What is Social Anxiety Disorder?

Do you have intense feelings of discomfort and fear when in social situations? You may have social anxiety disorder. Social anxiety disorder affects millions of people around the world and varies greatly from person to person. However, it is important to know that if you find social settings unbearable, you can get help. A doctor will be able to help you treat your social anxiety disorder so that you can live a normal life instead of being paralyzed by fear.

It's hard to pin down the exact symptoms of social anxiety disorder, which is why seeing your doctor is so important. However, some common signs that you may have this disorder include a number of fears. Do you commonly fear social situations? You should see your doctor if your fears reflect the following: fear that all attention is on you, fear of making mistakes, fear of judgment, fear that everyone is better than you, fear of humiliating yourself, or fear that everyone sees your flaws. These fears may or may not cause panic attacks, but always cause intense anxiety. Anxiety may lead to shaking, a pounding heart, blushing, sweating, stammering, nausea, and dizziness.

Shyness is not the same as social anxiety disorder. While you may feel shy in certain situations, social anxiety disorder is physically debilitating to a person experiencing it. In fact, social anxiety disorder may take over a person's life if left untreated. This disorder usually starts from childhood or early adulthood and can affect everyone, regardless of race, religion, or gender, although women are more likely to develop this disorder than men.

Social anxiety disorder is often found in conjunction with other anxiety disorders. It is also common for a person with social anxiety disorder to try to treat it using drugs or alcohol, which will in turn lead to substance abuse. The best and only way to treat social anxiety disorder is to see your doctor. Therapy and medication can help you work through this disorder so that you can live a healthy and socially active life. Cognitive-behavioral therapy will help you grip your disorder so that you can learn how to make yourself calm down and have less fear in social situations. Medications can be short or long term are can work to block certain inhibitors. Together, you can your doctor can find the perfect treatment for you so that you can take back control of your life. You may have to live with social anxiety disorder for the rest of your life, but it does not have to stop you from being happy.

The One Cause of Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety disorders are varied and include things like social anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and phobias. Millions of people around the world are diagnosed with an anxiety disorder during their lifetimes, and so many are looking for answers as to what has caused this medical condition, which can be quite serious. The title here may be misleading, because there really is no one cause of anxiety disorders. You may have an anxiety disorder for any number of reasons, or a combination of reasons. In order to learn more about your condition and try to pin point its cause, here are a few of the things that play into the development of an anxiety disorder.

First and foremost, many people want to know if anxiety disorders are genetic and can be passed on to future generations. Studies show that this may be the case. If a parent has an anxiety disorder, there is a chance that you may get this disorder as well. However, family factors may play a role in this as well. When you are raised in a household in which someone has an anxiety disorder, you are essentially taught these panic behaviors as well. Phobias are especially common to be passed to other family members. Insure relationships with parents may also cause anxiety disorders later in life. In short, this may be partially due to genetics, but also has something to do with your childhood environment as well.

Other environmental experiences outside of your childhood living conditions play into the development for anxiety disorders as well. If you have a traumatizing event as a child, or even as an adult, that even could either stay with you, causing post-traumatic stress disorder, or could affect your thinking, causing other types of anxiety disorders. Social pressures and culture may play a role in this as well, teaching people to become anxious at certain times or fearful of certain things.

An anxiety disorder may also be the result of health factors not related to genetics. Phobias and other anxiety disorders sometimes develop due to a chemical imbalance in the brain, especially with the chemical serotonin, which also affects depression in some people. Evolution comes into play, because you automatically have a fight-or-flight system built into our brains. The foods we eat, amount we exercise, and sleep we get every night all play roles into how our brain functions.

Lastly, anxiety disorders may develop due to stress. When you are stressed about something, you may find that you slow start to wear out. While our bodies are built to handle certain amounts of stress, over time, this simply breaks down and we give in to anxiety, which can develop into an anxiety disorder. No matter what the reason, however, it is simply important that you ask for help dealing with your condition.

Understanding OCD

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is one of the more widely known types of anxiety disorders, but in actuality, few people understand how it works. People with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, or OCD, aren't crazy. They simply have persistent behaviors that upset their daily lives. OCD ranges from very mild to severe, and some have even suggested that everyone has OCD, but it is simply a matter of controlling your thoughts and actions so that you can live a normal life.

OCD, as its name implies, has two main components�the obsession and the compulsion. The obsession is usually a fear or desire, such as the fear to contamination or the desire to be perfect. The compulsion is the repetitive behavior that is a result of the obsession. For example, someone with the fear that a loved one will die may feel a compulsion to always count everything to a certain number. They irresistibly feel as though their loved one will somehow die if they do not count to this number. Obsessions and compulsions can sometimes be relieved with rituals, which may help to temporarily relieve the stress.

Although many people will joke that they "have OCD" when they are nit-picky about cleaning or do something odd, sever OCD is truly no laughing matter. A person who suffers severely from this conditions will probably not be able to work, go to school, live alone, drive, or even go out in public.

OCD is chronic, although many people try to hide their symptoms from others and stop the compulsions at the very least. Most people with OCD understand that they are being irrational, but they just can't help it. What causes OCD to develop in the first place? While many originally thought it was due to childhood environmental conditions, it is now reported that a specific neurological problem may be the cause. More than one factor is probably at work here and although there are treatments, there are no known cures to OCD.

Getting help, however, is very important. With medication, behavioral therapy, and counseling, patients with OCD can truly start to lead somewhat normal lives one again. Talking to your doctor about your OCD concerns is the first step to controlling your life and health. At the very least, talk to a friend. He or she may be able to help you take the right steps toward treating your OCD. This disorder can be devestating, but with a little hard work, one can overcome OCD.

Cognitive-Behavior Therapy: Could it Work for You?

Anxiety disorders can be very difficult medical conditions with which to live. However, if you are suffering from panic disorder, social phobias, generalize anxiety disorder, or any one of the number of other anxiety disorders, all is not lost. By talking to your doctor, you can get help controlling your symptoms and treating these disorders at the core. One form of treatment you can consider is cognitive-behavior therapy.

Cognitive-behavior therapy is a combination of cognitive therapy and behavioral therapy. With cognitive therapy, a person learns to understand and change their thoughts and beliefs. With behavioral therapy, a person learns to change specific actions. Combining these two therapies is not difficult and have provide anxiety disorder patients with the very best results.

Cognitive therapy focuses mainly on patients recognizing certain things within themselves. Many people are confused about cognitive therapy�it isn't about changing negative thoughts to positive thoughts in order to push for happiness. Instead isn't about changing destructing thoughts that are often repetitive and feed into anxiety to thoughts that are more easily controlled and do not trigger anxiety attacks.

Behavior therapy, on the other hand, focuses on changing your actions instead. Relaxation and breathing exercises are common with behavioral therapy for anxiety disorder patients. Another type of behavioral therapy treatment commonly used is desensitization, which places patients in situations that cause anxiety gradually, in order to get used to the idea and control the anxiety.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy does not work well for absolutely everyone. While there are many people who can benefit from this form of treatment, there are others who will do better with other treatments. If you are considering cognitive-behavioral therapy, you need to meet two qualifications. First, you have to be motivated to change. If you are resistant to change, you won't do the work required to make cognitive-behavioral therapy work and recovery is not possible. Secondly, you need to have access to a therapist specially trained to deal with cognitive-behavioral therapy. Your doctor can help you find a professional in your area.

In short, think about trying cognitive-behavioral therapy as a form of treatment for your anxiety disorders, even if nothing else has helped you. When you seek treatment, you put yourself on the right track for actually feeling better. Seeing a doctor and learning about all of your treatment options is the first step towards overcoming your anxiety disorder and controlling your life once again.

Anxiety Disorders and Depression

Anxiety disorders is an umbrella category that covers a number of disorders, such as panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, social phobia, specific phobias, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. However, all of these medical conditions can lead to even more health problems and emotional problems, so you may need treatment in a number of areas. One medical condition that may develop is depression. While many people carelessly use the term depression to describe an intense sadness, depression is more than just a day or being upset about something. Depression can truly stop your from living your life. If you are worried that you may be developing depression in addition to other medical conditions surrounding anxiety disorders, see your doctor immediately.

There are a number of symptoms associated with depression that you may experience. Some clues to you that depression may e a problem include loss of appetite, increase in appetites, having no sexual energy, muscle aches and pains, inability to concentrate, feeling afraid or confused, being easily angered, not caring about things you used to love, not being about to pinpoint why you feel sad, hating yourself, and thinking about death often. If you are experiencing three or more of these symptoms on a daily basis, you should see your doctor and talk to him or her about depression right away.

Depression can also lead to thoughts of suicide in the worst-case scenario. If you have thought about killing yourself, even one, you should get help right away. Tell someone you love or call 9-1-1 or a local hotline for support. If you cannot do these things, drive to the local emergency room of a hospital near you, go to your doctor or therapist's office, or, at the very least, go to a public place. Give yourself some time to think about things before making any decisions.

Remember, depression is a real medical illness. Over 20 million Americas suffer from depression at some point another, and it can affect any age, gender, race, religion, or ethnicity. You can find great treatments to help you with your depression, from medication that inhibits certain receptors in the brain to therapy to help you talk about the things that are making your depressed.

In the end, it is simply important to realize that you can feel better and there is help. Having depression is nothing to be ashamed about, and modern medicine makes it possible for you to overcome your depression and your anxiety disorders in order to live a healthy life.

Treating Anxiety: Otherwise Known as Changing your Life

Anxiety disorders affect millions of people across the country and include disorders like social phobia, specific phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder. However, these disorders do not need to rule your life. If you think that you are suffering from an anxiety disorder, it is important to see you doctor right away. Treatment can truly change your life.

The first step to treatment is getting diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. There are a number of symptoms associated with anxiety disorders that can also be caused by other medical conditions, and if you want to be get the best treatment possible it is first crucial to diagnose you exact condition. Your health care professional is the person who can do this. Make sure that you tell him or her specifically what symptoms you are experiences, and then you will go through a complete physical examination and testing to see if there are any other medical conditions that could be causing your problems. A correct diagnosis will help you get the best care.

There are then a number of treatment options you can use to help you overcome your anxiety disorders. First, you can try talk therapy, also known as psychotherapy. This allows you to tell your problems to a psychiatrist who actually cares about you and wants to help you. There are a number of different talk therapies you can use. For example, some people like cognitive behavior therapy, which replaces old behavior with new behavior slowly with steps. This is often great for phobias. You can also try psychodynamic therapy, in which case your professional will help you to look at the underlying causes of your condition so that you can understand how to better control your life. There are other kinds of talk therapy treatments as well. Choose the one that works best for you in order to get the right help for your condition. Remember, every person is different; what works well for someone else may not work well for your.

Medications are also a great step in the right direction for treating anxiety disorders. Meditation can help to block certain overactive inhibitors in the brain that may be causing your anxiety disorder. They can also treat the symptoms that you find unbearable. In general, you should make sure that a medication works for you and your body before taking it on a regular basis. There are side effects to some medications that may hurt your body more than the medication is actually helping you.

You can also try non-traditional forms of treatment for you anxiety disorders. Some people can control their bodies simply by learning meditation and doing yoga, for example if you are experiencing panic attacks. You can also try acupuncture and acupressure to deal with your physical problems. Another great type of treatment, especially for phobias, is hypnosis. Your doctor can recommend to you these treatments and give you more information on what will work best for you.

All About Agoraphobia

There are many different anxiety disorders a person could develop. These disorders are usually characterized by intense anxiety leading to panic attacks. Under the umbrella of anxiety disorders fall the category of phobias, which as intense and irrational fears that lead to panic. Agoraphobia is one such fear a person could have, and it is the most commonly treated phobia in the mental health world. It may not be the most common, but its symptoms are severe enough that treatment is almost always necessary.

Agoraphobia is the fear of leaving one's home or safe area and venturing into the outside world. It is also found in combination with other phobias or obsessive-compulsive disorder. People suffering from agoraphobia usually have panic attacks when they feel unsafe, and these unsafe feelings include when the person is trapped, out of control, or too far from a personal comfort zone. Many people suffering from agoraphobia are confined to their homes or even to a specific room in their home.

There are many misconceptions surrounding people with agoraphobia. First of all, agoraphobia is not a fear of open spaces, nor is it a fear of crowded spaces. While these conditions may exist within a person as well, agoraphobia is specifically a fear of being too far from a normal area, regardless of the crowd. Many people welcome visitors into their home, even if they themselves do not leave. Agoraphobics usually simply need to be in complete control of a situation.

Agoraphobia can affect any person, regardless of gender, age, religion, race, ethnicity, or economic status. The disorder is about twice as common among women than among men, however. The conditions usually begins with generalized panic attacks or slight phobias, and develops into a more and more serious condition. Thankfully, treatment is available. A gradual process of exposure is usually recommended, along with anti-anxiety medication including benzodiazepines like alprazolam. Anti-depressants can also be used. Some therapists will make house calls to help patients with agoraphobia, and alternative treatments like hypnosis are becoming more and more popular in the medical world as a treatment for agoraphobia and other anxiety conditions.

A number of famous people have suffered from agoraphobia in the past, including celebrity chef Paula Dean, actress Kim Basinger, director Woody Allen, and Nobel laureate for literature Elfriede Jelinek. The key here, however, is to realize that there is hope. If you suffer from agoraphobia, ask for help and you can begin the healing process.

Alternative Anxiety Therapies

If you've been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, it is crucial for you to seek medical treatment. This is the first step to recovery. Anxiety disorders include phobias and fears and medical conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, agoraphobia, and panic disorder.

When you talk to your doctor about your conditions, he or she will probably recommend certain talk therapies, in which you work with a therapist and cognitive-behavioral therapy to overcome your disorder. You may also be recommended to take specific medications. However, there are also a number of other therapies that you can consider to help you overcome your anxiety disorder.

If you are interested in oral medications, there are a number of supplements that may be able to help with your anxiety. Supplements are generally more naturally than the chemicals found in medications, so you body may be less likely to react to them in an adverse way. However, it is important to remember that supplements can still be dangerous if abused.

Common supplements that can be used to treat anxiety disorders include passion fruit, passionflower, kava, valerian root, St. John's wort, hops, chamomile, magnesium, and glycine. Your doctor can instruct you taking these supplements in a safe way.

If you have very low anxiety symptoms, you can also work by yourself to combat the development of full-blown anxiety disorders. First, get a proper diet.

This will include all the nutrients you body needs to stay active and healthy. Reduce the amounts of caffeine and sugar you ingest to help with anxiety. Also make sure that you are getting both sleep and exercise. This can help you manage stress more readily. If you believe you may be developing an anxiety disorder, trying to use stress management skills is very important.

Many people also advocate that alcohol is a great tool for combating anxiety. Typically, patients with anxiety disorders feel stimulated, so alcohol, which is a depressant, can really help you to calm down. However, the disadvantage to this is that alcohol also can make you become intoxicated and anxiety is sometimes found in conjunction with depression, which alcohol will only cause to get worse. Therefore, this is usually not a good option and can cause depression with anxiety.

Techniques like hypnosis, virtual reality use, acupuncture, and meditation can also help patients deal with anxiety. While these alternative treatment options do not help everyone, they may be able to help you. Be sure to ask your doctor about all treatment options available so that you can make the best choices for your body.