5 exercises for anxiety

Exercises for anxiety relief may help a person manage certain anxiety symptoms, such as muscle tension, increased heart rate, and rapid breathing. Breathing exercises help foster deep, even breaths that promote diaphragmatic breathing. These exercises may reduce anxiety and help a person relax by restoring a typical breathing pattern.

Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental health problems in the United States, affecting about 40 million individuals. Although doctors can successfully treat these conditions, only 4 in 10 people with anxiety seek treatment.

Anxiety can trigger a cascade of stress hormones during the so-called fight-or-flight response. During a panic or anxiety attack, people may take rapid, shallow breaths, affecting the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide. A person may also experience a pounding heartbeat and feelings of impending doom, contributing to more anxiety.

This article looks at anxiety reduction exercises and how they may help individuals cope.

People can use various relaxation and breathing exercises to help reduce feelings of anxiety.

During an anxiety attack, the body incorrectly thinks it is in danger and releases epinephrine and other stress hormones. This is part of the sympathetic nervous system’s fight-or-flight response, which dictates how the body reacts to potential threats. As a result, the muscles become tense, and breathing becomes shallow.

Anxiety exercises can help reduce the symptoms of a panic attack or generalized anxiety. For example, slow breathing techniques can increase feelings of comfort and relaxation while reducing anxiety, depression, and confusion. Slow-paced breathing exercises help loosen muscles, slow heart rate, and normalize breathing, allowing individuals to control their symptoms.

Individuals can use the following anxiety exercises to reduce feelings of stress, anxiety, and panic.

1. Alternate nostril breathing

Alternate nostril breathing, known as Nadi Shodhana, is a yoga breathing technique that can lower blood pressure and improve attention.

An individual blocks off one nostril while breathing through the other, then switches to exhale through the other nostril.

1. In a seated position, place the left hand on the left knee.


2. Inhale and exhale to begin.


3. Lift the right hand toward the nose.


4. Bend the point and middle fingers to the palm, leaving the thumb, ring finger, and little finger extended.


5. Using the thumb of the right hand, close the right nostril.


6. Inhale through the left nostril.


7. Close the left nostril with the ring finger.


8. Release the right nostril and exhale.


9. Inhale through your right nostril.


10. Close off the right nostril with the thumb.


11. Release the left nostril and exhale.

Perform the breathing exercise in rounds of 10.

People should return to breathing normally if they begin to feel lightheaded.

2. Pursed lip breathing

Pursed lip breathing helps an individual breathe slowly, deeply, and more intentionally. It is a simple breathing technique that helps make deep breaths slower and more intentional.

People living with lung conditions such as emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) use this technique to control shortness of breath and ease anxiety.

1. Sit on a chair or the floor in a comfortable position.


2. Keep the neck and shoulders relaxed.


3. With the mouth closed and lips relaxed, inhale slowly through the nostrils for 2 seconds.


4. Pucker the lips as if giving a kiss and exhale through the mouth slowly and steadily.

3. Resonance frequency breathing

Also called coherent breathing, this technique can help reduce anxiety and allow a person to enter a more relaxed state.

1. While lying down with the eyes closed, breathe in through the nose with the mouth closed for a count of six. The lungs should not be too full.


2. Exhale slowly and gently for a count of six without forcing the breath.


3. Continue as necessary for up to 10 minutes.


4. Following the exercise, the individual should remain still and focus on how the body feels for a couple of minutes.

Although resonance frequency breathing rate varies among individuals, the typical range is 4.5 to 7 breaths per minute.

Simple breathing exercise

Individuals can use this simple breathing exercise while standing, sitting, or lying down. However, people should also consider adding it to their daily routine to get the most benefit.

1. Loosen any clothing that could restrict breathing and choose a comfortable position.


2. If lying down, place the arms slightly away from the sides with the palms facing up. Position the legs comfortably. If sitting or standing, place the feet flat on the ground, hip-width apart.


3. Breathe in gently through the nose for a count of up to five, allowing the breath to flow deeply into the belly without force.


4. Then, without pausing or holding the breath, breathe out through the mouth for a count of up to five.


5. Continue the exercise for 3–5 minutes.

Progressive muscle relaxation

A 2021 study found that progressive muscle relaxation can significantly reduce anxiety levels and sleep quality in individuals with COVID-19. These exercises involve focusing on tensing and relaxing all of the muscle groups — such as the chest, back, arms, abdominals, legs, and shoulders — one at a time.

1. Lie on the back and stretch out comfortably.


2. Breathe in and tense the first muscle group for up to 10 seconds.


3. Breathe out and quickly relax the muscle group.


4. Relax for up to 20 seconds before repeating the process on the next muscle group.


5. When complete, count backward from 5 to 1 and focus on the present.

Doctors typically treat anxiety with psychological therapy, medications, or a combination of both.

Psychotherapy

People living with anxiety disorders may benefit from supportive talks and education about the condition. In addition, doctors may recommend cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) because numerous studies show that it is an effective treatment option for anxiety disorders. CBT aims to reduce anxiety symptoms by identifying and changing how the individual thinks and behaves.

Medications

Doctors often first recommend selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). However, individuals must understand that these antidepressant medications may take several weeks to produce positive changes. Additionally, these medications can cause adverse effects, such as increased anxiety symptoms and jitteriness, particularly when a person first starts taking them.

Other medication options include:

• pregabalin


• tricyclic antidepressants


• benzodiazepines

Learn more about treatments for anxiety.

Natural herbs and alternate medications may also work for some people. Learn about these therapies.

Although most people feel anxiety and worry from time to time, it is important to talk with a doctor if anxiety is affecting daily life or causing distress.

A person may have generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) if they worry uncontrollably, anxiety significantly affects their job and social life, and they have worried almost daily for at least 6 months.

A doctor can confirm this diagnosis and rule out other conditions that could cause anxiety symptoms, including anemia or an overactive thyroid gland.

Anxiety is a common mental health issue that doctors typically treat using medication and psychotherapy.

Anxiety exercises are another technique that can help an individual manage certain anxiety symptoms, such as rapid breathing, racing heart rate, and tense muscles.

Breathing and muscle relaxation exercises encourage an individual to focus on breathing deeply and relieving tension in the body. This can help them relax and allow them to manage their anxiety.

Readmore : How to Deal With Anxiety Attacks


Source: www.medicalnewstoday.com

Try Eating Sour Candy When You Feel a Panic Attack Coming | POPSUGAR Fitness

Try Eating Sour Candy When You Feel a Panic Attack Coming

If you deal with panic attacks, coping mechanisms are crucial for finding relief. Psychotherapist Fatema Jivanjee-Shakir, LMSW, tells POPSUGAR that oftentimes, feeling like you're not in control makes for even more panic and distress. The body doesn't feel safe, so you'll need ways to bring your body's attention back to the present. One of those techniques? Sour candy.

Sucking on sour candy when you're on the verge of a panic attack is a hack that many mental health professionals post about on TikTok. The first such video that popped up on my personal For You page was this clip from a therapist who goes by @justtherapythings. In the video, the therapist opens up a Warhead candy and shows how the sour taste can "snap your brain out of panic mode." Here's what experts say about the panic-attack hack.

So, How Does Sour Candy Help With Panic Attacks?

Sour candy serves as a distraction to take your mind off of the panic and away from the "fight, flight, or freeze" response. "The beauty of using sour candy is that it instantly wakes up your senses to the moment of what you are eating," licensed clinical psychologist Raquel Martin, PhD, tells POPSUGAR. "You can focus on chewing or sucking on the candy, how it makes your cheeks pucker, what that feels like, trying to get through to the sweet part, and so on. All of this instantly adjusts your focal point, which is the goal."

Jivanjee-Shakir says that she has recommended the use of sour candy to clients who don't feel that deep breathing and mindfulness work for them amid escalating panic. She says some find this helpful, while others don't, and it's best utilized at the onset of symptoms as opposed to when distress escalates. Those symptoms, Jivanjee-Shakir notes, may look like increased heart rate, difficulty breathing, and chest pain. She and Dr. Martin agree that sour candy can adjust focus and promote a grounding effect during bouts of anxiety as well.

In a number of TikTok videos, therapists use Warheads or other sour candy, but certain foods can bring about the same response. The therapist who goes by @justtherapythings on TikTok explained online that you could bite into a lemon or a lime, put a bit of hot sauce or salt on your tongue, or try wasabi (her client freezes small balls of wasabi). Super spicy or salty things have a similar effect, distracting your brain from the panic and bringing your attention to your other senses.

What to Keep in Mind When Using Sour Candy For Panic Attacks

Jivanjee-Shakir says preparation is important when learning to navigate panic attacks and anxiety. If you decide that sour candy will become one of your coping mechanisms, here are a few things to consider:

1. Stock up on sour candy in easily accessible places: your backpack or purse, your car, your office, and where you live.


2. Let the support systems in your life know this is something you're practicing, and talk to them about how they can help. "Perhaps they can be aware of where you are stocking the sour candy and can get it for you if you're unable to amidst a panic attack," Jivanjee-Shakir says.

What If You Don't Like Sour Candy? Other Coping Mechanisms For Panic Attacks

Try these grounding tools to anchor you into the present moment.

• 
  5-4-3-2-1 technique: This is a tool both Dr. Martin and Jivanjee-Shakir suggest to help you focus on all of your senses. Name five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste.


• 
  Visualize a routine: With your eyes closed, visualize walking home or making your favorite meal. Take yourself through each step as if you were teaching someone how to do it, Dr. Martin suggests.


• 
  Categories or lists: Think of a category like animals, street names, vegetables, or plants; list as many items in one category as you can, then move on to the next. Dr. Martin says another way to do this would be going through the alphabet and naming all of the animals, colors, and/or names that start with each letter.


• 
  Ice: Shocking your system with ice may help bring you into the present moment. Jivanjee-Shakir says you can hold an ice cube or a frozen orange, wash your face with ice-cold water, or take a cold shower. Dr. Martin suggests focusing on the feeling of ice melting in your hands.

Are There Any Side Effects of Using Grounding Tools Like Sour Candy to Cope With Panic Attacks?

Jivanjee-Shakir says that "repeated distraction can lead to the development of an overlearned response that makes the individual believe they are incapable of sitting with distressing emotions and physical sensations." While she supports people using coping skills like sour candy or the others described above, she also works with her own clients to identify triggers and "gradually practice tolerating distressing emotions so they are better able to reduce the impact anxiety has on their functioning." She says she focuses on techniques such as stress management, habituation, and cognitive reframing.

Dr. Martin echoes that a licensed mental health professional can help you identify triggers for panic attacks or anxiety and learn to manage when those triggers occur. The consensus is that you should not adopt a coping mechanism in place of long-term treatment or support.

If you are feeling anxious or depressed and need assistance finding help or resources, the Anxiety and Depression Association of America and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (helpline number is 1-800-950-6264) have resources available.

Readmore : Strategies for Handling Anxiety Attacks


Source: www.popsugar.com

9 Signs Your Dog is Having a Panic Attack — Help, Advice, Tips

Just like us, dogs can also have panic attacks in certain circumstances. Often known as an episode of anxiety, they are remarkably similar to panic attacks in people and can be caused by extreme noise phobias (fireworks) or anxiety. Some dogs may shake and tremble, while others may escape or run away.

While canine panic disorders are difficult to treat because the causes are so variable, there are many things you can do to help your pup in their time of need. Keep reading for all you need to know, including what causes panic attacks in dogs, what symptoms to look out for, and how to help them...

What causes panic attacks in dogs?

"Panic attacks in humans may be similar to the severe reactions that can occur in some dogs with extreme noise phobias or anxiety," PDSA Vet, Claire Roberts, tells Country Living. "Panic can appear when a dog is unable to escape or get away from something threatening, such as loud noises like thunderstorms. Similarly, dogs with separation anxiety can panic when they realise they are separated from their owner."

What are the signs of panic attacks in dogs?

Signs of panic attacks in dogs include:

• Distressed whining


• Barking


• Shaking


• Trembling


• Dilated pupils


• Panting


• Standing still or freezing


• Escaping or running away


• Ignoring pain

Janie Airey
Getty Images

How can you comfort a dog who is having a panic attack?

Panic attacks in dogs can be very frightening, but there are lots of ways to soothe and comfort your pet. First, try to distract them with their favourite toy or blanket, giving them a gentle stroke to show you are there for them.

Claire also suggests: "If your dog is in a panicked state, it's very important to stay calm. The first thing to do is remove them from the source of their fear if possible. If the noise can't be escaped, such as a storm, take them into a quieter space and try to mask the sounds, for example with the radio or TV.

"Comfort them if they need reassurance and try to distract them with their favourite treat or game. Let them hide away if they want to – creating 'safe' areas such as dens can be set up ahead of predictable noises such as fireworks."

What should you do if you are worried about your dog?

While it's important to comfort your dog, there are several experts available to help with anxieties such as noises, and individually designed training programmes can help dogs feel less afraid.

"Advice from your vet and a certified behaviourist should be sought as soon as possible – phobias and anxieties often become worse over time so early intervention is best," adds Claire.

For more information, head over to the PDSA's guide on anxiety in dogs. If you are still concerned, contact your local vet for advice.

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Quilted Jacket — Best Dog Winter Coats

Quilted dog jacket

Keep your pup snug and secure with this thick quilted dog jacket from H&M. Perfect for a winter's walk, it has quilted seams, a stand-up collar with an open front, and a belt with a hook and loop fastening at the back.  

Great For Older Dogs — Best Dog Winter Coats

Waterproof Brooklyn Dog Coat - Graphite - Medium

£64.50

Designed to resist whatever the weather throws at you, this waterproof dog coat is ideal for older pups with joint problems or less fur and has a particularly warm inner lining.

Printed Coat — Best Dog Winter Coats

Olive Green Waxed Dog Coat

Keeping warm and snug just got a whole lot easier thanks to this gorgeous waxed coat from Joules. In olive green, it has a tweed lining and beautiful bee prints. 

Shearling Dog Jacket — Best Dog Winter Coats

Pocket-detail faux shearling dog jacket

In a gorgeous white, this pocket-detail faux shearling dog jacket has been designed to add an extra layer of warmth during those cold winter days. It has two small holes for their legs, as well as a zipped pocket on the back. 

Thermal Self-Heating Coat — Best Dog Winter Coats

Thermal Self-Heating Dog Coat - Black

£23.99

This thermal dog coat is excellent for winter walks, thanks to its self-heating technology. 

"Our reflective technology lining, combined with a hollow fibre core maximises the dog coats thermal properties," say petslovescruffs.com. "The thermal dog coat has a fleece collar and chest pad to provide greater comfort, improved fitment and allow unrestricted movement."

Great For Short-Haired Dogs — Best Dog Winter Coats

Hurtta® Expedition Dog Parka

A warm pet coat is great to ward off the chill during winter. Not sure which one to pick up? We love this technical dog parka, which has been specially developed for short-haired dogs and dogs without an undercoat. 

Barbour Dog Coat — Best Dog Winter Coats

Baffle Dog Coat- Olive Medium

In olive green, this luxurious Barbour coat is ideal for dogs who like the finer things in life. 

Fluffy Coat — Best Dog Winter Coats

Teddy Bear Dog Hoodie - Large

Made from super-soft fleece fabric, this blue fluffy coat has teddy bear ears attached to keep your dog warm and cosy. It also has a stretch jersey fabric, making it easy to pull on and off.  

Best Dog Rain Coat — Best Dog Winter Coats

William Morris at Home Blackthorn Reversible Dog Coat, Small

William Morris fans will love this adorable reversible dog coat in the brand's classic print. With a water-resistant, waxed cotton outer fabric, it also helps to keep rain off. 

Sleeveless Jacket — Best Dog Winter Coats

Medium faux leather sleeveless dog jacket

This sleeveless dog jacket looks so cosy! It has small holes for their legs and black poppers to keep them cosy. 

Microfibre Dog Coat — Best Dog Winter Coats

Microfibre Dog Coat

£8.99

In vibrant blue, this microfibre dog coat is light and absorbent to offer protection from getting cold. It has a click fastener on the back and openings for legs and tail.

Readmore : How to Deal With Anxiety Attacks


Source: www.countryliving.com

Anxiety Attack: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment

An anxiety attack is an episode of extreme and excessive worry, discomfort, or fear accompanied by a variety of physical symptoms. Symptoms of an anxiety attack include shortness of breath, heart palpitations, uncontrollable thoughts, feelings of panic, and more.

If you've ever experienced an anxiety attack, you know how scary they can be. It's frightening to feel unable to control your own body and mind. That's why it's important to seek treatment for anxiety attacks, especially if they're interfering with your daily life.

Theresa Chiechi / Verywell

Definition

While there is no categorical diagnosis of anxiety attack, it is commonly understood as a sudden and intense attack of fear and anxiety. This anxiety is often a reaction to a self-perceived threat, and may not be related to an actual dangerous or life-threatening situation.

An anxiety attack might last anywhere from a few seconds to 15 minutes or longer. Some people might recognize triggers for their anxiety attacks, while for others an anxiety attack can seemingly come out of nowhere.

It is somewhat difficult to define an anxiety attack because this term is often used interchangeably with other terms like "panic attack" and "acute anxiety." "Anxiety attack" is not actually a clinical term, and it is not included in the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" (DSM-5). Therefore, there is a spectrum of experiences that people might have and define as an anxiety attack.

Fight or Flight Response

Anxiety is linked to the body's fight or flight response. This is an evolutionary stress response to life-threatening situations. There is a physiological response of the sympathetic nervous system, including a rush of stress hormones, that prepares the body for the threat.

In some people, this stress response is over-reactive, and non-threatening triggers like a work presentation, a haunted house, or even something so small it's hard to identify, can lead to what we experience as "anxiety attacks."

Anxiety Attack vs. Panic Attack

Unlike anxiety attacks, the term panic attack is recognized in the DSM-5. A panic attack is not a diagnosable condition on its own, but is a central symptom in panic disorder, as well as other anxiety disorders. According to the DSM-5, a panic attack can be expected or unexpected.

There is no hard-and-fast rule about what differentiates an anxiety attack from a panic attack. However, you might think of an anxiety attack as something broader in nature.

Anxiety attacks can be mild or moderate, as well as severe, and can encompass any of the symptoms of anxiety. Contrastingly, all panic attacks are disruptive and severe, in order to meet the symptoms of a panic attack as defined in the DSM-5.

Symptoms

Anxiety attack symptoms can vary from person to person, and situation to situation. Because "anxiety attack" is not a clinical term, there is a gray area in how people experience it, and how they describe their symptoms.

Symptoms of an anxiety attack can include:

Causes

There is no singular cause of anxiety attacks. Anxiety attacks are a symptom of many mental health conditions. They can also be caused by specific stressful life situations or individual triggers.

Situations

Any number of situations could trigger an anxiety attack. For many people, an already stressful life situation may boil over into an anxiety attack. These situations could include:

• Divorce


• Unemployment


• Work-related stress


• Caregiving duties


• Grief or loss of a loved one


• Financial stress


• Performances or presentations


• Exams


• Driving in heavy traffic


• Global pandemic

Remember that anxiety, as an emotion, is a totally normal part of life. Major life changes can be anxiety inducing, but a healthy level of anxiety can keep you alert and focused. However, if your day-to-day worries become an anxiety attack, with acute symptoms, this can be incredibly distressing.

A 2017 study found that people who experience panic attacks are hypersensitive to unpredictable stimuli. Therefore unpredictable, shocking situations might trigger anxiety attacks for some people. These situations might include being spooked at a haunted house, being bitten by a cat, missing a step on the stairs, or any other shocking situation.

Mental Health Conditions

Anxiety attacks can also be a symptom of certain broader mental health diagnoses. In particular, anxiety and panic attacks are a feature of many anxiety and related disorders, including:

• Panic disorder


• Social anxiety disorder


• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)


• Generalized anxiety disorder


• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)


• Specific phobias


• Agoraphobia

Self Care

You might feel out of control while having an anxiety attack, but there are ways to take back control. Through self care, you can reduce your stress, lessen the severity of anxiety attacks, and even prevent future anxiety attacks.

Some self care strategies to help with anxiety attacks include:

• Regular aerobic exercise


• Getting adequate sleep


• Practicing meditation and mindfulness


• Progressive relaxation


• Social support


• Yoga


• 
  Deep breathing
  


• Mantras


• Positive visualization


• Eating a Mediterranean diet

Treatment

It is very important to seek treatment for anxiety attacks. Not only can ongoing anxiety attacks lead to avoidance of previously enjoyed activities or situations, but research also indicates that anxiety attacks lead to an increased risk of suicide attempt.

Thankfully, there are many effective and accessible anxiety treatments. While most of these treatments are designed for anxiety disorders, they will also be relevant and useful to people who experience anxiety attacks. This is because, for some people, anxiety attacks are a symptom of an overall anxiety disorder.

If you are having suicidal thoughts, dial 988 to contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and connect with a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.

Medication

Medication is a central treatment for anxiety disorders, and can help reduce symptoms for many people. Generally, your primary care healthcare provider or psychiatrist, if you have one, will prescribe medication for anxiety.

These medications can include:

• 
  Anti-anxiety drugs:Benzodiazepines can be useful for the acute treatment of anxiety.


• 
  Antidepressants: Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the most commonly prescribed antidepressants to treat anxiety.


• 
  
  Beta blockers
  : These are off-label medications used to treat the physical symptoms of acute anxiety, such as rapid heartbeat and tremors. This can make them a good treatment for people who experience anxiety attacks during social performance.

Therapy

Anxiety attacks are also treatable through psychotherapy. Talk to your primary care healthcare provider about referring you to a psychiatrist or therapist for your anxiety. Two types of therapy, in particular, are effective at reducing the symptoms and frequency of panic or anxiety attacks.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has been widely studied, and is shown to effectively treat anxiety disorders. Through CBT, a therapist teaches you to become aware of your distorted thoughts and behaviors and help you change them in more emotionally adaptive ways.

Exposure therapy may also be effective at treating anxiety attacks, especially those related to specific phobias. In exposure therapy, which may also be done through virtual reality, you are gradually exposed to a frightening stimuli. Through exposure, you are taught adaptive techniques, and adjust to the stimuli, which eventually becomes less frightening.

A Word From Verywell

Whether you experience it once, or a hundred times, an anxiety attack is frightening. It's important to seek medical help for anxiety attacks for a few reasons. First, your healthcare provider may be able to connect you with appropriate treatment, such as medication and psychotherapy, as well as suggesting lifestlye changes that can help you get back to doing the things you love, without fear of a future anxiety attack.

Also, anxiety symptoms can also mimic those of serious medical conditions, such as heart attacks. Your healthcare provider can help diagnose or rule out these conditions, and keep you healthy safe.

Readmore : How to Manage Panic Attacks


Source: www.verywellhealth.com

What to do if you have a panic attack in public | Patient

What to do if you have a panic attack in public

A panic attack can be a scary experience at any time, but particularly if you have one in public. Panic attacks can come on unexpectedly, even if you've been having fun so far. So, it's important you know the signs of a panic attack and the coping strategies you can practise to calm yourself down when anxiety intensifies.

What happens to your body during a panic attack?

Panic attacks are caused by a sudden surge of intense anxiety. This surge is activated through your built-in alarm system which helps you jump to action in situations that may be dangerous, similar to when a smoke alarm detects a hint of smoke.

Holly Brick, a senior well-being practitioner, explains how this mechanism, which can happen in a flash, is critical to your survival. She compares it to the 'fight or flight' approach used when humans would hunt for food.

"It helps push you to take action in life-threatening and dangerous situations. For example, think back to cave people times when they hunted for food. While out hunting, if someone came across a large and very hungry bear, this built-in alarm system would trigger a variety of complex and purposeful mechanisms to keep them safe.

"This could be to fight the bear with a sudden surge of adrenaline that pumps more blood through the body to the areas where it's needed. Or, they might have assessed in that split second that they needed to get out of this situation, taking the flight approach. Again, the adrenaline pumping through their bodies would have prepared them to run while other symptoms, such as sweating, kept them cool. The third option might have been to play dead and totally freeze. This was sometimes the best option."

We now live in an advanced society where we won't usually have to fight or flee from a bear, but social threats present themselves in different ways.

"This might include pressures at work, fear of not being liked, failure, not being able to pay rent, health problems, or the impact of the pandemic. However, your built-in alarm system cannot tell the difference between real immediate threats, such as the bear, and less immediate social threats, such as a work deadline," says Brick.

Brick says this is mainly because your bodily sensations and brain perceive a social threat as immediate danger: a comparison would be burning your toast, setting your smoke alarm off. The smoke alarm does exactly what it is meant to do, but it can't tell the difference between burnt toast and smoke from a house fire.

"In other words, your brain tells you something is dangerous based on your own appraisal of that situation. When the alarm goes off, you experience a rush of physical changes and make a split-second decision to either fight, flee or freeze to escape the danger," she concludes.

How do you know if you are having a panic attack?

The signs of a panic attack include:

• Immediate panic and fear.


• A racing heart.


• Feeling sweaty.


• Feeling hot.


• Dizziness.


• Difficulty breathing.

Brick explains that panic attacks are sudden and they can be distressing, especially if you have never had one before.

"This then leads to a catastrophic thought which misinterprets these changes in bodily symptoms to mean immediate danger. Some people may experience thoughts such as 'I'm having a heart attack' or 'I’m going to die.' This in turn keeps the panic going."

She says your misinterpretation of those bodily sensations creates a vicious cycle by further fuelling panic symptoms, which perpetuates your fear and catastrophic thinking.

You've probably heard of the winter blues, but did you know that summer anxiety is also possible...

What should you do if you are in public and start having a panic attack?

If you notice the signs related to a potential panic attack, Brick recommends an exercise to help ground you and bring you back to the present moment. This will distract you from the attentional focus you place on your bodily sensations during, or just before, a panic attack.

Holly Brick's exercise for panic attacks

1. Look around for five things that you can see, and say them out loud. Pay attention to the colours and textures, and really take in what you see.


2. Think of four things that you can feel, and say them out loud, noticing the sensation of how these things feel against your body.


3. Listen for three sounds. What do you notice?


4. Now pay attention to two things you can smell. If this is more difficult, try thinking of a favourite smell that reminds you of a happy moment.


5. Finally, notice one thing you can taste. If this is difficult, think of your favourite food.

She says this exercise is also helpful in breaking the anticipatory anxiety where you fear the next panic attack. This leads to further hypervigilance and attentional focus on your bodily changes, and often means you avoid people and places.

"Following a panic attack, you might be constantly on the lookout so as to prevent another attack. However, this attentional focus actually causes you to be overly vigilant. This leads to misappraisal of any small bodily change as a signal of immediate danger or panic, and so the cycle continues."

Use the senses technique if you notice these symptoms creeping in. This is an effective way of calming this response.

Other coping methods and resources to help with panic attacks

• 
  Self-help apps - such as SAM (Self-help for Anxiety Management) from the University of the West of England.


• 
  Exercise - Brick says this can burn off additional adrenaline alongside boosting endorphins that you experience following exercise to lift your mood. Physical activity also helps increase your confidence, which can often be zapped by panic attacks.


• Assessing your caffeine intake - high levels of caffeine can further exacerbate and heighten anxious symptoms, which can activate a panic attack.

"Sometimes, understanding panic attacks and how your body is built to aid your survival when faced with a real threat can help you manage attacks better. Having that knowledge will help you challenge those catastrophic thoughts. Logic allows you to understand that what is happening is actually a very normal response," says Brick.

What can others do if they see someone having a panic attack in public?

• Remove someone from a crowd and take them to one side.


• Breathe slowly with them.


• Be empathetic.


• Be patient.


• Listen to the person and what they need.


• Allow them to share how they are feeling.


• Don't panic with them - try to stay as calm as possible.

Can panic attacks be prevented in the future?

"Panic attacks and anxiety can often lead to avoidance. Unfortunately, avoidance can keep panic going. Taking small steps to begin re-engaging in things you have been avoiding that you once enjoyed is really vital for overcoming panic," says Brick.

It can help to expose yourself to the feared situation, so you can overcome it in the long term. You don't need to rush into this, and can take small steps. Additionally, Brick stresses the importance of working with an experienced and qualified practitioner to support you in addressing your panic. By seeking professional help sooner rather than later, you can live your life on your terms, not on anxiety or panic's terms.

Where can you find support for anxiety, stress or panic disorder?

You can consult your GP, who might refer you for a course of therapy or prescribe anti-anxiety medication. Also, lean on those around you rather than bottling your feelings of anxiety up, allowing them to build into full-blown panic in a public setting. Talk to your friends and family and let them know what they can do to help you when you feel anxious.

Readmore : Strategies for Handling Anxiety Attacks


Source: patient.info

Panic attacks: What are they? Symptoms and causes

What are they? Symptoms and causes

It can feel like an out-of-body experience – your mind, heart and breath race all at once. It can feel like something catastrophic is going to happen; you’re going to faint, have a heart attack, go crazy or even die. A panic attack hits like an intense wave and, once it strikes, it seems to take on a life of its own.

Scary as they can be, panic attacks are actually common. Two in five Australians will have one at some point in their life, and they don’t only affect people with diagnosed anxiety disorders. While symptoms vary, at their core they’re an expression of severe anxiety. “So it’s almost no surprise it’s common because a condition of being alive is that you get anxious,” says Emeritus Professor Justin Kenardy of the University of Queensland’s school of psychology.

Why do panic attacks start? What happens in your brain? And are they dangerous?

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What happens when you have a panic attack?

As the body floods with the hormones adrenaline and cortisol, you might have a quickened heart rate, faster breathing, muscle tension, chest tightness, sweating and chills and feel hyper-vigilant. You can feel nauseous, vomit or have abdominal pain as your body puts digestion on hold. “It’s the body going into this sort of state where it’s ready for action,” says Professor Caroline Hunt, head of University of Sydney’s clinical psychology unit.

Many people hyperventilate during a panic attack, which can cascade into other issues. “Even though people are breathing really quickly, you can feel as if you’re not quite getting enough oxygen,” Hunt says. “[But] the thing that really is critical is you’re actually blowing off too much carbon dioxide.” The sudden drop in carbon dioxide changes the blood’s biochemistry. “You get some quite different and scary feelings,” she says, from dizziness, tingling lips, hands and feet and blurred vision to feeling spacey or disconnected from reality.

Nelani Botha had her first panic attack as a teenager while making a speech at her school in Sydney. She’d been feeling self-conscious because she’d been bullied over her South African accent. “I just completely lost control of myself,” she told The Age and Sydney Morning Herald’s youth mental health podcast Enough. “I started hyperventilating, my heart started racing, I started crying. It was quite intense. I would be shaking so much to the point where I couldn’t control it.”

A panic attack can’t be only mental, nor can it be exclusively physical, Kenardy says. The two seem to be wrapped together in a vicious cycle. If a researcher asks somebody with anxiety to hyperventilate, they’re highly unlikely to manufacture a panic attack. “It’s how you interpret the experience and how you think about your circumstances as well as the physical symptoms themselves,” he says.

“It often comes on suddenly and it’s so different to what people have experienced before, and so they think, ‘what on earth is going on?’.”

Someone having a panic attack might assume they’re physically ill, having a heart attack, for example, or anaphylaxis. “It often comes on suddenly and strongly, and it’s so different to what people have experienced before,” Hunt says, “and so they think, ‘what on earth is going on?’.”

“You’re having a complete mind and body reaction,” says Associate Professor Jess Nithianantharajah, of the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, “which is very scary, and you can’t effectively verbalise in these situations.”

Isaac Percy took himself to hospital after one panic attack. The 23-year-old from Sydney started to have panic attacks several times a week in 2018, although he didn’t realise it at first. He was unhappy in a relationship and was getting chest pains, body tightness and felt “shut down”. One day, he was driving when the symptoms started again. He detoured to an emergency department, convinced he was having a heart attack. “Everything was all clear,” he says. The doctors had a different diagnosis. “That’s when I figured out that it was a full-on panic attack.”

Attacks tend to last 10 minutes at most. “It’s very hard for the body to continue at very high levels of acute anxiety,” says Hunt. “People will get themselves to a place of psychological safety or their breathing rate will naturally come down, so the panic will actually settle.”

Afterwards, people typically feel washed out or exhausted. “After a panic attack you have to be kind to yourself and take it easy,” says Kenardy.

Nelani Botha: “I just completely lost control of myself.”Credit:Wayne Taylor, Jamie Brown

What’s behind panic attacks?

Panic attacks occur because something feels threatening, consciously or not. It could be an objective threat – such as the realisation you’re about to be attacked by a dog – or a psychological one where you’re overestimating a danger. You might be in a social setting where you worry that everyone is judging you negatively. “It might not be the case at all,” says Hunt, “but such an acute feeling of anxiety can lead to a panic attack.”

Some people, such as Percy, experience “spontaneous” panic attacks that occur when they wake up or while driving. “They’ll say it just comes out of the blue, but that’s often more for people who had a history of having them and so the triggers might be very, very subtle … deep in the back of your mind,” Hunt says. The key is to identify what the trigger is (more on why later).

“The build-up and overdrive of these brain circuits is what elevates into a panic attack.”

“Panic attacks are really the symptom of the brain circuitry that controls our fight or flight response. And that circuitry goes into overdrive,” says Nithianantharajah. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of brain activity have shown that panic attacks occur due to an imbalance between two important regions of the brain. The amygdala, which acts as a watchman to detect potential dangers and sends signals to have the fight or flight response, becomes hyperactive.

Meanwhile, the rational decision-making part of the brain, the prefrontal cortex, becomes underactive and so doesn’t step in to better regulate how the body reacts. “Someone who has anxiety finds it harder to reach a sense of calm because in stressful situations, the stress hormones keep coming and the brain becomes overwhelmed by that,” she says. “The build-up and overdrive of these brain circuits is what elevates into a panic attack.”

Isaac Percy was getting chest pains, body tightness and felt “shut down”.Credit:Simon Schluter, Jamie Brown

Are panic attacks dangerous?

Even though they feel threatening in a heightened state, panic attacks themselves aren’t dangerous: you’re not running out of oxygen to breathe and your heart won’t leap out of your chest. “Even though they feel bad, they pass,” says Kenardy. Still, they’re deeply unpleasant and debilitating.

The risk lies in people trying to organise their lives around not having another one. If someone has worried about their safety during an episode, they might begin to socially withdraw. “They’ll avoid anything that might trigger those feelings,” Hunt says. “You hear people saying they have fear of public transport or fear of open spaces or fear of crowds. But it’s often more about, ‘This would be a really bad place for me to have a panic attack’.”

Once the panic attack becomes the threat this can lead to panic disorder (recurrent, severe panic attacks) or agoraphobia (a fear of situations that cause panic). About 5 per cent of Australians will suffer from panic disorder at some point in their lives.

Are certain people more likely to have panic attacks?

We all possess the bodily functions and brain circuitry that can push us into a panic attack but not everyone who is anxious has attacks. The brain learns to perceive certain cues as more or less threatening, and the circuitry in the brain that stores representations of these cues will reinforce whether they’re seen as positive or negative. “We are all different when it comes to the triggers or the cues that set a panic attack off,” Nithianantharajah says.

Certain factors can make us more vulnerable.

Anxiety can run in families. Some of us are more genetically predisposed to it and therefore to panic attacks, too.

It can also have to do with what happens as you’re growing up. Stress or trauma in adolescence can affect how a maturing brain lays down the connections that regulate behaviour. There is much evidence that childhood trauma is linked to the poor development of several brain regions, affecting behaviour and regulation of emotions, among other things.

Your life experiences can also influence how you interpret sensations in your body. If you have a light pain in your stomach you might ignore it and see what happens, but if you have a family history of bowel cancer, it might lead to panic.

There are also theories that people whose temperament is more sensitive are more likely to have a panic attack, Hunt says, although she believes that anybody is capable of having one. “It’s luck of the draw, in a sense. If you haven’t had one, maybe you haven’t been in a situation where you’ve been so scared or threatened.”

“People who panic are often the high-achievers … the ones who are really pushing themselves hard and expecting much from themselves.”

Kenardy is keen to clear up a common misconception. “People who panic might be seen as not as effective, not as capable – and that couldn’t be further from the truth. People who panic are often the high-achievers … the ones who are really pushing themselves hard and expecting much from themselves,” he says, adding they perhaps overlook the psychological impact that the stress is having.

If you’re frequently under high stress – it could be due to work or the pandemic – you may be more easily tipped into a panic attack, too. “Everyone’s capacity to manage stress differs and also changes constantly,” Kenardy says. “This can be associated with your body’s – including your brain’s – inherited and learned capacity, and the changing demands you face.”

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And you can be susceptible at some times more than others. Panic attacks usually occur in times of transition, says Kenardy – after a break-up, leaving home for the first time, unemployment, bullying – or during illness or other life stresses. These life events – even good change – can be destabilising because processing them is inherently stressful and places more demand on your capacity to cope. “Life transitions are particularly challenging because … you haven’t experienced them before and so you don’t necessarily have the experiences and skills to adapt to them,” he says.

Today’s fast-moving, high-tech environment can add to a sense of being overwhelmed. “I think we have far more sensory experiences at a faster rate than maybe we ever did,” says Nithianantharajah. “Our brain is geared to perceive what’s happening in the world and respond appropriately ... But when you give it too much it can become overstimulated.” Given you can’t necessarily remove yourself from these eternal influences forever, “it’s actually about being aware of how the complexities of the environment are going to shape you”.

What can you do if you are having a panic attack?

Slow breathing can help. “That has the effect of potentially adjusting the symptoms of the respiratory impacts of panic, but it also sends signals to our parasympathetic nervous system to engage, which calms you and … brings your focus more to your breathing and away from the panic,” says Kenardy.

If you’re with someone who is experiencing panic, your job is to help decelerate their breathing and talk to them calmly.

Then, how the person interprets the episode matters. “The more that you reduce the amount of negative self-talk associated with how bad a panic attack is the more it will diminish its effect,” says Kenardy. Recognise that panic attacks are a form of anxiety and not dangerous, and that you do have a degree of agency over them. “Whether that’s through controlling your breathing and talking a bit of sense to yourself or looking around and taking stock of the things that might be happening to you that might be underlying the anxiety,” he says. “You want to use them as a signpost – not to run screaming but to take a breath and to take stock.”

As he explains, while we’ve inherited the fight-flight mechanism to respond to stress, many of us have limited ability to recognise what’s actually causing us stress. After a panic attack, getting to the bottom of what’s stirring your anxiety is critical.

“Once I started having those conversations with my friends, and doing things that were more myself, that’s when I felt the anxiety attacks go away.”

That’s what Isaac Percy did. The panic attack that led him to hospital was the catalyst for him to make some life changes. He opened up to his family and friends, contacted youth mental health service headspace, broke up with his girlfriend and went on anti-anxiety medication. “Once I started having those conversations with my friends, and doing things that were more myself, that’s when I felt the anxiety attacks go away,” Percy says.

Once people understand their triggers, they should come up with strategies for managing them, says Nithianantharajah. In other words, to “maintain brain control”. “Because it’s what you’re thinking that regulates how your body responds,” she says.

This, in turn, can have marked effects on your neuroplasticity: neural networks in the brain change structure and reorganise connections in response to experiences. “It’s hard work, shifting our behaviour, but once you do, it starts to shift the circuits in the brain,” she says. “The connections are still there, but the strength of those connections is rewired in a way that doesn’t lead to the overdrive behaviour.”

Getting perspective on the nature of panic attacks is important too. After all, a panic attack stems from a natural, vital response. The human mind deserves some credit for – for the most part – adapting to better suit our modern lives, says Nithianantharajah. It’s just that the connections in some people’s brains can make them more susceptible to panic attacks. “A lot of people get blamed for these things as though it’s a choice,” she says, “and I want to remove that stigma.” As with physical health conditions, mental health conditions involve changes in the brain. “It’s an organ.”

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When should someone seek professional help?

Once panic attacks recur or start interfering with your life, it’s crucial to get psychological help. “If you’re finding that you’re avoiding things or if you’re going to events and enduring them with high levels of distress or discomfort, that’s a problem,” Hunt says.

Breathing training alone won’t fix the issue because it’s not teaching a person that nothing bad will happen from a panic attack. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can help reframe the way you react to a trigger. About 80 per cent of people with panic disorder will be fully recovered after undergoing CBT. Exposure therapy, confronting a feared situation in a controlled way, can also be helpful, in particular for agoraphobia.

“It’s about appreciating where you sit on that spectrum and getting the treatment that’s appropriate for you.”

“It’s about people understanding that, should they get these feelings, they’re actually not going to lead to a catastrophic outcome, so they’re no longer organising their whole lives around trying to avoid them,” Hunt says. “It’s as people become less scared of them that they’re less likely to happen.”

Therapy also helps induce the brain rewiring that’s needed to turn down the severity of a reaction to a trigger, Nithianantharajah says.

Meditation, exercise, a healthy diet and quality sleep can all help, as can anti-anxiety medication in more severe cases. “It’s about appreciating where you sit on that spectrum and getting the treatment that’s appropriate for you,” she says.

She likes to encourage people to think of panic attacks as you would heart attacks. “If you’re more prone [to a heart attack], you have to make changes to your life to make sure you don’t have another one. Anxiety and panic attacks are a bit like that.”

So if you have a panic attack, don’t let it slide. It’s your body and mind telling you something. There’s a vulnerability there, and the best thing you can do is to implement lifelong changes to manage it.

Readmore : Dealing With Anxiety Attacks


Source: www.smh.com.au

Emotional Fever: Can Anxiety Raise Body Temperature?

Can Anxiety Raise Body Temperature?

Anxiety is a natural response to a threat you perceive. It starts with a physiological reaction in your brain that affects the rest of your body.

When you perceive a stressor, your body goes through changes, and you may experience mental and physical symptoms.

These symptoms of anxiety can include:

• breathing fast


• chest pain or pressure


• difficulty sleeping


• dizziness or lightheadedness


• feeling hot or cold


• nausea


• difficulty focusing


• shaking


• sweating


• muscular weakness


• thoughts of impending doom

Yes. In some rare cases, anxiety symptoms may lead to a rise in body temperature. This is sometimes referred to as psychogenic fever, or a fever caused by psychological reasons.

Although more research on humans is needed, some human and animal studies and case reports from 2014, 2020, and 2021 suggested that acute stress can sometimes lead to fever.

A 2015 research review of both animal studies and human case reports indicated that exposure to stress raises body temperature.

The average body temperature for human adults typically ranges between 96°F and 98°F (35.6° and 36.7°C). But many factors can cause temperature changes, including hormones, time of the day, and activity level.

So, it’s not unusual for your body temperature to fluctuate up or down by around 1°F (-17

°C) throughout the day.

Repeated stress or isolated highly stressful events could make that fluctuation more significant, though.

The above-mentioned review found that some people who were exposed to a one-off anxiety-inducing situation developed a fever as high as 106°F (41°C).

Other people experiencing stress for long periods of time developed low-grade fevers that lasted months to years. Their temperatures ranged from 99° to 100°F (37° to 38°C).

Psychogenic fever seems to be a physiological response to emotional disturbance. There’s currently no evidence to suggest that this type of fever has co-occurring physical causes, such as infection or inflammation.

In fact, the review indicated that if your fever is due to physical causes, you can relieve it by taking common fever reducers like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and acetaminophen (Tylenol).

This isn’t the case for fever caused by anxiety or stress. But medications that treat anxiety symptoms, including diazepam (Valium) and buspirone (Buspar), may work on psychogenic fever.

Only a health professional can accurately explore your treatment options and the benefits and side effects of anxiety medications.

What about panic attacks?

Panic attacks are intense fear responses that some people living with anxiety experience.

As a type of anxiety episode, it’s possible that your body temperature may also rise during a panic attack.

Anxiety is an intense fight, flight, or freeze stress response when you face a threat, real or perceived. This is a natural process that aims to protect you from danger.

During the stress response, your body releases stress hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol, to prepare you to fight or escape the stressor.

These stress hormones have an impact on the rest of your body, causing:

• increasing heart rate


• narrowing blood vessels


• breathing rapidly


• sweating quickly

Narrowing of your blood vessels could result in a fast rise in your body temperature. You may experience this rise as hot flashes or even chills. To cool down, your body may start sweating and you may feel the need to breathe faster.

The physical effects of anxiety typically diminish or go away when you address the underlying cause of the anxiety.

If you live with an anxiety disorder, though, you may continually experience symptoms, including a rise in body temperature.

But it’s possible to manage anxiety symptoms, and doing so could help you find relief if you live with a frequent low-grade fever. It’s highly advisable that you discuss your symptoms with a health professional who can provide an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan.

The following are a few things you can do to cope with the physical symptoms of anxiety.

Medications

If you regularly experience anxiety, consider discussing your symptoms with a health professional. Among many things, they could recommend medications to help manage your symptoms.

Medications that might help relieve anxiety and reduce physical symptoms include:

• benzodiazepines, such as alprazolam (Xanax), clonazepam (Klonopin), and diazepam (Valium)


• buspirone (Buspar)


• paroxetine (Paxil)


• phenobarbital (Solfoton, Luminal)

Relaxation techniques

Relaxation techniques, such as box breathing and mindful meditation, can help shift your focus away from anxious thoughts.

Taking deep, slow breaths whenever you feel your anxiety rise can help slow down your heart rate and calm your body and mind.

A short meditation can serve as a quick way to relax your nervous system. Practicing meditation regularly can help you manage your stress response and your anxiety symptoms.

Physical activity

Exercise and physical activity could help you manage stress.

Even a short walk around the block can provide relief, especially if you can focus on your breathing.

If you like running, a good run may distract your body into thinking you’re fleeing from your stressor. And, as an added benefit, your body releases feel-good chemicals in your brain. After you stop working out, your body may switch from an alert state to a rest and relax state.

Yoga may also be an effective activity to manage chronic anxiety. You can use it as a form of exercise and meditation practice.

Psychotherapy

Exploring the root cause of your anxiety can better help you manage its symptoms. A therapist can support you in this process.

Finding a therapist who has experience treating anxiety can help you develop coping skills that may offer temporary and long-term relief.

Anxiety symptoms can be both mental and physical. Although rare, physical symptoms of anxiety could include a rise in your body temperature or a fever.

A few studies and case reports showed that after experiencing a highly stressful event, some people experience a rise in body temperature. Some of them may even experience an anxiety-related fever as high as 106°F (41°C). Ongoing stress may also cause low-grade fevers that last for months.

This type of fever typically doesn’t respond to regular fever reducers. Instead, anxiety medications may offer relief. Only a health professional can discuss the pros and cons of taking these medications.

Regular relaxation practices, like meditation, breathing, and physical activity, can also help you manage symptoms of anxiety.

Readmore : How to Manage Panic Attacks


Source: psychcentral.com