When it comes to anxiety and panic attacks, we do the best we can to cope. Sometimes we fail miserably…and sometimes we triumph. As debilitating as anxiety disorders can be, take heart because they are very treatable.
There are 4 standard approaches to anxiety treatment. They are:
1. Therapy
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) -a therapeutic approach between patient and therapist that solves problems concerning dysfunctional emotions and behaviors. There is scientific evidence that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is effective for anxiety disorders.
Exposure Therapy- this involves the exposure to anxiety provoking triggers without any danger while the therapist comforts the patient. Studies have demonstrated its effectiveness in the treatment of anxiety disorders such as PTSD and phobias.
2. Medications
Four major classes of medications are used in the treatment of anxiety disorders: Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors(SSRIs), Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs), Benzodiazepines, and Tricyclic Antidepressants.
It goes without saying that all medications must be prescribed by a licensed physician and taken exactly as prescribed.
3. Anxiety Self Help Programs
There are excellent self help books and online treatment programs available for overcoming anxiety and panic attacks. One of the classic books on the subject is Hope and Help for Your Nerves by the late Dr. Claire Weekes.
4. Alternative and Complimentary Activities
Many people find great relief of their anxiety symptoms by participating in an alternative or complimentary activity that they find enjoyable, such as yoga, meditation, or light exercise. Hypnosis and acupuncture are also effective in reducing anxiety.
Hint: You can – and should – use alternative and complimentary treatments in combination with other anxiety treatments.
How to Succeed in Your Anxiety Elimination Treatment of Choice
Do your homework. If you are going to see a therapist for CBT or exposure therapy, be sure to ask the following questions:
- Do you have any special training treating anxiety disorders?
- What is your basic approach to treatment?
- How long is a typical course of treatment?
Participate fully in your therapy sessions. Hold nothing back, and perform all your homework to the best of your ability.
If your doctor suggests medication to alleviate the symptoms of your anxiety disorder, ask questions. You want to know about possible side effects, contraindications, when will you feel better, how long should you take it, etc.
If you would like to try an anxiety self help book or program, you must do your homework. Research the program that interests you, read the sales page thoroughly to see if the program resonates with you. If there is a free newsletter or report offered, sign up for it. This will give you a taste of the program and may help you make your buying decision.
You may also want to read reviews written by others who have used the product.
Once you find an anxiety treatment method that you feel is a good fit for you and your specific situation, work your program of choice as if your life depends on it (because let’s face it, the quality of your life really does depend on it).
If you approach your program enthusiastically and with a positive mindset, this will definitely work in your favor. If your program involves homework or writing assignments, do them!
If you don’t fully participate in your therapy, fail to take your medication as prescribed, purchase an online program and then let it sit on your hard drive gathering virtual dust, I can guarantee that you will fail and continue to suffer from anxiety.
The goal is to keep moving forward. You will most likely have setbacks or bad days or feel discouraged from time to time. Know that this is part of the recovery process. It is about progress, not perfection. You must persist and follow through with your chosen method of anxiety treatment in order to get lasting results.
In closing, when you are ready to seek anxiety treatment, research your options, pick a program or therapy that’s right for you, and work it until you get the results you want. And that is how you will succeed in your method of choice.
Jill Green is a recovering anxious person who teaches others how to cope at her anxiety self help blog.
Acne is a broad term that pertains to different types of skin disorders, either severe or mild. The following are six common types of acne along with each respective depiction.
Acne Comedos – Comedos is acne type that typically elicited by certain hair follicle infection. Comedos somehow look similar to large pimples. When these seemingly large pimples burst, they are then considered acne comedos. This is the reason why popping of large pimples are strongly discouraged.
Pimples – These are yet, the widespread type of acne that transpire to almost everyone from teenage onwards, regardless of skin types. Pimples restrain white blood cells and seepage. They are usually triggered by certain bacteria or dead skin cell buildups.
Blemishes – Skin blemishes are common acne types that are often associated with nodules or whiteheads. It is the most ordinary type of acne, which can easily be avoided with proper skin care regimen as such with the utilization of facial cleansers and scrubs and antibiotic soaps.
Cysts – Cysts are considered stern acne, which progress beneath the skin. This acne type is worse than nodules for it can develop into a more serious skin infection if not properly taken care of, in the earlier stage. By nature, cysts can grow in size. When they become severe, they could lead to potential terrible skin reactions.
Rosacea – Rosacea is yet another serious type of acne disorder that needs proper diagnosis. Typically, this acne emerges on the cheeks and nose. Once rosacea appears, the skin turns reddish. In some instances, rosacea progression can even give way to skin break outs.
Vulgaris – Vulgaris is an acne that commonly progresses and turns into pimple pus. It causes the skin to become dark. Pimples caused by acne vulgaris are identified by red marks surrounding them. They are more likely to appear in the face, back and on the chest.
What Triggers Acne Occurrence?
Teenagers are prone to suffer from acne, yet, acne can also transpire beyond this the teenage years. Evident of such occurrence is the adult acne. What causes both the teenage and adult acne to progress?
Understanding Acne Progression
Androgen is a male hormone present in the human body. It is found in both female and male beings. During puberty or adolescent stage, this hormone augments. When the androgen production increases, the amount of keratin and sebum production also augments. Once this happens, skin pores are then blocked, which would lead to certain skin infection, which is depicted by acne. And this can happen from teenage years and beyond.
Why do people develop acne?
There are several reasons as to why many people suffer from acne. The following are five of the most common acne culprits.
1. Stress – people who frequently get stressed are prone to acne.
2. Hormone imbalance – this refers to the fluctuation of body hormones, which usually happens in women and in teenagers during puberty.
3. Obstruction of the liver.
4. Colon contamination.
5. Unbalanced and unhealthy diet.
The best person to decide on what is preeminent for curing acne is an expert dermatologist. Thus, acne sufferers are then advised to seek for professional advice prior to take a plunge into whatever is offered in the contemporary aesthetic market.
While there are new researches conducted to help everyone suffering from acne, it is still best to do your part. Observe healthy hygiene and eat balanced diet because food and lifestyle affect the overall performance of the body. Also, get yourself updated with the latest news about your health or acne by joining in one News Community. It pays a lot to know the latest updates on how you can live a better life and stay healthy most of the times.
What is Smoking Cessation?
Smoking cessation is simply a process of discontinuing the habit or practice of inhaling smoked substances–in layman’s term it is simply called “quitting.” Mainly, smoking cessation programs target tobacco smoking, however, it will also deal with other substances or chemicals which are addictive and detrimental to the health of a person. These chemicals are given too much importance because if they are left untreated, they may strong physical and psychological addictions and dependencies which may lead to more problems in the future.
Studies show that only very few people have the command and guts to stop smoking without the help of any aids. However, more people find it hard to throw away the habit that is why arresting nicotine is the very first attempt to be done. But it is also not as easy as it sounds which is why a person should coordinate or go with other people in smoking cessation programs so that the process would be fun at the same time effective.
To quit smoking does not mean you just have to quit for just a day. The truth is, you will have to fight your whole life to be clean from it because once you cannot control yourself, you will always keep on going back to the way you already have been. If you quit, you should quit completely and destroy the worst habit you can possibly have.
Why You Should Stop Smoking?
Smokers learn to smoke during their teen years because of peer pressure, a rebellious attitude or the need to look more mature. Some learn how to smoke from their smoking parents and others just out of curiosity. Whatever the reason is, its effects are always bad for the body both physically and psychologically. Therefore, the best thing to do is not to start smoking in the first place or stop it while you can. To give you a bit of determination to quit, here are the three reasons why;
#1. You will develop chronic and severe diseases - when you are young you think your world does not have and end but you are wrong. You may not be able to feel the symptoms and effects of smoking earlier, however, when you become a bit older all of the sickness, illnesses and diseases will start to come out; heart diseases, respiratory disorders and cancers. These are just some of the diseases you can easily have when you are smoking.
#2. You will become old early – smoke and nicotine are a perfect duo in killing healthy cells in the body. Aside from that it hinders the body from regenerating new cells to replace the dead ones. Thus, there is no way your body will get younger cells. Therefore, the faster you smoke, the earlier you become old. You should know that the skin would always be the first one to get affected by smoking; wrinkles will start to come out even if you are still young.
#3. Smoking shortens life – people are getting old each day but smokers get old faster than non-smokers. Having almost all kinds of diseases is one factor to prove that you will not be able to live long enough when you are smoking. And taking in too much nicotine is one way of wasting your life. So, you should quit now.
If you need to get updated with the latest health news, you can join our news community or subscribe to our daily feed to have the news delivered to your inbox without a hassle. We also have our own news forum for you to interact with our writers and other news readers.
“Run for your life” is what you would advise someone in a dangerous situation. It’s the threat that makes you believe “If you run, you may be safe”. But even when the threat isn’t visible, running can still save your life.
It’s generally known that running has many benefits and provides great cardiovascular workout. But is it true that running prevents disease? Can running create immunity against the silent threats that may affect our body at any time?
The truth is it can. Not only running helps you lose weight and stay fit, but it also prevents the emergence of several chronic conditions.
First of all, running prevents obesity by improving the body’s ability to burn calories. Therefore body fat decreases and muscle mass increases. And by controlling obesity you control all subsidiary conditions that may be potentiated by obesity.
Secondly, a consistent runner strengthens the heart muscles. Also, running maintains cholesterol at a moderate level and lowers blood pressure. All in all, it maintains your heart healthy and efficient. And the possibility of having a stroke is wildly lowered.
One other aspect that is highly improved by constant running is bone strength. Osteoporosis is a largely encountered disease and its manifestations are terrible.
The good news is that an every-day runner can strengthen bones formation, thus the chances of developing this disease decrease considerably.
Those suffering from back pain can manage their condition by strengthening the back muscles and by increasing flexibility. A runner that respects the right body posture and proper running techniques is powerful enough to fight against back conditions.
Apart from the physical perks, running also has important psychological benefits. While running, certain substances from the brain are being activated. For example, it increases serotonin level which leads to positive feelings and comfort. Connected to serotonin is dopamine that controls sleeping habits. Endorphins are another type of neurochemicals that are elevated during running. All these substances provide a positive attitude, good night sleeps and a certain psychological force. Feeling good always brings about a healthy and balanced lifestyle.
There is no doubt that running can delay the trigger of cancers, infections, neurological conditions and other kinds of life threats.
But don’t forget that running isn’t enough. A proper balance between physical activity and a healthy diet is the onset against diseases.
This article is signed by Anna, a runner and owner of RunReviews. Anna writes mostly about treadmill reviews and workouts that she tests during her exercise routine.
