Health Specialist » anxiety

What You Need To Know About MRSA

Health Specialist — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 12:54:24 +0000

In recent weeks, drug-resistant staph infections have been making the headlines. Top US doctors are now calling staphylococcus aureus bacteria as the cockroach of bacteria due to its ability to lurk in various places and spread easily clinging on unwashed hands.

The culprit is MRSA, or methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, which is a form of the most common staph family of germs. Statistics reveal that about one in every three people carries staph aureus bacteria in their noses, and about one million people carry the MRSA type.

Over time, germs evolve to withstand treatment. Most staph is no longer treatable by the granddaddy of antibiotics, penicillin. By the 1960s, staph also began developing resistance to a narrow-spectrum antibiotic, methicillin.

While MRSA is not a new problem, public anxiety about bacterial infection is. But the recent turn of events should not trigger any panic as this isn’t something just floating around in the air, said Dr. Julie Gerberding, head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Staph infections occur only during close contact like sharing towels and razors, or rolling on the wrestling mat or football field with open wounds that are not protected with bandages. And according to Gerberding, MRSA is preventable largely by common-sense hygiene.

Soap and water is the cheapest intervention we have, and it’s one of the most effective, Gerberding told a hearing of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

Diseases caused by MRSA are mostly skin infections, such as boils and abscesses. But it can sometimes spread to cause life-threatening blood infections. Last October, it’s been reported that the first national estimate of serious MRSA infections reached 94,000 a year. It’s not clear how many people die, but one estimate put the MRSA death toll at more than 18,000, slightly higher than U.S. deaths from AIDS.

MRSA have two distinct strains a type spread in hospitals and other health facilities, and a genetically different type spread in communities. Most MRSA victims are hospital patients; only 14 percent of serious MRSA infections are the kind spread in the community.

But the death of a 17-year-old Virginia high school student triggered a wave of reports of MRSA infections in different schools which prompted lawmakers to pepper Gerberding with the following questions

Should schools close for cleaning if a student gets MRSA? Gerberding said that it’s not necessary. Bleach and a list of other germicides can be used in routine cleaning of areas and equipment where bacteria cluster and thrive.

There’s no need to go in and disinfect a whole school, because that isn’t how this organism is transmitted, she said.

How worried should parents be? According to Gerberding, some 200 children a year will get serious MRSA, and the vast majority will be treated successfully. Community-spread MRSA is still easily treated by many other routine antibiotics. So wash and bandage cuts, and seek prompt medical care if they show signs of infection.
Most outbreaks of community-spread MRSA occur not in schools but in prisons, where inmates share toiletries and don’t use soap, or the lack of it.

Should every patient entering a hospital be tested for MRSA, and isolated if they harbor it? Some hospitals have begun that, but current guidelines call for that step only if hospitals fail to reduce MRSA infections by less drastic means, Gerberding said.

Gerberding’s concern is that patients in isolation get less care. Doctors and nurses check on them less. They get more bed sores which makes the body prone to other life-threatening germs.

The biological conundrum is that hospital-based MRSA is more common, vulnerable to fewer antibiotics than the strain spread in communities, and those already-ill patients are more likely to die from it. Yet, the community strain of MRSA may be somewhat stronger, possibly explaining why otherwise healthy people sometimes succumb.

It’s a strain called USA300 that penetrates the skin and cause key immune cells like the white blood cells to explode, setting off a chain inflammation reaction, Gerberding explained. Unlike most hospital MRSA, USA300 also produces a toxin known as PVL, and scientists are furiously investigating its role.

Invention of new antibiotics may help fight MRSA, but the fact that germs will always evolve make doctors believe that going back to the basics of washing our hands clean and keeping our wounds covered remain to be our best defense against bacterial infections.

Cooling Down Hot Flashes

Health Specialist — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 02:56:06 +0000

Menopausal women searching for new ways to cool down hot flashes have found a new prescription antidepressants. Although this does not mean that all menopausal women are going through depression, none of these drugs are specifically approved for the condition, yet the number of doctors giving off label prescriptions is on the rise.

Hot flashes are characterized by the sudden, intense, hot feeling on your face and upper body, and can be preceded or accompanied by a rapid heartbeat and sweating, nausea, dizziness, anxiety, headache, weakness, or a feeling of suffocation.

According to research, the use of antidepressants for menopausal women has become increasingly common due to the fact that women and doctors alike are seeking alternatives to menopause hormones. It has been observed that the use of hormone drugs for menopause has decreased significantly since 2002, after a government study that linked hormone use in older women may result to stroke and breast cancer.

There is no clear evidence why antidepressants seem to have a cooling down effect in the hot flashes of some women. The connection was made only by chance in the studies of women with breast cancer. There are some cancer drugs that can set off hot flashes, and researchers noticed that women who were also taking the antidepressants known as a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors had fewer flashes.

There are studies which showed that the use of these and other serotonin-altering drugs to treat hot flashes in healthy menopausal women have shown disappointing results. On the other hand, Wyeths Effexor and GlaxoSmithKlines Paxil, have shown a meaningful benefit in high-quality controlled studies, as per a review published last year in The Journal of the American Medical Association.

Most women welcome the idea of relief more than they would receive from drugs. In one Effexor trial, the antidepressant users reported about 60 percent fewer hot flashes. By comparison, studies of hormones show estrogen reduces the frequency of hot flashes 80 percent. However, some women also complained of numerous side effects, such as constipation, dry mouth and nausea.
According to Cynthia Pearson, Executive Director of the National Women’s health, some women are fine with antidepressants and say, It helps and it makes a difference, while others say, Forget it. I dont feel like myself.

Different studies produce a variation of results in connection with the drug responses. A study of the antidepressant Zoloft which was sponsored by its maker, Pfizer, and published this month in the journal Menopause, has reported that one-third of the subjects actually had more hot flashes while taking the drug, a third stayed about the same or experienced just a slight benefit, and another third reported far fewer hot flashes. Such finding is similar to trends shown in other studies of antidepressants for hot flashes, which include Prozac and Paxil.

Figuring out which type of women have the most to gain from taking antidepressant drugs is the real challenge but the number of women to be studied should increase in order to come up with significant conclusions. In the Zoloft trial, only 27 women were in the high-benefit group.

A very interesting trend emerged among women who were recently menopausal. These women who had just stopped having their periods turned out to receive the most benefits from antidepressant treatment. However, women who had been menopausal for a year and those who were just starting to experience the effects of hormonal fluctuations fared worse on the drug.

The biggest concern about antidepressant use for menopause is that the drugs may worsen some symptoms already common during menopause things like anxiety, sleep problems and loss of libido. And while the drugs have been used safely for years in people with depression, theres no long-term data on their use in healthy women with healthy brains.

Women who will opt to try antidepressant treatment for the relief of hot flashes should first consult professional medical advise. Regular follow-up is also necessary in the first weeks after starting the drug.

The Power Of Emotional Health

Health Specialist — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 21:46:00 +0000

Man’s obsession with physical fitness is evident wherever you go. There is a phenomenal increase in the growth of fitness clubs and gyms. People have become conscious of their body image that they are willing to go the extra mile just to have the same sculptured body like those that are usually splashed in the pages of the magazines, billboards, TV, and movie screens. People try to find sensible and sustainable ways to achieve and maintain a physically fit body, yet tend to overlook another important aspect of their well-being their emotional health.
It has always been said that a healthy body cannot be divorced from a healthy mind or a healthy spirit. Emotional health is considered an integral part of man’s overall wellness. Neglecting your emotional health can damage your physical health in the process. Research has shown that one of the leading contributors to illness is stress caused by unresolved emotional issues.
Psychologists believe that emotions, such as fear, joy, sadness, and anger are mental responses to events, circumstances, people, or our own thoughts and memories. They course through our conscious and unconscious mind at critical junctures or during seemingly inconsequential moments of our lives.
Biologists, on the other hand, tell us that our emotions are rooted in self-preservation, triggering physiological reactions that enable us to find food, escape danger, and reproduce. In his work entitled Emotional Intelligence, author Daniel Goleman pointed out that, …all emotions are, in essence, impulses to act, the instant plans for handling life that evolution has instilled in us.”
Emotions have also evolved into facial expressions and body language so that each member of the group can signal his or her wants and needs to other members. As John D. Mayer, a leading expert in the study of emotions, has remarked “Emotions convey information…about relationships.”
Emotions are so powerful and actually possess the ability to make us sick, as well as provide healing. Emotions are relayed to the immune system through the autonomic nervous system. When people experience anxiety, depression, and other painful emotions, the immune system can be affected and may cause risk for a whole host of illnesses. In the same way, having a healthy emotional outlook in life can boost the resistance against disease.
Mayer has emphasized, “People can reason with emotions in the same way they reason with cognitive information. So you can solve emotional problems just as mathematicians solve math problems.” However, he also acknowledged that some emotions, such as grief and anger, can be harder to control or reason with. The interplay of various emotions make that form of reasoning very difficult.
Not all experts agree that human beings are born with a full range of emotions. Instead, some theorize that people were born with instincts and urges, along with an innate capacity for feeling. As people grow older, they develop personalities and nurture relationships with others, which are valuable experiences that help them expand their feelings into full-fledged emotions. Having a complete range of emotion is important for overall health and well-being.

Emotional health consists of five key components
1. Being aware of your emotions. Emotionally healthy people are in touch with their emotions and can identify and acknowledge them as experience.
2. Being able to process your emotions. After connecting with their emotions, emotionally healthy people develop appropriate ways of expressing them.
3. Being sensitive to other people and their emotions and having the ability to empathize. The ability to identify their own emotions enables emotionally healthy people to identify emotions in others and to have an intuitive sense of what it feels like to experience them.
4. Being self-empowered. Emotionally healthy people honor their emotions, which empowers them to fulfill their goals.
5. Being in healthy relationships. Using their emotional intelligence and empathy, emotionally healthy people build and maintain strong, functioning relationships.
Just as emotional health can affect a person’s physical health, the same is true with one’s lifestyle making a direct impact on emotional health. Vitamins and minerals stimulates the production of chemicals in the brain. These are known as neurotransmitters that regulate our physical and mental health functions, including the way we process emotions. Minor deficiencies of these nutrients can lead to depression and irritability, as well as hamper our ability to concentrate and stay motivated.
Definitely, unhealthy foods can adversely affect emotional health. Excessive intake of caffeine demonstrate many of the same physiological and psychological symptoms as people suffering from anxiety, while a diet with too much sugar has been linked to depression, aggression, and impaired judgment.
Many experts believe that people with strong spiritual fervor tend to have healthier immune systems and are less prone to depression and high blood pressure. It can be surmised that the faith of religious adherents gave them an enhanced sense of well-being which helped reduce their levels of stress.

Frost-Fingered Fear Things You Out To Know About Panic Disorders

Health Specialist — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 16:58:03 +0000

Panic disorders are real problems that can affect an estimated 7.5 of the general population at any given time. This widespread problem has the potential to be among the most debilitating mental health disorders we know of. The intensity of the panic attacks that panic disorders cause can vary from patient to patient. All of them have consistent physical symptoms that can sometimes make it hard to diagnose the problem properly. However, despite this alarming situation, the general public tends to be unaware of some of the basic facts surrounding panic disorders. Presented here is some basic information that could be useful to people who have panic disorders, or believe they know someone who has this particular mental health problem.

The Signs

The primary symptom of panic disorders would be periods where the patient undergoes extreme anxiety. These periods are often known as panic attacks and are easily mistaken for signs of someone developing an anxiety disorder. The duration can cause the physical symptoms to vary from patient to patient and, in some cases, from attack to attack. An increased heart rate, excessive perspiration, uncontrollable trembling, and nausea have all been cited as physical signs of a panic attack. The frequency of these attacks can vary from patient to patient, with some experiencing attacks daily while others endure them on a weekly basis.

The Chance of An Incorrect Diagnosis

Due to the physical symptoms that panic disorders have, some people can easily make the mistake of believing it to be a physical problem. There are a variety of physical ailments that can cause the same range of side effects and symptoms that panic disorders do. It is believed that a number of untrained observers may mistake a panic attack as epilepsy, or something similar. In some cases, the physical effects have been mistaken as heart attacks or strokes. A lack of knowledge of can also lead some observers to mistake the side effects of panic disorders to be a case of social anxiety or performance anxiety.

Possible Treatments

Counseling has been noted as being helpful in alleviating panic disorders. Typically, psychiatric counseling and therapy is accompanied by the use of certain drugs, such as anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medications. The use of these medications can also help in cutting the connection between panic disorders and anxiety and phobias, helping the patient recover faster. Psychiatric counseling has also been useful in helping patients adapt to a normal life, particularly if the disorder was left untreated for an extended period.

Side Effects A Patient Might Develop

Prolonged and untreated panic disorders can sometimes cause side effects like social anxiety, depression, and agoraphobia. Since panic attacks can occur during social situations, it can sometimes cause someone to develop performance anxiety or social anxiety. This is particularly true if the attacks frequently occur during times of great stress for the patient. Another possible reaction to these triggers can be depression and lack of confidence, as the person continues to fail in his endeavors. The onset of these side effects not only have an effect on mental health, but can also make recovery even more difficult. As such, it is critical that the problem be diagnosed and treated as early as possible. That way, the damage it can do is kept to a minimum.

The Privilege of Being Nosey

Health Specialist — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 05:53:18 +0000

What good is a fragrant rose if you can’t smell its scent? Can you still enjoy your freshly brewed coffee if you can’t smell the aroma? Imagine not being able to smell the different odors we encounter everyday, like the fresh shower scent of your spouse, the pure scent of a baby’s skin, the crisp, clean smell of laundry. How many people have taken for granted their sense of smell simply because of its daily normal occurrence?
The sense of smell plays an important role in the enhancement and improvement of our life. From the beginning of time, mans ability to smell has been fundamental and crucial for survival. It enabled prehistoric people to identify healthy food sources and detect potentially poisonous fruits and plants through their odor. Other functions of smell involve the relaying of emotions such as fear and anxiety. Humans release pheromones, a naturally produced chemical that has a distinct smell, during times of ovulation and sexual drive. To a great extent, taste is determined by smell and, for that reason, loss of smell often leads to a loss of taste.
Disorder in the olfactory system can therefore cause great disturbance in the quality of our life. Loss of appetite can bring anxiety that may lead to depression. Smell dysfunction can lead a person to subsequent danger. The inability to detect smoke can be dangerous and food poisoning is more prevalent in patients who cannot detect rotten food.
There are many definitions of the various categories of smell dysfunction
Anosmia a complete loss of smell
Hyposmia partial loss of smell
Hyperosmia enhanced smell sensitivity
Dysosmia distortion in odor perception
Parosmia distortion of perception of external stimulus
Phantosmia smell perception with no external stimulus
Troposmia distortion of perception of odorant stimulus

Depending on the cause of the olfactory disorder and patient history, some smell dysfunction may be permanent while others are only temporary. Nevertheless, the loss of the sense of smell can have profound psychological and somatic consequences. It can also signal the existence of various diseases of the nervous system, such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s Disease.

Our ability to smell is also dependent on age. The sense of smell peaks during late 20s to early 30s, and gradually diminishes after that. In some cases, as much as 60 percent of the sense of smell is diminished as a person reaches the so-called golden years. There are people who are more vulnerable to infections or viruses that cause them to lose their sense of smell altogether. The viruses seem to attack the nerve cells, which are located in the upper part of the nasal cavity, causing the loss of smell.
While some men may be afflicted with the condition, middle-aged women are more susceptible due to a more fragile immune system caused by menopause. Women in their 40s or 50s usually develop anosmia, a condition where they lack of olfaction or the ability to smell, after suffering from a serious sinus infection. Sinus infections are usually brought on by the common cold. Although the condition can be treated with medication, physicians say that it does have some side effects. Many people take vitamins loaded with antioxidants to regain their smell, but it takes time for them to fully recover. In most cases, the smell never comes back 100 percent.

Exercising Your Way Out of Chronic Pain

Health Specialist — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 02:33:57 +0000

A lot of people think that dealing with chronic pain requires a lot of expensive medication and frequent visits to pain specialists. It doesnt have to be that way, because something as simple as exercising may help alleviate your chronic pain complaints.

Generally speaking, chronic pain is pain that lasts for three months or longer. The most commonly reported cases of chronic pain are that of the back and the neck muscles. The neck is important in keeping the head in place and holding it up. Our back, on the other hand, is the so-called workhorse of our body. It carries the burden of the entire body and is responsible for almost every move we make. And because of the important functions these muscle groups carry, they are more prone to straining.

What are possible causes of Neck and Back pain?
Studies have shown that some chronic neck and back pain may be caused by these common reasons

Muscle strain. Overuse of the neck muscles and improper posture may cause muscle fatigue, and eventually, neck andor back strain.
Arthritis. The neck joint is no different from any other joint in the body, it also deteriorates with age and acquires arthritis.
Disk disorders. Any disorder related to the disk in between the vertebraes may cause neck pain.
Injury. Injuries that may cause over-stretching of the soft tissues of the neck and back may cause chronic pain.

Exercise
The cheapest and simplest way to relieve your self of chronic muscle pain is to exercise. Exercise has been noted to help with a lot of condition, from treating depression to improving memory retention. Exercise takes out the possible risks from being inactive for a long while. It also increases the benefits of being active.

The bodys muscles, including the heart, lose its strength and start working less effectively when the body has been inactive for quite a long while. You place yourself at high risk of getting high blood pressure, high cholesterol andor diabetes. Lack of physical activity also increases fatigue, stress and anxiety. Lack of exercise makes the body lose its conditioning, therefore contribute more to chronic pain.

It is understandable that it is difficult to get started with an exercise program, especially if you are currently experiencing chronic pain. However a little sacrifice is necessary to ensure pain relief. Here are some of the benefits you may get from exercising
It signals your body to produce and release endorphins. Endorphins block pain impulses from reaching pain receptors in the brain. They also generate a feeling of well-being, alleviating anxiety and depression.
It helps build strength. The more exercise you do, the stronger your muscles will be. And the stronger your muscles become, the more force and load it takes off your bones and cartilages less stress, less pain.
It helps increase flexibility. When joints are able to move their full range of motion, they are less likely to feel aches and pains.
It helps improve sleep quality. Exercise triggers the release of endorphins that give a sense of well-being, and it lowers the release of stress hormones, resulting in a better, more restful sleep.

A lot of people are afraid to address their chronic neck and back pain concerns in fear of spending a lot on medicines and consultation fees. Because of this fear they tend to overlook the simplest and easiest way to alleviate themselves of this burden exercising. A simple walk around the block or a 15 minute bicycle ride may seem to show no immediate effect, but youll be glad you did it in the long run.

Circulation of Counterfeit Drugs

Health Specialist — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 00:21:03 +0000

Tim Fagan is a 16-year-old boy who had been rushed to New York University Medical Center for an emergency liver transplant in February of 2004. Daily injections of Epogen, a medication for the treatment of severe anemia, was given Fagan. However, there was no improvement in his red blood cell count. Moreover, the teen-ager would always complain of severe and painful muscle cramps everytime an injection was administered. Doctors were left in a quandary as to why the medication was not working. It took almost two months before the news broke out that the medication being adminitered was a counterfeit.
This wasn’t a case of a drug that was bought from a local drugstore but from a major natonal pharmacy chain. Something happened somewhere after the drug left the manufacturing company and before it’s arrival at the pharmacy. Some unscrupulous moneymakers had taken the low-dose vials of Epogen which cost 22 and relabeled them as high-dose versions to be sold at 455. About 110,000 fake vials made it to the market netting the counterfeiters a whopping 48 million.
You could only imagine the great danger this malpractice had posed in the health condition and life of Tim as well as the stress and anxiety experienced by the boy’s parents upon learning of the situation.
Inspite of the Food and Drug Administration’s assurance that the country’s pharmaceutical drug supply is the safest in the world, the increase in the incidents of fake drug seizures and apprehensions has resulted in heightened anxiety and distrust among consumers regarding the safety and genuineness of medicines being sold in the pharmacy.
Some of the fake drugs in circulation are used in the treatment of HIV, Schizophrenia and Anemia. Serostim, a drug that has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration FDA for the treatment of AIDS-related wasting syndrome and weight loss, has been found in two pharmacies in California to be counterfeit in 2001.
In the case of schizophrenia, a drug called Zyprexa has been found to be counterfeit in the states of Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Genuine pills were replaced with white tablets which are actually aspirins.
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder where a person exhibits a deteriorated perception or expression of reality usually manifested through auditory hallucinations, paranoia, bizarre delusions and disorganized speech, reasoning and behavior in the context of social or occupational dysfunction.

Zyprexa is a brand name for a prescription medicine that is approved by the FDA for treating symptoms of schizophrenia, acute mixed or manic episodes of bipolar I disorder and for maintenance treatment in bipolar disorder.
Aside from Epogen, Procrit, a widely prescribed drug used to treat anemia in patients with kidney damage and in cancer patients whose lack of red blood cells results from chemotherapy, are found to have counterfeit versions nationwide. Levels of the active ingredient in two treatments were discovered to be 20 times lower than what was actually written on the label.
These are only few of the counterfeit prescription medicines that have been discovered by the authorities. Investigators believe that the worldwide growth of counterfeit and adulterated drug cases in the past decades can be attributed to the increase in sophisticated forged labels, the increase in numbers of small wholesalers buying and reselling medications, and the increasing number of expensive medications that can give forgers large profits.
Manufacturers may not be blamed for the things that happen when the medicines leave their warehouses. Not much has been written on the mortality connected with these deceptive and murderous trade of counterfeit medicines but the danger it poses in the lives of people who are already ill cannot be undermined. In lieu of this morbid scenario, it is imperative that access to safe and effective medications be made available to the general public with the help of proper authorities.

A Close Encounter with GAD

Health Specialist — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 07:22:09 +0000

Watching a child struggle with anxiety can be very difficult for parents. Anxiety may begin to mask their perception and

convince them that their child is already psychologically or emotionally impaired. Many parents find it helpful to keep

track of the child’s accomplishments and abilities so that they don’t begin thinking of their child as overly anxious and

fearful. Instead they can recognize what abilities their child has that might be useful in dealing with anxiety. A little

anxiety isnt always a bad thing. In fact, it can even be used to help motivate a person. Being aware of ones anxiety can

also help a person better respond to danger.
Anxiety, the bodys reaction to a perceived, anticipated or imagined danger or threatening situation, is a common and normal

occurrence among children. All children experience anxiety. Anxiety in children is expected and normal at specific times in

development. For example, from around 8 months through the preschool years, healthy youngsters may show intense distress

anxiety at times of separation from their parents or other persons with whom they are close. Anxious children are often

overly tense or uptight. Some may seek a lot of reassurance, and their worries may interfere with activities.
There are different types of child anxiety. One such anxiety disorder very common among them is Generalized Anxiety Disorder

GAD. GAD is defined as chronic, excessive worry and fear that seems to have no real cause. Children with GAD often worry a

lot about things such as future events, past behaviors, social acceptance, family matters, relationship, their personal

abilities, andor school performance. Although younger children can show signs of excessive worry, children usually develop

GAD at about 12 years old. Studies also revealed that many children with GAD also have other anxiety problems. The most

common of which are social anxiety, depression, separation anxiety, and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder ADHD.
Worrying too much about things before they actually happen or being too concerned about friends, school or activities are the

most common symptoms of GAD. However, each child may experience symptoms differently. It may also include
constant thoughts and fears about safety of self andor safety of parents
refusing to go to school
frequent stomach aches, headaches, or other physical complaints
muscle aches or tension
sleep disturbance
excessive worry about sleeping away from home
clingy behavior with family members
feeling as though there is a lump in the throat
fatigue
lack of concentration
being easily startled
irritability
inability to relax
Several anxiety medications are available for the effective treatment of GAD. A few of these medications include Zoloft,

Paxil, Xanax, and Prozac. All of these medications are known as SSRIs, or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. These

medications are all fairly new anti-depressants and have very little side effects. When a child takes any of these drugs, he

or she may experience overly nervous at first. However, after several weeks the feeling typically fades away. Some side

consequences of anti-depressants that children may experience are sleepiness, tiredness, and confusion.
These medications should only be taken after consultation with the child’s physician. A physician’s decision on what

medications to be taken by a child depends on the child’s physical structure, blood chemistry, as well as how severe the

child’s anxiety is.
Parents should not discount a child’s fears. Aside from the symptoms mentioned above, anxious children may also be quiet,

compliant and eager to please, thus their difficulties may be missed. Parents should always be alert to the signs of severe

anxiety so they can intervene early to prevent future complications.

Ways To Relieve Anxiety Symptoms

Health Specialist — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 02:11:48 +0000

Our society today can often be very overwhelming and it is important to make your anxiety is in check as well as any other issues that you may have going on at the time. Anxiety is felt by everyone at some time in their life, like when giving a speech or going on a job interview. For people with severe anxiety, it is much worse and is felt on a constant basis. People with anxiety issues often experience some or all of the following symptoms extreme fear, abnormal phobias, heart palpitations, panic attacks, shyness and obsessive behaviors. Therapy, medication, and relaxation exercises can all provide relief of anxiety symptoms and when used together the results are even better.

Therapy is usually the first step used in relieving anxiety issues. A therapist can help you to discover the underlying causes of your anxiety and can suggest the best ways to help you get through it. Some techniques that are used to help relieve a persons anxiety often include cognitive or behavioral therapy. Cognitive therapy is when you are taught to use different ways of thinking when you are in a situation that may cause anxiety. By reprogramming your thought processes you can decrease your anxiety at the time, by telling yourself more positive things when anxiety is felt. Behavioral therapy is when you are constantly confronted with the anxiety filled situation until your start to feel more comfortable. Taken in baby steps the therapist will talk you through the process as they slowly get you to come to terms with the situations that cause you anxiety, and it goes away.

Medications are also very commonly used to decrease a persons anxiety. Under the supervision of your therapist a medication may be prescribed that can help elevate anxiety temporarily. Some of the medications include SSRIs like Lexapro, Paxil, Prozac, Zoloft, Celexa, or Luvox, MOAIs like Parnate or Nordil, and TCAs like Tofranil, Adapin, Vivactil, Anafranil, Surmotil, Elavil, Sinequan, Endep, Norpramin or Ludiomil. If you do choose to use medication to treat your anxiety, it is best to do so under the strict supervision of your physician because many of these medications have side effects and all have to be prescribed.

Relaxation exercises can also help to elevate anxiety. Panic attacks caused by heightened anxiety can be calmed by deep breathing exercises. Mediation has been known to relieve anxiety symptoms before a situation that might trigger it, by having a relaxing effect on the person. Yoga and other exercise programs have also been shown to relieve anxiety somewhat. Since the endorphins released during the exercise can have a calming effect on the person, anxiety is often reduced.

Many people suffer every day from anxiety problems or panic attacks that can stop them from leading a normal life. If you feel that you have a problem with anxiety or panic attacks therapy, medication, or relaxation exercises can prove to be very effective in treating your problem. The symptoms of anxiety can constantly rule a persons life and if they become serious it is very important to seek out professional help for your mental health.

Coming Back To Haunt You

Health Specialist — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 21:01:42 +0000

Children all tend to show signs of anxiety. This is understandable since as children have a lot of things to adjust to that adults have already allowed their minds to get used to. All those new experiences can be a little overwhelming for a child whose mind has yet to fully adapt to his own situation, let alone being thrust into an entirely unfamiliar environment. To a certain degree, a little child anxiety is actually perfectly normal and, to a degree, perhaps even expected. However, if your child does not outgrow his anxiety, it can lead to some psychological disorders later in life. If that occurs, a little social anxiety might turn out to be the least of your worries.

Child anxiety, contrary to what some might believe, can lead to problems later on in life. The obvious evolution would be social anxiety, particularly if the child just can’t seem to adapt himself to the social situations he finds himself in. Since being sociable and being able to adapt to changing social situations is an integral part of a professional development, being seen by one’s superiors to be unable to work well within a team or organization can result in a stunted career. Social anxiety can also cause the child to lose confidence in other facets of his life, which can then result in an inferiority complex.

There are very few concrete studies that show how child anxiety can develop into any other mental disorder, though there is ample evidence to suggest that this is happening. The question, in reality, is just what this anxiety can develop into when a person reaches adulthood, as well as when the critical time for dealing with the problem would be. Another concern is how to tell when the child’s behavior is perfectly natural and when the child is starting to show signs of a problem that needs to be fixed. All too often, it is considered a highly subjective thing and it can be difficult for even medical professionals to tell the difference between the two.

Among the more common disorders that require moderate therapy include social anxiety and separation anxiety disorder. Children generally have difficulty with the concept of letting go of the people that they feel safe with. This inability to let go can easily develop into separation anxiety if allowed to develop into adulthood. While the targets of the problem changes, the nature of it remains essentially the same. The inability to adapt to situations socially has already been mentioned, though this can also potentially lead to performance anxiety if the adult is capable of recognizing his own skills but is incapable of utilizing them to full effect.

A problem here is the lack of concrete information on the development of this problem, as well as the lack of attention it is receiving. There are only a few studies that are dedicated to this particular facet of psychology, mainly because anxiety disorders in adults tend to be the more prominent focus. Another problem lies in the number of environmental factors to be considered, as well as the various differences in children’s personalities. However, the core problem in diagnosing this problem lies in the perception of the parents themselves. One parent’s child anxiety can be interpreted as nothing more than ordinary shyness by another parent.