particularly alarming was the day I was afraid I’d lose control and toss myself off the 6th floor balcony. That’s when I knew it was time to get help.

Two years of psychiatric treatment eventually brought an end to those terrifying events. Until 10 years later when I decided to switch careers and return to college. I was 37.

Then, it happened again. I was in the huge school cafeteria walking along the self serve line. It began as I became intensely aware of the drone of voices echoing throughout the quadrant. Quite unexpectedly, anxiety swept over me. I thought I’d lose my mind as my heart and thoughts raced and that old familiar dread took hold.

Struggling with the attack, I made it to a seat and tried to eat my lunch but it soon became apparent it wasn’t possible. The initial fear was verging on panic. I rushed from the cafeteria to the nursing station at the top of the stairs, but at that point, I felt it might pass.

I continued aimlessly down the busy hallway. All I could think of was getting away from the noise, the bustling students and the insecure openness. Moments later, sitting in the peaceful, dimly lit student lounge, I curled up in an armchair and fell asleep. When I awoke, the attack had passed.

Years ago, my doctor had explained that my attacks were a result of a chemical imbalance. He also pointed out that a lack of confidence and a sense of impending loss of control were related to my anxiety.

During my therapy, I persistently plied him with questions and bombarded him with every sensation I had over the previous week. He was a man of few words, always turning my questions back on me to interpret. Through his few choice words, worries of things going wrong in my life were soon mere flashes, rather than mounting thoughts to stoke my simmering anxiety.

His advice echoed when I emerged from that major panic attack at the college 10 years later. I was in a strange environment undertaking a new career. The attack clearly was brought on by my fear of failing, along with numerous other fears.

It all made sense. I was moving into a new frontier with new faces, new challenges. In all likelihood, I would emerge a new person, but as happened with my divorce, it was a time when I feared I would lose control of my body, my mind and my life.

What saved me was something my psychiatrist said years before when he responded quite simply to one of my ‘what if…’ questions. His reply has become my ‘mantra’, if you will.

In an effort to make me focus directly on the issue and think rationally about the outcome, he merely asked, ‘So what?’ Who could have known that those two small words would become my rock? The moment a terrifying thought entered my head, all I had to do was ask, “So what? What’s the worst that could happen?” and it was never as bad as I’d imagined. And today, it always brings me back to earth. There is help for you, too.

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Fear of having another attack usually haunts a person suffering from panic disorder. Such fear can severely affect daily activities. There are people who would refuse to leave their houses for fear of becoming vulnerable to such attacks, or they try to avoid being reminded of previous attacks. Over time, they may develop other mental disorders or phobia, such as agoraphobia or the fear of being outside of known and safe surroundings.

Panic disorder is often accompanied by other serious problems, such as depression, drug abuse, or alcoholism. The good news is that there is a wide variety of effective treatments for panic disorder available. Some of the better known treatments are called psychotherapy or talk therapy, cognitive, or biofeedback therapy.  These methods were developed to help alter a person’s response to triggers. Other treatment options include the use of antidepressant medications and beta-blockers. A change in lifestyle, such as limiting caffeine and having a daily fitness regimen, can also help reduce symptoms of panic disorder.

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Panic attacks are symptoms of panic disorder, a type of anxiety disorder affecting millions of adults in the U.S. today. It usually develops during the late teens and early adulthood, and may afflict twice as many women as men. However, not everyone who experiences panic attacks will develop panic disorder.

While the exact cause of panic disorder is yet to be known, researchers suspect a combination of biological and environmental factors may contribute to the development of the condition. It includes family history, stressful life events, drug and alcohol abuse, and thinking patterns that exaggerated normal physical reactions.

Though panic attacks usually produce a sense of unreality, it is a real illness that can be treated successfully. It can be a truly terrifying experience and may occur at any time, even during sleep. An attack usually peaks within 10 minutes, but some symptoms may last much longer. During a panic attack, your heart will pound and you may feel sweaty, weak,  faint, or dizzy. Your hands may tingle or feel numb, and you might feel flushed or chilled. You may have nausea, chest pain or smothering sensations, a sense of unreality, or fear of impending doom or loss of control.

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Some doctors prescribe medications for panic attacks such as Paxil or Zoloft.  In order to stop panic attack symptoms, you may want to consider talking to your doctor about these medications or other methods. Always follow the advice of your medical professional and the regulations set forth by the drug companies as it is important to utilize any medication properly. Never stop taking a medication suddenly without the advice of your physician and never start taking medication without the advice of your doctor, either. As with anything in life and in the world of health, nothing beats the expertise and advice of a qualified medical professional.

I will always recommend you consult your doctor. Do your homework and study everything you can about panic attacks and anxiety. By doing this you have already started the process to ending your anxiety and panic attacks.

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