How to Turn Panic into Excitement

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Can you turn your anxiety and panic attacks into a positive experience? Is such a thing possible? If so, how would you turn fear into excitement?…

…My friend Barry, over at Panic Away has written an excellent blog post that explains how such a thing is possible. I’ll allow him to explain.

From Barry at Panic Away:

“Can we turn anxiety and panic into a positive experience? Can we turn fear into excitement?

I believe we can and I am going to explain how it is done!

  • Anxiety or panic is an emotion that most of us try to avoid and run from. Our instinct is to fight against the feeling and find some way to end it quickly so that we can return to feeling calm and safe again.
  • I believe however, that it’s a lot easier to end feelings of anxiety by turning anxiety into excitement, rather than turning anxiety into a state of calm.

The reason for this is because being anxious and excited are actually the same physiological states for your body (the aroused state), it’s just how your mind reacts to this state that determines the emotion you feel!

I am going to show you how you can quickly train your mind to respond with excitement to anxiety/panic rather than fear.
Let’s use the example of a panic attack. While seated in emotional fear or anxiety, an actual panic attack is almost always triggered by bodily sensations. Maybe your heart starts pounding or your chest feels tight.

Maybe you feel dizzy or your body shakes. You know very well when it’s about to kick off and in a split second your mind reacts with fear to these bodily sensations…

…’Oh no here we go again, I am going to have a panic attack, -I might lose control, -I might die’…

…That initial reaction is so split second it is almost impossible to control but at least now you are aware of what is happening and NOW is your moment to stop reacting and to choose a new response.

Instead of reacting with resistance and fear to the sensations, you are going to respond with curiosity and excitement.

Here are the steps you need to take:

  1. Do not fight or resist the bodily sensations. (Remember, you are safe these sensations will not harm you)
  2. Befriend the sensations and anxiety you feel instead of thinking of it as an enemy.
  3. Embrace the sensations fully and observe them with a compassionate curiosity.
  4. Now PLAY with the sensations. Encourage the bodily sensations to intensify. Get excited by this heightened state of arousal. Push the energy out and run with it. Let your heart pound, let your chest feel tight, let your mind race, let your body shake. Do not try and control it, experience it fully and feel really excited and alive because of it.
  5. By taking the above steps you are doing something completely different. You are no longer resisting but embracing and moving with the experience. This movement is one of pure excitement as you ride the wave of fear instead of letting it toss you around.
  6. Some people like to compare it to a thrilling roller coaster ride. Something exhilarating that they are willing participants in.
  7. By becoming really excited by the anxiety you feel, instead of resisting it, you immediately diminish the power it holds over you. That is the secret to turning fear into excitement!

    8. To your success!
    Barry Joe McDonagh (Joe Barry)”

    I think Barry does a great job explaining how to turn Panic into Excitement!

    His approach goes back to the truism, that “what you resist persists”, right? So  stop resisting, and embrace your anxiety. By being willing to experience  it, oddly enough you become more empowered over your emotional state!

    If you want to learn more about Barry the Panic Away program, click the button below.

    Click to visit Panic Away
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The Most Relaxing Song Ever

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I wanted to share this with all of you. When I feel really stressed out or anxious, I find that relaxing music works wonders for my mood – and my heart rate. This song is one of the most effective songs at relaxing me – I hope that you enjoy it!

Filed Under: Panic Attack Articles

Anxiety Overview

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Hi all! Found this video that gives an excellent overview of Anxiety related conditions. It’s crazy to think that anxiety costs the United States more than $45 Billion dollars a year between treatment, medication, and lost productivity. Fortunately there are things we can do to treat anxiety holistically. You can read our Panic Away Review for details.

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Recognizing the Top Ten Symptoms of Anxiety Disorder

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If you or someone you love is suffering from General Anxiety Disorder, (GAD for short), it’s important to recognize the symptoms so you can take steps to reverse it. GAD can have such a negative impact on your daily life –both physically and emotionally!

Unlike occasional occurrences of anxiety, if you have chronic anxiety you’ll experience a combination of recurring symptoms, which are caused by the brain sending messages to parts of the body to prepare for a ‘flight or fight’ response.

If left unchecked, this condition sets the stage for other health and emotional problems. By being proactive you have a much better opportunity to reduce your anxiety or eliminate the condition entirely.

The top ten symptoms of general anxiety:

  1. Fatigue or insomnia
  2. Fidgeting & twitching
  3. Headaches
  4. Nausea
  5. Muscle tension & aches
  6. Heart palpitations
  7. Difficulty swallowing
  8. Trembling
  9. Irritability
  10. Sweating & hot flashes

Just what is Generalized Anxiety Disorder?

It’s described as an obsessive worry or general sense of doom that is felt about any variety of issues. When this emotional state occurs often enough, the condition manifests as physical symptoms, too – as described above.

Even though there may be a real basis for the fear and anxiety, the response is irrational and usually blown out of proportion dramatically.

These physical and emotional symptoms must be chronic — persisting over at least 6 months — for a formal diagnosis to be made. However, if you’re feeling any of these symptoms for ANY period of time, it can be quite uncomfortable.

And the problem is, once it starts, GAD rarely goes away on it’s own. Most often, you’ll want to seek support or treatment to help alleviate the condition.

Here’s an important note. Sometimes general anxiety is confused with panic attacks. Panic attacks are a different form of anxiety. As the name implies, they’re more sudden and intense. A panic attack often results from a specific trigger. Meanwhile, general anxiety is usually just below the surface, creating the ‘perfect’ environment for a panic attack.

Here’s an example. A claustrophobic person is trapped in an elevator and feels a panic attack coming on. The trigger for the attack is being stuck in the elevator. But the person may have an underlying case of general anxiety disorder, due to a recent layoff –  and the stress related to this interview, which he is headed to when he got stuck in the elevator!

Common symptoms of a panic attack include rapid heartbeat, perspiration, dizziness, dyspnea (labored breathing), trembling, uncontrollable fear, hyperventilation, tunnel hearing or vision, etc.

Panic attacks may be a rare occurrence, or they may happen regularly, but as  you can see, panic attacks and general anxiety often occur in a person simultaneously, making both conditions more difficult to treat on your own.

Okay, back to general anxiety…. Again, general Anxiety Disorder can have very real negative effect on your life, including stressing  your body and flooding it with cortisol.

Yet, there’s no need to suffer, since there are a variety of proven treatments to lessen or eliminate symptoms of GAD and other forms of anxiety disorders  from your life. Whatever treatment options you take, you’ll feel better when you learn more about anxiety and how to promote your emotional health for the long term!

We’ve reviewed a number of products that are designed to treat general anxiety disorder and panic attacks, by using a holistic, mind-body approach! The one eBook that stood head and shoulders above the rest is called Panic Away.

You can read our full Panic Away Review Here. We we highly recommend that you check it out, and we wish you well on your path to healing!

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4 Steps to Treat Severe Anxiety Disorder

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Severe Anxiety DisorderAs the name suggests, severe anxiety disorder is an elevated form of general anxiety disorder, (or GAD), which has gone untreated. It’s a serious– yet treatable condition. Unfortunately, many suicides have been traced back to people who were in this chronic and challenging emotional state! Read on to learn a few proven ways to treat severe anxiety disorder.

Remember, severe anxiety disorder can wreak havoc both physically and emotionally because your anxiety level is more heightened than with GAD alone…

…And when you’re warn down, you’re less able to turn your situation around on your own!

Worse yet, severe anxiety disorder can be linked to other conditions such as panic attacks, obsessive compulsive disorder, depression, and health problems.

Therefore, it’s important to seek help if you suspect you might be experiencing chronic anxiety that lasts more than six months, since it only worsens if left untreated.

As you consider some steps to take, it helps to realize that you’re not alone! Many people have chronic anxiety disorders. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, “over 35 million people—nearly 17 percent of the American population—suffer from anxiety disorders.”

First, here are the symptoms of general anxiety disorder, or GAD:

  • fatigue or insomnia
  • fidgeting
  • twitching
  • headaches
  • nausea
  • muscle tension and aches
  • difficulty swallowing
  • trembling
  • irritability
  • sweating
  • hot flashes

You may experience any or all of these symptoms, which occur as the body goes into ‘flight or fight’ mode. As a result, the body dumps extra levels of cortisol in your body, ultimately causing these symptoms.  If left untreated, your condition can elevate into severe anxiety disorder.

Secondly, here are the symptoms of severe anxiety disorder. These are usually felt in addition to those you experience with GAD:

  • rapid heartbeat
  • dizziness
  • dyspnea (labored breathing)
  • uncontrollable fear
  • hyperventilation
  • tunnel hearing
  • vision problems

The reason for these additional symptoms is this. Severe anxiety disorder is often linked to overlapping anxiety disorders, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety depression, or panic attacks. This situation simply puts more stress on the body.

Steps for treating severe anxiety disorder:

The complex and overlapping conditions of this disorder make it vitally important for you to seek professional help and obtain a diagnosis so that you can physically and emotionally stabilize. During this time it is also important to enlist the help of a trusted support network.

There is hope! …

  1. Get a check-up with your primary care physician. Since some anxiety problems stem from physical problems. It’s best to see your general practitioner first, who can refer you to a qualified psychiatrist if necessary.
  2. Read more information on anxiety and mood disorders, so that you can engage in an informed conversation with your doctor. No need to bombard yourself with tons of information, but something you can read in a few afternoons will help you feel more empowered when you see your psychiatrist. We have links to some helpful resources on our sidebar.
  3. See a psychiatrist, who will test and interview with you in order to provide a diagnosis and treatment plan. Once you have heard this plan it’s important to follow it closely. If you don’t agree with the diagnosis, seek a second opinion until you are satisfied and will commit to the treatment. We recommend that you look for a doctor who integrates both traditional and homeopathic treatments, rather than strictly prescribing pills. (That said, pills can help you to initially stabilize!)
  4. Seek homeopathic and natural remedies that support your treatment plan. If your psychiatrist doesn’t happen to use an integrated approach, this is a good time to find a naturopathic physician, nutritionist or other practitioner. He or she will probably discuss diet and exercise. These two aspects of your health have been proven to play a major role in mental and emotional health. Diet specifically can help with balancing some chemicals in the brain, which affect mood.

By working with qualified professionals who can help you stabilize and minimize your anxiety, you’ll feel better prepared to make any other potential lifestyle changes that can restore your long-term emotional health.

Whatever treatment you course you choose, we recommend that you follow a holistic or ‘whole’ approach to mind, body and spirit. This integrated strategy has been proven to bring about the best chance for success!

As part of these 4 steps, you may want to take a look at Panic Away, which is our eBook of choice for helping people overcome anxiety and panic attacks. We like it because it’s a great tool, is easy to read, and it’s author, Barry is very credible. It also contains numerous testimonials from other anxiety sufferers, and includes excellent audios and email coaching with the program.

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General Anxiety Disorder Causes and Treatments

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Did you know that over 15 million Americans are affected by some form of anxiety? That’s a surprising statistic, but you may also not realize that when left unchecked, anxiety can turn into general anxiety disorder, depression, and panic attacks.

In this article I’ll focus on general anxiety disorder (GAD), its’ causes, and steps you can take to greatly reduce or eliminate general anxiety disorder from your daily life.

First, it’s important to acknowledge that many of us in our culture, believe that we should simply be able to handle our emotions, period. If we can’t then we must be weak, right?

Not so! Read on to learn more…

Just what is Generalized Anxiety Disorder? Another one of those ‘illnesses’ that doctors make up for profit?

The answer is no. GAD is very real!

Sure, virtually everyone has occasional bouts of anxiety, or anxious thought patterns. In contrast, GAD is a  state of periodic and elevated anxiety, often characterized by excessive thinking and dwelling on the “what ifs”.

As a result, you may feel that there’s no way out of the vicious cycle of anxiety and worry.  You probably have general anxiety disorder/GAD if you have recurring anxiety, as opposed to occasional worry.

What really happens when anxiety escalates into GAD?

To illustrate how anxiety can escalate into the disorder, we’ll use the analogy of a water faucet..

…If the faucet is working properly when turned off,  we experience a relaxed home environment – which equates to a relatively anxiety-free existence.

However,  if the faucet has a leak and is dripping periodically, you could equate this disruptive drip to that of someone experiencing periodic, but regular feelings of anxiety.

Over time the pipe may still look good, function pretty well, and remain intact. However the leak gets worse, due to continued pressure and the lack of repair. The continued leak, dripping over time, escalates into a steady stream that can no longer be ignored…

…At this point faucet demands your attention, as this unstable situation threatens to burst the pipe. In our analogy, chronic anxiety — or general anxiety disorder has set in, creating an opportunity for a panic attack to occur.

Now that you see how anxiety escalates into a disorder… exactly what causes GAD? As our analogy illustrates, general anxiety disorder is caused by recurring anxiety.

The major causes of anxiety are:

  • Repressed emotions
  • Stressful, unresolved situations
  • A chemical or nutritional imbalance
  • Physical, mental or emotional exhaustion caused by stress

So what can you do about it? Here are some proven steps you can take to eliminate General Anxiety Disorder:

First, you want to look at where your anxiety may be coming from. Then, once you are aware of the cause or causes of your anxiety, you can work to reduce or eliminate anxiety entirely.

Here are four steps that you can take to help eliminate GAD:

  1. Educate yourself. There are many excellent holistic books and classes that help reduce or eliminate anxiety by teaching the principles of the mind-body-emotion connection, as well as anti-stress techniques.
  2. See a qualified medical professional to get a diagnosis in the event that you have a nutritional or chemical imbalance. You may want to do one or all of the following: a.)  a blood screening, b.) a checkup with your physician, and c.) discuss your situation with a psychiatrist (Ph.D.) who understands medications. Your doctor can help you select the appropriate course of action if required.
  3. Meet with a therapist or support group, which can assist you by teaching healthy ways to deal with conflict, rather than repressing emotions. Therapy can also help you effectively resolve stressful situations. Finally, it can assist with issues around physical, mental or emotional exhaustion, which are often at the root of anxiety.  Ultimately, a therapist can provide you with tools and strategies that create more life balance, time, and personal boundaries that support optimal health.
  4. Practice mind-body stress reducers: Exercise produces the good hormones, such as endorphins, that keeping your mind and body balanced. Some people benefit from Yoga, a practice that incorporates relaxation techniques into exercise and movement.  Diet can also play a major role. It’s a good idea to see a naturopath, if your doctor doesn’t use an integrated approach to your health.

Here’s the good news… general anxiety disorder and panic attacks respond well to treatment! Sure, it takes courage and commitment to educate yourself, identify options and take action. But your emotional well-being is always worth the time you invest! After all, emotional health promotes a better quality of life and a greater sense of peace, right?

Wherever you are in your in your path to healing, it’s always good to become more informed about emotional health. When following the 4 steps outlined above, we recommend the Panic Away program as an excellent, holistic tool for treating general anxiety disorder.

You can read our Panic Away Review by Clicking Here. It’s a very credible program, is easy to read, and has great audios and email coaching included.

All the best to you on your journey of healing and self-discovery!

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Panic Attacks: What They Are & How You Can Get Relief

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Panic AttacksAnyone who’s had a panic attack knows what a scary experience it can be. Some people even mistake one for a heart attack! In this article we’ll share the major symptoms of panic attacks, what triggers them, and some proven treatment options.

 

Before we begin, here’s the good news… panic attacks respond well to proper treatment!

What are panic attacks?

Panic attacks fall into the category of anxiety disorders, but are more acute and disabling than general anxiety. Noted researcher and expert on anxiety, Dr. Claire Weekes, states that a panic attack is “an anxious thought that acutely disrupts the rhythm of the body…and that can send the body and emotions into a tailspin of anxiety“.

…This tailspin brings about a variety of physical symptoms:

Tell-tale symptoms of a panic attack:

  • Cardiovascular- such as increased heartbeat and heart palpitations
  • Respiratory- A feeling of suffocation, smothering, tightness of the chest, and irregular breathing
  • Vision- Blurred vision, seeing stars
  • Digestion- Nausea, constipation
  • General- Dry mouth, trembling, numbness and tingling in the fingers and hands, physical exhaustion, tired and drained; excessive sweating, and shakiness

As I mentioned, what makes a panic attack worse is that many of its’ signs mimic those of a heart attack or any variety of illnesses. These symptoms can make the victim fearful for his or her life.

Still, truth is, while panic attacks do put some stress on the body –they don’t permanently harm you in any way.

What causes Panic Attacks?

A panic attack is usually set off by some type of internal or external trigger.

  • External triggers include stressful events such as a divorce hearing, a wedding, loss of a loved one, or even something as insignificant as a walk to the store!
  • Internal triggers include phobias, negative self-talk, negative beliefs, and putting undue pressure on yourself, to name a few.

Yet, before a panic attack occurs, general anxiety disorder is usually present. Chronic anxiety exhausts the emotions, mind and body. Your adrenal glands are stressed out, cortisol levels are too high and this condition promotes a sensitivity to potential triggers.

Whether a panic attack is caused by an internal or external trigger, there are a number of treatment options available that treat panic attacks and its’ underlying general anxiety.

Treatment options for panic attacks and anxiety:

  • Medication: Tranquilizers such as Xanax or Valium, as well as anti-depressants such as Prozac or Zoloft. These are aimed at correcting ‘chemical imbalances’. Even if you don’t take them long-term, they can help in stabilizing your condition while you decide upon further treatment options.
  • Therapy: Traditional talk therapy, hypnosis and guided imagery. These therapies are aimed at changing our response to certain inputs, without having to put you through long psychotherapy sessions.
  • Relaxation, Spiritual healing, Reiki, Body Talk and BioFeedback: These holistic treatments teach techniques for calming the mind, body and emotions.
  • Other Holistic Remedies: These programs usually combine education, visualization, and physical relaxation techniques. They may include Yoga, stretching, walking and other exercise – as well as dietary changes to support chemical balance. These remedies are complementary to the other treatments mentioned above, and are aimed at treating both general anxiety and panic attacks.

With any chronic anxiety disorder, it’s always important to see a professional for proper diagnosis before starting any treatment plan. Then, once the body chemistry is stabilized, the other therapies mentioned here may complement or replace any medication and ensure long-term success.

Whatever treatment options you select, it’s always a good idea to learn as much as you can! Knowledge opens the door for more powerful conversations with practitioners, and puts you in the driver’s seat — when it comes to your emotional and mental health!

As you consider the steps I’ve outlined above, one program might be worth you taking a look at: I was particularly impressed with the Panic Away program, which stands above other eBook programs on the market for two reasons.

First, Panic Away treats both panic attacks and general anxiety — all within one program. Secondly, it also takes a holistic approach to healing the person – integrating techniques for the mind, body and spirit. Yet this comprehensive program is presented in simple steps that are effective and easy to remember! For help treating your Panic Attacks read our Panic Away Review.

Thanks for visiting our site, and all the best in your journey to healing and health!

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