Treating the panic attack by using herbals and medications is one thing. Preventing the anxiety from occurring is another. If you have Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, you know the root of your anxiety cause. But most people who suffer from panic attacks have no idea why they are having panic attacks. It often takes a while to get to the root of the problem with therapy, assuming that there is an underlying problem.

If the anxiety condition is caused by heredity or a chemical imbalance, as is believed by many doctors, then you can help yourself further by restoring some of those chemicals back into your brain and alleviating stress.

Most doctors will tell you to eat a good diet if you want to help your anxiety panic disorder. Much of what we eat today is laced with chemicals that can add to the burden on our already weary bodies. Not many people eat healthy anymore and many are living on junk food that is laced with ingredients that are not good for us.

The old saying that “you are what you eat” rings true when it comes to diet and panic attacks. Some of the culprits that can be found in our diet as well as our habits include caffeine, nicotine, sugar and fatty foods. These can all play a role in keeping us in our anxious state.

• Nicotine and Panic Attacks
• Panic Attacks Caffeine Connection
• Panic Sugar – Cure Panic Through Diet
• Fatty Foods – Cure Panic Through Diet

In addition to what you eat, watch how you eat. Do you take time to chew your food thoroughly or are you eating in gulps? Many times, when we are under stress, we eat. When you eat food that is swallowed in chunks, you are not digesting the food properly and actually depriving yourself of nutrients that the food can give you. In addition to that, you are most likely overeating if you are not chewing your food properly. You are not only harming your digestive system, but you are causing yourself to lose nutrients and may be contributing to your panic attacks.

Take your time to eat your food by chewing it thoroughly before swallowing. Start making some changes in your diet right now to not only help you with regard to your anxiety panic, but your overall health.

You really are what you eat and if you are eating too much junk food and not getting enough nutrients, it is bound to make you feel bad. If you want to be healthier both physically and mentally, start eating a healthy diet that is full of nutrients and vitamins and chewing your food properly.

Another thing that you should do when you are watching your diet is to watch what you drink. Get rid of the caffeinated drinks and sodas and switch to water. By drinking 8 glasses of water each day, you will raise your metabolism and actually feel better. You should also increase you intake of fiber and limit your consumption of red meats, opting for fish instead.

Once you make these changes to your diet, you may start to see a change in how you feel. While diet alone may not be able to help you overcome anxiety and panic attacks, eating a healthy diet is a step in the right direction.

Fat is very common in fast foods and many of the other foods that we eat. Studies suggest that this is not good for our health and can contribute to depression, anxiety and panic. People who are overweight are more inclined to suffer from anxiety and depression than those who are of average weight.

One way that you can eliminate fat from your diet is to cut out the fast food. If you are living off of hamburgers, fried chicken, fries and other junk foods. While these foods are often thought of as “comfort foods,” in reality, they do not comfort someone who is eating them. Fat foods do not help anyone who has anxiety. They only add to the problem and, in many cases, cause obesity.

If you are suffering from anxiety, panic and depression, one of the things that you can do to help yourself is to eat a healthy diet. Lay off the simple carbohydrates and fats and stick to a diet that is rich in whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Taking a multi-vitamin or a B-complex vitamin can help you with stress as well. Start incorporating more vitamins into your meals, reduce fat and sugars and eliminate caffeine. If you are smoking, stop.

Sure, well all take in sugar, but too much of this sweet thing can end up helping our panic along. Take a look at the simple carbohydrates you are eating and try to cut some of them out. Simple carbohydrates consist of cakes, cookies, candy and other sweets. These offer no nutritional value and pack on the pounds. Packing on the pounds is also hard on anyone who is prone to anxiety.

Start fighting your condition by taking control of what you eat. This includes the amount of sugar intake. You get as much refined sugars in your every day meals that you do not have to add to it by consuming too much sugar.

If you take in a lot of sugar, you may end up getting Type II Diabetes, which is pretty much at epidemic proportions in the United States. Or you might end up getting hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia is when your sugar levels drop below normal level. When this happens, you may feel something akin to that of a panic attack. Your heart will race, your skin will feel clammy and you may even faint.

Anyone who suffers from panic or anxiety attacks should consider cutting the sugar out of their diet. We get plenty of sugar in our every day diets as it is that we do not have to add to it by eating things that offer no nutritional value. Refined sugars are everywhere. If you are finding that your anxiety attacks are at their worst after you have eaten, it could be because you are taking in too much sugar.

How much caffeine do you take in on a daily basis? For some people, cigarettes and black coffee are the ideal breakfast combo. If you are following in this path, you might want to lay off the caffeine. If you enjoy a cup of coffee, you can do so just as well with decaffeinated coffee.

Caffeine makes you very jittery and can help along your anxiety. While it is common to have a cup of coffee in the morning, having two or three cups can aid in your panic. The truth of the matter is that caffeine is really not good for you and promotes a false sense of awareness.

If you have been suffering from panic attacks or anxiety, take a look at your daily caffeine absorption. If you are drinking coffee, soda, or tea all day long, you are aiding with your problem. Caffeine will make you feel more tense than ever. If you are trying to drive cross country, you might want to keep yourself up with Java, but it is a false sense of awareness. People who come down off of a caffeine high usually crash hard.

Caffeine, like nicotine, is not good for you. Take a look at how much caffeine you are taking in with regard to what you drink. If you are overweight, a good deal of the reason can be because of what you are drinking instead of what you are eating. Many people who do not like coffee will state that they like soda or tea instead. The truth of the matter is that there is caffeine in almost all sodas as well as tea and cocoa. Coca-cola has about as much as caffeine as a cup of coffee.

If you drink coffee, limit it to drinking in the morning and to one cup per day. If you want to go decaffeinated, do that, but be advised that it still contains some caffeine. Do not delude yourself into thinking that decaffeinated means “no caffeine.” It just means that there is a lot less caffeine in the drink than normal.

Chocolate also contains caffeine. While studies show that small portions of dark chocolate are good for your heart, you should not take chocolate at night. It may end up making you more on edge and will not have a calming effect.

If you take over the counter pain medications, take them for PM instead of regular medications, and take them sparingly. This is because many of the over the counter pain relief medications contain caffeine. If you want to help yourself eliminate some of the stress from your life and overcome or prevent anxiety and panic attacks, you will lay off the caffeine. That means be aware of how much caffeine there is in coffee, tea and soda and absorb it accordingly. If you can cut it out from your diet altogether, all the better.

The withdrawal from caffeine usually consists of a headache. You may have a headache for a day, but once you get over it, the caffeine will have left your system.

Smokers will often say that smoking “calms them down.” The irony is that just the opposite is true. Nicotine that is contained in cigarette smoke will actually make you feel more anxious.

Nicotine constricts the blood vessels and aids in anxiety instead of preventing it. If you are smoking to “calm your nerves” you are doing yourself more harm than good. Aside from the other problems that smoking causes, it also raises your heart rate.

When you quit smoking, you may find that the withdrawal from nicotine raises your anxiety level, preventing you from quitting. The withdrawal from nicotine is very bad. In fact, many doctors believe that it is one of the worst withdrawals to have to endure. Many in the medical community will state that nicotine is even more addictive than heroin.

The physical effects of nicotine in your system last for 72 hours. Once you get past Day 3 without cigarettes, your physical craving for nicotine is gone. The mental craving might still be there – in fact, it may never even leave you – but the physical withdrawal symptoms are over.

Many doctors will prescribe anti-depressants such as Wellbutrin for people who are planning to quit smoking. This takes some of the edge off of the quitting process and some state that it aids in quitting.

If you smoke, you are only adding to your anxiety or panic. On top of every other bad thing that it causes, smoking also raises your heart rate, constricts your blood vessels and aids in anxiety. If you have panic attacks, you should not smoke.

Not everyone today wants to take prescription medication for panic, anxiety and depression. If you feel that you want treatment for your anxiety without having to resort to prescription medication, you can often find relief with natural supplements.

There are a few very commonly used herbal supplements that are used to treat panic attacks today. These include Kava Kava, St. John’s Wort, Valerian, and Sam-e. While long term studies of these drugs have not proven them to be as effective at relieving anxiety and panic attacks as prescription medications, many people swear by these herbal supplements that can be purchased online or in a health food store.

There is some truth to the fact that many of these work because they replace certain components of your diet. Many of them contain B-12, a vitamin that some people who suffer from anxiety and depression are often lacking. Here is a run down on the herbal supplements that some people take for anxiety and how they can help you.

Kava Kava

This herbal is probably the most well known of all of the herbal supplements. Some studies have indicated that it can be harmful to the liver, but this is often disputed. Over the counter pain relievers can be harmful to the liver if you abuse them, too. It is advised that you should not take Kava with other medications for anxiety, panic or depression, nor should you take it on a daily basis. You can get a sense of being relaxed when you take Kava, without feeling as though you have been rugged. This is the reason why many people like taking this herbal supplement.

Kava is meant to reduce anxiety and panic. It generally works well when someone has mild anxiety or slight anxiety. This would not be beneficial for anyone who has severe anxiety or is experiencing a full blown panic attack.

Kava is non-habit forming and generally safe to use if you do not abuse it. It can be an ideal herbal supplement for someone who has their panic attacks under control and is not on any other medication to treat their condition. You should always talk to your doctor or pharmacist before starting a herbal supplement if you are taking other drugs to prevent a drug interaction.

There have been very limited studies on Kava, just as there have been on most herbal supplements. The medical community is not very keen on advising that people take herbal supplements in place of medication. Most doctors will advise that you take prescription drugs instead of resorting to herbals.

Still, herbal supplements do have a place in treating panic, anxiety and depression and many people who take these supplements will tell you that they have helped them. If you are not taking any other drug and want to give it a try, you can take Kava to see if it helps with your anxiety symptoms.

St John’s Wort

St. John’s Wort is another very popular remedy that is used for treating depression, panic and anxiety. You can usually find this at your local drug store or health food store. St. John’s Wort is said to help treat depression in the natural way and has been used for hundreds of years as a remedy for depression. Research indicates that St. John’s Wort works similar to the way that SSRIs work in that it helps to increase the flow of serotonin to the brain.

If you decide to take St. John’s Wort, be advised that it can be phototoxic. This means that it can have an adverse reaction if you go out in the sun when taking this herbal remedy.

In addition to treating depression, panic and anxiety, St. John’s Wort has also been used to treat muscle pain, hypertension and digestive problems. Some people who use this herbal supplement experience headaches, dizziness and dry mouth.

Women who are on birth control should be advised that St. John’s Wort can reduce the effect of the birth control pill.

Valerian

Valerian is another very commonly used herbal ingredient that is used to treat both anxiety and depression. Some people like taking this herbal supplement because they will get faster results with the herbals than with the SSRIs. While not as well used as Kava and St. John’s Wort, many people who suffer from anxiety have found relief with Valerian.

SAM-e

This is the herbal supplement being touted by actor James Coburn. SAM-e is used to treat anxiety and has shown promise in treating osteoarthritis. SAM-e is different than other herbal supplements that are used to treat panic attacks or anxiety in that it increases the serotonin and dopamine in the brain. Most doctors will state that those who are lacking sufficient serotonin and dopamine – thus the need for SSRIs to allow the free flow of serotonin to our brains.

In addition to helping with anxiety and osteoarthritis, SAM-e is also used to help with depression and improve liver function. The only side effects with this herbal supplement are a little bit of nausea upon starting the herbal. Some people report that they felt better right away after taking SAM-e. In some cases, it has been known to work within a matter of days.

It is important to realize that what works for one person might not necessarily work for another. While some people swear by St. John’s Wort, others will say that it doesn’t work at all for them. Every person experiences a different type of anxiety, so every person needs a different type of supplement.

The main thing that you have to remember when you are taking herbal supplements to treat or prevent anxiety and panic attacks is that you should be wary of any drug interactions. You should not take herbal supplements if you have been taking medication for your condition.

If you have mild to somewhat moderate anxiety attacks, you might want to give the herbal supplements a try to see if they will make you feel better. Only use them as instructed and do not mix them with prescription medication. As with prescription medication, it might take you a few tries before you end up finding the right herbal ingredient that works for you.

Now that you know about the different types of anxiety that there are as well as some common causes, you probably want to know how you can get treated for anxiety so that you can find relief. There are many things that you can do to help yourself and medications that are available to help you. The worst thing that you can do is to ignore the symptoms and self medicate.

Self medication includes taking drugs or alcohol on your own. Many people who suffer from anxiety are tempted to take a drink to alleviate their symptoms as alcohol can have a numbing effect. As a matter of fact, many people who are alcoholics suffer from anxiety. This is why programs like Alcoholics Anonymous help such individuals. The primary healing factor that is taught at AA is that you do not have to feel that you are “in control” all of the time.

If you go to your doctor after having an anxiety attack, chances are that he or she will put you on medication for the anxiety. Someone who is having a full blown anxiety attack is often thought to be having what used to be known as a “nervous breakdown.”

Doctors will do a blood test and will most likely want to check your thyroid. Many people who suffer from anxiety also have chemical imbalances. They may present with low levels of the B vitamins as well as magnesium, zinc and potassium.

A doctor will often prescribe medication as well as advise you to seek therapy. Your doctor will also most likely tell you to eliminate harmful activities such as smoking or drinking alcohol, to eat right and exercise. All of these can be helpful when you are seeking to prevent or control anxiety and panic attacks.

When you see the doctor the first time, it is very likely that he or she will prescribe both an anti-depressant as well as a an anti-anxiety medication. Doctors are trained to eliminate your discomfort. Medication is the first thing a medical doctor will think of when they determine that you have been experiencing anxiety attacks.

There are two main types of medications that are administered for this type of condition.

• Benzodiazepines; Xanax, Klonopin and Ativan
• Anti-Depressants (SSRI stands for selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors); Zoloft, Paxil, Prozac, Lexapro, Luvox and Celexa

Chances are that your doctor will prescribe SSRIs along with Xanax when you present with an anxiety attack. The Xanax will be meant to be short term and the SSRIs for longer. If you have had repeated episodes of anxiety, your doctor may want to keep you on SSRIs for a long period of time, even for the rest of your life.

Many people find that they feel better after taking SSRIs for a long period of time and then attempt to take themselves off of the drug. Withdrawal from these drugs should be done under the supervision of a doctor and is not something that you should just do on your own.

Before you take yourself off of the drug, you should talk to your doctor. Your doctor can help you wean yourself from the drug, if they think that it is a good idea. If you feel your symptoms returning and your anxiety and panic getting worse, you can go back on the anti-depressant.

If you have chronic anxiety and depression, talk to your doctor about a treatment plan. They should be able to tell you how long they expect you to stay on the drug and what results you can expect. It is important for your doctor to monitor your progress when you are on anti-depressant and anti-anxiety medications.

Even with your medication, you may still experience symptoms of panic or anxiety. You can do many things to help yourself try to overcome the anxiety and panic attacks, even if you do not take medications. Because an anxiety attack can be so scary, the reflex is to get rid of the feelings it is producing as soon as possible.

Many people who have milder symptoms of anxiety disorders are choosing not to take medication and are opting for natural relief for their condition. Natural relief includes behavioral therapy, diet, exercise and other methods of treatment such as herbal supplements, yoga and meditation.

It is important for you to take a proactive approach to your health when you are suffering from anxiety attacks. Once you have been diagnosed with anxiety and have it under control, you can find out more about the disorder and try to find the underlying causes. You can also choose to use a natural treatment plan instead of relying on drugs.

There are many anxiety medications on the market that can treat anxiety and panic. Most of them that are prescribed are labeled benzodiazepines. They work quickly to alleviate your fears and will take the edge off of your anxiety panic attack.

The problem with these medications is that they are highly addictive and can cause even greater anxiety when you are trying to get off of them (benzo withdrawal). Some of the most commonly prescribed medications for anxiety attacks include Xanax, Klonopin and Ativan. These replace Valium, which was used for years to treat anxiety attacks.

The important thing to remember when taking drugs like Xanax is that they are not only habit forming, but they build up a tolerance in your system. This means that you gradually need more of the same drug to achieve the same effect. And withdrawal from these drugs will make your previous anxiety attack seem like a picnic. For this reason, most doctors will only prescribe these medications, which are controlled substances, in small doses.

Xanax is by far the most widely prescribed medication for anxiety. Because it works so fast to get to the central nervous system and relax you, it is favored by most doctors. If you get a prescription for Xanax, chances are that it will be ½ milligram doses. You will most likely be prescribed the medication for a short period of time.

Doctors are hesitant about writing for refills of this type of prescription because they have been known to be trafficked. Many teens today are having “pill parties” where they take prescription drugs that they take from home to the parties and share them with others. Drugs like Xanax can be very dangerous, especially when mixed with alcohol or other drugs.

If you get a prescription for Xanax, chances are that it will make you feel pretty good. It will effectively take the “edge off” of the anxiety attacks. In fact, Xanax is the treatment that can stop the anxiety attack when you experience it. But so will a shot of whiskey. In fact, many doctors will even tell you that Xanax and other medications that are used to treat anxiety are nothing short of “liquor in a pill.”

There are many websites devoted to people who are trying to kick the habit of Xanax or other anti-anxiety drugs. While these drugs can effectively calm you down, they should only be taken as needed – that is, when you are having an anxiety attack.

Because there are so many factors that figure in to an anxiety attack, taking just Xanax alone is not advisable. Xanax and other drugs work to reduce the symptoms that you feel from your anxiety, but they do not treat the underlying condition. And in order to treat anxiety properly, and prevent anxiety attacks, you have to get to the root of the cause. While a Xanax can be the answer to get you through an anxiety attack, it is not the “cure” for any anxiety disorder.

If you take Xanax for therapy, you will most likely be put on a very small dosage. This means that you will take 1 to 2 milligrams of Xanax a day. You should not take more of this dosage. Some doctors will use Xanax as a way of treating chronic anxiety so that it does not interfere with someone’s life. Most doctors will not want to give you refills of the prescription over the phone and some may not want to give the prescription to you if they feel that you are taking too much, selling it or have become addicted to the drug.

The use of anxiety medication has increased dramatically in recent years.

Many people who suffer from anxiety also suffer from depression. For this reason, anti depressants are often prescribed along with Xanax as a way to restore the chemical imbalance that many doctors believe causes anxiety and depression.

So whereas you will most likely take Xanax or another anti-anxiety medication to treat an anxiety attack, the objective from the medical standpoint will be to control the anxiety with anti-depressants that restore the chemical balance in the brain.

The use of anti-depressants is somewhat controversial. Many people feel that doctors are too quick to prescribe anti-depressants for their patients. However, if the patient has a long history of anxiety and depression, they are better off to control it through the use of antidepressants that are meant to be taken on a long term basis, rather than using masking drugs like Xanax.

The type of anxiety medication that you are prescribed for your anxiety panic disorder will most likely be determined by the type of disorder you have. If you have OCD, for example, you will most likely be prescribed Paxil. Paxil is one of the most commonly used drugs to treat OCD. If you have depression and GAD, the doctor will most likely prescribe Zoloft. Zoloft and Paxil are examples of SSRI medications.

SSRI stands for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Other medications in this family include Prozac, Lexapro, Luvox and Celexa. These drugs are normally prescribed for long term treatment of general anxiety disorder, panic disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder. If you are suffering from post traumatic stress disorder, your doctor may just want to treat you with small doses of Xanax while you undergo therapy. Buspar is a drug that is used to treat many anxiety disorders such as social anxiety disorder as it has a very mild effect on an individual.

Do not look for an instant cure for your anxiety, panic or depression when you take an SSRI. While the SSRI medications will increase the level of serotonin in the brain, it will take a few weeks before the drug begins to work. It first has to be absorbed into the bloodstream where it will slowly start to work on solving the chemical imbalance.

If you are prescribed SSRIs, it may take a few months before you start to feel better, but you will feel better after time. When used properly, they are much more effective at treating and preventing anxiety than taking Xanax or other tranquilizers.

Some of the side effects of SSRIs include feeling jittery, tired, restless, dizzy and decreased sex drive. Many people do not like the way the medication makes them feel when they first start taking it so they go off of it and their symptoms return. There is also a misconception that taking SSRIs will make you gain weight – that is not true. Many people have achieved good results by taking SSRIs. It just takes patience.

If you are experiencing intense panic attacks, you may be prescribed Tricyclic Antidepressants instead of SSRIs. Although SSRIs have fewer side effects than these drugs, many doctors feel that these anti-depressants work better for those who experience severe anxiety. It is not often that doctors will prescribe Tricyclic Anti-Depressants as they are simply not as effective as the SSRIs, the newest form of antidepressants.

Other anti-depressants that can be used to treat anxiety panic attacks include MAO-Inhibitors. Again, these are often used for panic disorder that is very severe. The choice in medication will be determined by the doctor as well as your underlying physical condition.

Your doctor may want to try different medications to see which one works for you. You will have to see your doctor periodically so that your progress can be charted. Your doctor may want to do blood tests in order to make sure that the drugs are not causing any problems with your liver or other areas of your digestive tract.

There are five types of anxiety disorders that are usually diagnosed. In some cases, a person may be diagnosed with more than one. The most common of all of the anxiety disorders is General Anxiety Disorder.

General Anxiety Disorder

This is usually the most prevalent of the anxiety disorders and will manifest itself in many different ways, including an anxiety or panic attack. General Anxiety Disorder, or GAD, is usually diagnosed in someone who has had a very stressful situation in the past six months. General Anxiety Disorder is usually diagnosed after a person has had an anxiety or panic attack. Some of the symptoms of GAD may go unnoticed until such a time when the sufferer experiences an attack.

The common symptoms of GAD include:

• Difficulty in sleeping through the night
• Muscle tension or muscle pain
• Insomnia
• Lack of focus Trembling
• Difficulty in swallowing
• Difficulty in breathing

Do these symptoms sound familiar? If so, take comfort in the fact that you are far from alone when it comes to this anxiety disorder. You may experience some or all of these symptoms.

General Anxiety Disorder affects the lives of about 7 million adults. In addition to adults who suffer from this condition, teenagers and even children can suffer from this disorder.

If you have GAD, know that there is treatment available to you that will enable you to go on with your normal functions in life. If you have a child or teenager who is experiencing these symptoms, do not think that because of their youth that they cannot have GAD. It can be diagnosed in anyone – regardless of age. It can be the result of trauma or low self esteem in children and teenagers. In many cases, teens will resort to using drugs as a way to alleviate the symptoms of GAD. This is why it is so important that you get the right treatment for them before this occurs.

Panic Disorder

Panic disorder is similar to GAD, except that it is more intense. It is very closely related to GAD in the symptoms.

Some of the symptoms that you may experience when having a panic attack include:

• Chest pain
• Fainting
• Choking
• Sweating
• Shaking or trembling
• Feeling like you are having a breakdown
• Fear of death or morbid thoughts
• Stomach pain, often accompanied by nausea

Feeling like you are not in reality

People who suffer from panic disorder usually have more acute episodes of anxiety than those who suffer from GAD. Panic disorder is usually related to an environmental stressor and can be controlled by medications or other therapies. A prolonged case of panic disorder is usually diagnosed as GAD. The main difference between GAD and panic disorder is that panic disorder is more of an acute condition whereas GAD is a chronic and lasts for more than 6 months.

Gina was sure she was having a heart attack. She woke up shaking and trembling with a pain in her chest. Her heart seemed as though it would leap right out of her chest, it was beating so fast. She had no idea what was happening to her so she went to the ER.

At the ER, the doctor did an EKG and took some blood work. He soon concluded that she was suffering from an anxiety attack – the week before this happened, she lost her job.

Gina was feeling so bad that he asked her if she wanted to be admitted to the psychiatric ward for observation. Gina didn’t want to seem as though she was “crazy” and declined. She seemed to be fine, until she got news that a member of the family had passed away, then she had another panic attack as well and wound up in the hospital, where she was diagnosed with panic disorder.

Panic disorder is usually very acute and is related to something directly corresponding to your life. While some people may be able to cope with life changing situations, most of us can only take so much stress before the façade begins to crack. After spending three days in the hospital where she was treated for panic disorder, she came home feeling much better.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

You probably associate this disorder with Jack Nicholson’s character in “As Good As It Gets” or the lead character in the television detective series “Monk.” Obsessive Compulsive Disorder seems quirky and funny, but it can be a debilitating condition.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is broken down into two categories obsession and compulsion. In most cases, obsessive thoughts will drive a person to perform a ritual of compulsions. For example, a person who suffers from OCD will often have to continue lock and unlock doors. They may become obsessed with the idea of the door being left open and someone entering the house that they have a ritual that they practice to give themselves the assurance that the door is locked. These rituals give them some sense of peace that they are in control of the situation.

As stated earlier, the key component in anxiety disorders is lack of control. The person with OCD feels this acutely and reacts in a way that gives him or her some control in their life. They may wash their hands repeatedly, take repeated showers, lock and unlock doors, return home repeatedly and check to see if the stove is off, etc. These are the compulsions of OCD. What drives the compulsions are the obsessive thoughts. These thoughts can be so intrusive that no matter what the person does, he or she cannot stop reverting back to them.

And because the thoughts are so unwelcome and often morbid, someone suffering from OCD will develop rituals, or compulsions, to rid themselves of these thoughts.

In some cases, the thoughts themselves become a compulsion. Many people who have OCD will worry excessively about their health. They may resort to compiling medical data about a certain illness that they have become convinced that they have. They may accumulate data, count or even pray repeatedly to cast out the thoughts that are forever intruding in their heads. Other rituals include pulling on their hair or even pulling the hair out.

OCD often begins in childhood. Children often will have a compulsion to either pull on or pull out their hair to rid themselves of unwelcome thoughts. If a child begins pulling out their hair, chances are that they will be taken to a doctor and evaluated for this condition. A child may, however, pull on his or her hair without it going noticed. Medication as well as therapy is often used in treating OCD, a condition that affects about 6 million people in the US.

Donna is very typical of someone with OCD. She has a series of rituals that she performs each day that keep her “safe.” Her friends think that she is quirky, but she feels more in control when she is performing her compulsions.

Donna sought counseling and therapy after she was late to work one day because she had to take so much time performing repeated rituals. She went back to the house several times that day to straighten towels, make sure the doors were locked and that the stove was off. She was always worried about the coffee maker being left on and unplugging it was one of the rituals. When she started to see how this was interfering with her life, she realized that she had to do something to help herself.

“I never realized that I had OCD, but looking back on it, it seems as if I always had it, even as a kid. I would stack books a certain way in school and always made sure that the pencil points were sharp,” she said.

Donna’s father died when she was in the second grade. She feels that this was when the OCD really started. The death of her father was traumatic for her, but she had no control over this event. She began to worry about her mother dying as well. As young as she was, she knew that she had no control over her mother dying, so she started to take control over different aspects of her life.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

When you think about Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, chances are that you will envision a soldier returning home after being at war and constantly being plagued with nightmares about incidents in the war. This is how this condition is often portrayed in the movies. We often associate PTSD with the military. But soldiers are not the only people who suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Anyone who has been through a catastrophic event can suffer from this type of anxiety. The good news is that in this case, you understand what the stressor is that is causing the anxiety, this often does not come out right away. Many people who have been victims of sexual assault will not want to discuss the assault with anyone and will keep it to themselves. This can create PTSD.

After September 11, 2001, many people in the United States started seeing doctors about stress. There was a rapid increase in the number of individuals experiencing anxiety and panic attacks at this time. Even those who were not in New York at the time of the attacks found themselves under a great deal of stress that needed to be evaluated by a doctor.

Some of the most common signs of PostTraumatic Stress Disorder include:

• Continued and repeated intrusive thoughts about the trauma
• Nightmares and flashbacks relating to the trauma
• Unable or unwilling to discuss the experience with others
• Avoiding those who also experienced the same trauma
• Depression and increased anxiety.

If not treated, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder can lead to severe anxiety and depression that can be disabling. For this reason, anyone who has been through a trauma is often given the option of receiving counseling. Counseling after the experience and talking about it often helps those who experience trauma avoid Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. This anxiety disorder is usually treated with medication as well as therapy.

Frank was on an airplane on September 11, 2001. When all flights were cancelled, he had to stay out of town for a few days until he could get back home. Like most other Americans, he was horrified by the events that took place on that day, but thought that he had a handle on it. Until he started to have nightmares and kept reliving the day over and over in his mind.

“I was in New York City when this was happening – my flight flew into New York,” he said. “I was pretty much around the whole thing at that time and was glued to the television. Everywhere you went, people were talking about it. I kept thinking that I was so lucky – I could have been on one of the airplanes that crashed that day.”

The Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder started to take its toll on Frank, even to the point where he quit his job because of the frequent traveling. He refused to fly and began having nightmares about being on one of the flights. Eventually, he sought help and was diagnosed with PTSD. Once he was able to talk about that day and his feelings, he felt better.

Social Anxiety Disorder

One type of anxiety disorder that has been in the forefront lately, and was not very much discussed before is social anxiety. People often associate social anxiety with agoraphobia, but they are not the same thing. People who suffer from agoraphobia (meaning Fear of Marketplace in Greek) dislike going out in public at all and end up spending a good deal of their time alone. Those with social anxiety are not as obvious. They usually go about their business and interact with people, the entire time experiencing symptoms of anxiety from these interactions.

Social Anxiety Disorder was brought into the public spotlight when Donny Osmond, the beloved teen idol of the 1970s, talked about his social anxiety. Osmond said that he was afraid to appear in public for fear of being judged by others. He eventually was able to get treated for Social Anxiety Disorder, an anxiety disorder that affects many people and often goes unnoticed.

The symptoms associated with Social Anxiety Disorder include:

• Fear of losing control in public
• Fear of people talking about you
• Fear of being judged by other people
• Fear of being ridiculed
• Fear of being in a crowd

It is interesting to note that many famous celebrities suffer from Social Anxiety. This is an anxiety that can bring on a panic or anxiety attack if the person is exposed to the source and may limit the lifestyle of someone who suffers from this condition. Fortunately, this is very treatable with therapy.

A typical example of someone who suffered from Social Anxiety was Anne.

“Looking back on it, it seems as if I always had a sense of anxiety whenever I was in a crowd,” says the 32 year old airline attendant. “But it wasn’t until I had my first panic attack and sought the advice of a counselor that I was able to say what it was.”

Anne had a panic attack one day after a flight. She started the attack when the plane was airborne and went to a doctor as soon as it touched down. She thought she was having heart attack symptoms, but also felt she was a bit too young for such a thing to happen. She was diagnosed as having an anxiety attack and given anti-depressants along with Xanax. The Xanax made her groggy and she did not feel that she needed to follow up with this. Until the attack recurred. It was then that she sought treatment and was diagnosed with Social Anxiety.

Anne is typical of many people who are diagnosed with social anxiety in that she chose a profession where she would interact with people. Most people who suffer from this condition also work in professions where they frequently interact with the public. Anne began the medication and sought therapy with the counselor that enabled her to cope with her condition. She thinks that it resulted from her being picked on in school when she was very young.

“I was smaller than the other kids and they used to tease me about it,” she said. “Looking back on that, I often strove to over please people so that they would not ridicule me.”

If you have the symptoms of social anxiety, you can get treated and still maintain your profession. Most of the time, when you get to the root of the problem with therapy, you will start to feel better.