Health Guidance

In a previous article I discussed the importance of including balance issues in any discussion of the contributors to panic attacks and anxiety. Amazingly, this connection hasn’t received much attention, but it appears as though that’s changing. Yes, children with balance issues are being assessed for signs and symptoms of anxiety, and intervention strategies and techniques are being developed and implemented. This is great news, as it holds the potential to save millions from life-long suffering.

As you may know, in addition to our sense of hearing the inner ear is the headquarters of balance and equilibrium. Within the membranous labyrinth, a fluid-filled structure deep within the inner ear, is a relatively large area known as the vestibule. And it’s the “vestibular system” that monitors and manages balance and equilibrium by receiving and integrating input from the eyes, ears, and muscles of the trunk, neck, and limbs. Of course, the vestibular system gets a little help from its friends, one of which is the brain’s cerebellum. I guess it would make sense that the cerebellum is a major player in the integration of sensory perception, as well as motor control.

Continue reading ‘Panic Attacks and Anxiety: Treatment of Balance Issues In Childhood’ »

The human brain is absolutely amazing. And as much as we’ve learned about it, it remains one incredibly mysterious three-pound mass of tissue and fluid. The brain’s functioning has certainly been a puzzle to me over the many years, as it’s facilitated a long bout with panic disorder, as well as dances with other distressing mental, emotional, and physical phenomena. Lately, I’ve become more and more fascinated with how a panic sufferer’s assorted pathological challenges present and interact. Here are just some of my thoughts.

I was nine-years-old when an episode of derealization struck me like a lightening bolt while I was sitting at a kitchen table with my parents and their friends. I panicked and ran from the scene. During that same timeframe it was often written on my report cards that I was seemingly unable to sit still and would occasionally wander around the classroom. As a junior in college intrusive thoughts entered my airspace. I was walking down the sidewalk in downtown East Lansing, MI. and saw a woman coming toward me pushing a stroller. Out of nowhere I wondered what would happen if I punched her baby right in the face. Wow!

Continue reading ‘Panic Attacks and Assorted Mind Variances: Pieces of a Greater Whole’ »

One could write and talk for days about the potential contributors to panic attacks. So much so that I choose to use the term “contributors,” not “causes.” And that’s because I believe using the term “causes” throws a very unnecessary roadblock in the path toward relief, as it attempts to find solid and defined explanations for why panic attacks occur. Ultimately, that’s great; however, I find it limiting in the immediate. At any rate, I want to discuss a very common psychological contributor to panic attacks that I refer to as the “We Do It Intentionally Paradox.”

First, just what is a paradox? Well, it’s something that may appear to be incongruent with what’s accepted as common sense, yet it’s very likely true. That said, it’s my observation that many panic sufferers may consciously and/or unconsciously intentionally trigger their panic attacks. Is that paradoxical enough for you? Geez, don’t get angry at me now. If this notion is true, and it applies to you, it can serve to provide a lot of direction. So think about it. Before I go into detail, could it at least be possible?

Continue reading ‘Panic Attacks: The “We Do It Intentionally Pardox”’ »

Hans Eysenck, a Brit born in Germany in 1916, may not be one of the more widely known personality theorists; however, he was one of the finest. And his work is important to panic attack sufferers.

Eysenck believed temperament, a characteristic mode of emotional response, is the featured component of personality. And he believed it was up and running at birth. Now, that isn’t to say he didn’t believe in the influence of environment, it’s just that he reasoned nature, as opposed to nurture, merited top billing with regard to how we think, feel, and behave.

Now, in his PEN (Psychoticism, Extraversion, Neuroticism) model, Eysenck submitted there are three dimensions of temperament; what he called “superfactors.” Within the context of panic, I’d like to limit our chat to neuroticism and extraversion.

Neuroticism
People that fall into this dimension are generally fairly calm to very nervous. According to Eysenck, these folks are prone to what he called “neurotic” problems, issues of a mental or emotional nature that result in stress. Interestingly enough, Uncle Hans focused upon the sympathetic nervous system. Well, panic sufferers know this system well, as under the direction of our fear and emotion circuitry, the sympathetic nervous system launches our physical fight/flight response. According to Eysenck, neuroticism involves, shall we say, a “hyperactive” sympathetic nervous system.

Continue reading ‘Panic Attacks, Temperament, and Uncle Hans: It's a Matter of Engineering?’ »

So often, my working relationship with a panic sufferer begins with an initial email of all-consuming pain, fear, bewilderment, and desperation. The writer has visited my website, identified with the content, felt a glimmer of possibility, saw my invitation to write, and did exactly that. But as this person wrote, just what were they really looking for? And what do they really need to receive at this most vulnerable, yet opportunistic, time? Those are hugely important questions because their answers hold the very keys to lifelong recovery and growth.

If you’ve been in the panic attack or panic disorder saddle, you know it’s a rough ride; especially when the symptoms first appear. I mean, seemingly out of nowhere you’re being pounded by sledge-hammers of panic, anxiety, agoraphobia, derealization, depersonalization, avoidance, phobias, depression, substance abuse, and crushed self-esteem and confidence. And you may not even know what some of these phenomena are, much less that you’re suffering from them. The one and only thing you know for sure is, “I want to be the way I used to be.” And you’re mentally, emotionally, and physically flailing wildly to establish that sense of identity and comfort.

Continue reading ‘Panic Attacks Acute Care: Gentle expressions of hope’ »

Anxiety fear is an intense feeling of fear produced to an individual despite the absence of any real threat. This type of irrational fear affects even adults and situations that could produce severe levels of anxiety fear can result to panic attack. Therefore, those who suffer from this are recommended to respond or look for proper ways of dealing with the situation since it is potentially dangerous. Aside from that, the people suffering from anxiety attack lack the ability to think clearly or lose connection with reality.

To deal with anxiety fear, a person must realize that he or she has a choice in the way they respond to stimulus of fear. Knowing this will immensely alter and reframe the way you look at fear. Now, you will be able to gain power over your fear instead of being controlled by it. Because if not, then fear always finds a way to create negative impacts on your brain and the way you perceive things. Look at fear in a different light, so that it does not produce the same anxious feeling as it usually does on you.

How do you know you have anxiety fear? Of course, it is important to identify the symptoms for this condition because only then can you make the proper diagnosis and take steps to improve your condition. Here are common symptoms shared by people with anxiety fear:

• Continue reading ‘Anxiety Fear and Possible Treatment’ »

I read a marvelous article several days ago entitled, “Understanding the Anxious Mind.” Written by Robin Marantz Henig, it appeared in the September 29, 2009 edition of The New York Times Magazine. The article was so good I knew I’d have to spread the word moments after I began reading it. And you can be sure I’ll keep it handy for future reference.

Henig wrote about the longitudinal anxiety studies of Harvard psychology professor Jerome Kagan. Also featured was the work of Harvard psychiatrist Carl Schwartz who conducted follow up research on Kagan’s work.

Kagan’s studies focused upon the role of temperament in the predisposition for anxiety. His methodology consisted of establishing anxiety baselines in infants and tracking the unfolding of anxiety as the subjects progressed into adolescence and adulthood. The work brought to mind the temperament-based personality theory of Hans Eysenck, which I’ve written about in the past. Continue reading ‘Panic Attacks and Anxiety: Recap of a Great Article’ »

Are some persons much more susceptible to worry and mental ailment than others? Yes. Actual variations are actually observed among folks who are susceptible to stress and panic attacks or produce worry problems. The following are descriptions of those actual physical distinctions. You could fall into an individual or much more of those groups:

The initial group of men and women may perhaps have: Sensitivity to adrenalin and hormonal modifications

In general, persons with stress problems such as agoraphobia have overactive adrenal glands and tend to be more probably to encounter an adrenaline rush or “fight or flight” response when faced using a perceived psychological threat. This makes them a lot more susceptible to stress and panic attacks. Continue reading ‘Could You Be Physically Prone To Anxiety Disorder?’ »

Are some persons much more susceptible to worry and mental ailment than others? Yes. Actual variations are actually observed among folks who are susceptible to stress and panic attacks or produce worry problems. The following are descriptions of those actual physical distinctions. You could fall into an individual or much more of those groups:

The initial group of men and women may perhaps have: Sensitivity to adrenalin and hormonal modifications

In general, persons with stress problems such as agoraphobia have overactive adrenal glands and tend to be more probably to encounter an adrenaline rush or “fight or flight” response when faced using a perceived psychological threat. This makes them a lot more susceptible to stress and panic attacks.
Continue reading ‘Could You Be Physically Prone To Anxiety Disorder?’ »