Article by John Scott

Putting aside all the pointless arguments about whether people should get so anxious, the practical reality is that they do. If this seriously disrupts their ability to lead normal lives, then something should be done. Common humanity requires that society makes reasonable provision for their treatment. The pharmaceutical industry would have us believe drugs are the best answer to all our problems and, when it comes to dealing with anxiety disorders, our doctors have a mass to choose from. We start of with antidepressants. Yes, the name apparently suggests their function is limited to treating depression, but they can be just as useful in treating anxiety disorders. So now your doctor decides which variety to try out on you. There are the SSRIs and the tricyclics, and do not forget the MAOIs. Then we get into the anti-anxiety drugs, most often derived from the benzodiazepines. If those do not take your fancy, there are always the beta-blockers. The cabinet in your bathroom can be filled to overflowing (subject to deciding whether all these options are covered by your health plan).

But, for all this choice, there is one inconvenient truth. All the independent research evidence (that’s the research not paid for by the pharmaceutical industry) shows psychotherapy to be more effective than medication. The problem with trying to treat an emotional problem with a pill is there cannot be a conversation about why you are feeling the emotion and how you are going to deal with its consequences. Talking through the problems with a mental health specialist has the best success record in restoring quality of life and avoiding a relapse into an anxiety state. For a start, it treats you as a human being. You become the focus of attention. People listen to you and advise you on how to improve the quality of your life. In the current healthcare market, you see your doctor for a few minutes, collect a prescription and pick up the bill on the way out. People respond well when they believe their interests are being taken seriously. Their treatment is progressed rapidly if the advice they receive is seen to be useful. There is no point in advising people out of books. This has to be a hands-on approach to changing each person’s attitudes and habits. The best form of psychotherapy is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). “Cognitive” because you want people to understand their emotional responses to different situations. Only if they understand why they feel anxious can they begin the process of changing their responses. “Behavioral” because the therapist will train people to change the way they behave. This means forcing people to confront the situations in which they feel anxious or fearful, and teaching them how to react more positively.

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Article by Kathy

General anxiety disorder is a common problem, but doesn’t get talked about so much. In fact, millions of us are affected by some form of anxiety disorders. In this article I’ll talk about what this elusive disorder is, and what you can do about it.

What is Generalized Anxiety Disorder, or GAD?

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Question by ellagirl: What is the best way to support someone with panic disorder?
What would be an example of a supportive person or friend to someone who has panic disorder? I have panic disorder, and sometimes it feels like I have lost those who were the most important to me. What are ways people can support those with panic disorder? I am just so scared all the time, and it is also a load to have to take care of others (not children, mind you, but other people’s problems).

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The human body is the most complicated machine in this world, as best experienced by doctors. Often irregular or lack of maintenance of machines causes ruin or damage, similarly an unbalanced and irregular lifestyle may lead to serious ill functioning of human body causing several kind of diseases. One of these several medical diseases which are directly related to your lifestyle is termed as “Panic disorder or Anxiety disorders”. According to DSM-IV-TR[1], when someone is having a sudden and intense feeling of terror, fear or apprehension, without the presence of actual danger, he seems to have a “panic disorder”.  DSM-IV-TR has classified anxiety into five different types:

Generalized anxiety disorder
Social phobia
Obsessive compulsive disorder
Posttraumatic stress disorder
Specific phobia
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Best (and strongest) medication for a severe panic disorder. always panicking, cant continue conversations, talk being myself, always jumpy and freak out at knocking on my door just to name a few, not meant to be diagnosed. And do NOT mention therapy. Thanks!!
Appreciate the nice stuff, i really do. I just didnt want to be dramatic but it is SEVERE i cannot even communicate. I have 101 great tips, logic, so much more but it is beyond severe and is a mental problem.
So yeah MEDS (you can still answer with tips thx but if you know about meds please write that and or include it very detailed. antiphychotics > antidepressants e.g. its severe.

how to stop having panic attacks

Panic attacks are divided into three categories spontaneous panic attacks situational predisposed panic attacks and specific panic attacks. Click here to read more

Do you suffer from anxiety or panic attacks and are looking for a natural cure?

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I have bad anxiety and panic attacks almost all of the time. I pretty much have anxiety all day and off/on panic attacks. I just got medicaid here in Florida and will be visiting a psychiatrist in the next week or so. I am almost certain I will be put on meds since my anxiety and panic is severe!
2 questions.
* What meds are you taking for your anxiety/panic disorder?
* If you have medicaid,does it cover them? if not, how much do you pay?
Thanks so much in advance, I just want to get back to my old self again :o(

I am a single man, 42 years old with two teenagers and a mortgage. I have been avoidinga real education because I guess I never realized the value of it and figured I would always work with my hands and could gain skill through on the job experience. I have social phobia and have been really depressed lately and need to get back on my feet somehow. I want to become a professional at something like my peers all seem to have done.

I am suffering from a panic disorder.I went for counseling for psychotherapy for about a month. I felt like it was helping me for a about 2 weeks only. After, I stopped the psychotherapy, and went to an acupuncturist who was saying that he can treat panic disorder by acupuncture and by taking herbal medicine. But, after getting another panic attack inside a train, I felt like, maybe I need to go see a psychiatrist. I went to see the psychiatrist and he told me that the best way to cure panic disorder is by taking medication he prescribes. He told me to take PAROXETINE once a day everyday and ALPRAZOLAM as needed depending on my symptoms. The problem is I feel like my syptoms are getting worse as I take these medications.I never felt depressed before taking this medication, but now I feel very depressed for no reason. My doctor is telling me that I was depressed before too, but its just that I never realized it before. But i know myself and I know for sure that I was not depressed befor

What are some ways that one can overcome the symptoms of Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, such as lack of trust?
I have a workbook at home, but I’m just checking to see if maybe there are some people out there who have used a more effective method to combat the symptoms. Thank you.