Coping with Anxiety 101

Understanding the causes of anxiety attacks is critical in freeing yourself from its grip. Unfortunately the medical community has not determined without a shadow of a doubt what causes anxiety attacks. When asked they provide a whole grocery list of causes from genetics, to personality to substance abuse.

This doesn’t really help you. If you suffer from panic attacks your first course of action should be to see your physician and rule out any underlying medical reasons. You want to be sure that you aren’t suffering from some disease or ailment and it is manifesting in anxiety attacks.

Determining Your Causes of Panic Disorder

Once you determine that there is no underlying medical reason for the attacks, you need to try to determine what your triggers are. What are the thoughts or situations that cause your levels of anxiety to escalate?

Remember anxiety is merely a response to a threat or danger (both real or imagined). When the level of anxiety is high then it becomes extreme which results in panic attacks.

You may have heard of the fight/flight response, which is something we all have built-in, and is used to protect the individual from harm. What it does is put the body in to an altered state ready to either fight or flee from a threat.

The problems exists when your high levels of anxiety engage this response and causes your panic attacks.

What to look for as a Cause of Panic Attacks

One of the major causes of anxiety disorders is the thought process. How certain people view things.

For instance your friend may be faced with a life changing situation like a job loss or a pregnancy yet you look at the same situation with fear and uncertainty. You need to ask yourself questions that will uncover why you feel, or look at things, the way you do.

Why am I worrying? What is the worse that can happen? Is there anything outside of my own thinking that is confirming for me that the outcome that I dread will happen? Is this really as bad as I think it is, or am I imaging it to be worse than it is? Is this danger real or imagined?

If you question yourself along these lines and are honest in your replies, you may uncover the root of some of your concerns.

Look to Depression as a Cause of Social Anxiety Disorder

Depression has been identified as a leading cause of social anxiety disorder. Some physicians treat anxiety and depression together due to the link that they share. The theory is that you feel so alone and depressed that you can no longer think positive thoughts. You spend your time thinking abut how alone or sad you feel and that ultimately works you up into a frenzy.

This is something you really need to figure out for yourself. If you feel this way where you are constantly alone and depressed then you will need help. Just not necessarily medications. The medications that are prescribed for depression may mask your symptoms and make you feel good but at what cost? How addictive are they? What are the long term effects? Do your due diligence if this is something that you are seriously considering.

There are alternatives to the medications that are prescribed for depression. Herbs that are natural with no side effects.

Phobias are one of the Causes of Anxiety Attacks

One of the more popular causes of panic attacks are phobias. The fear of flying, driving or speaking in front of a crowd. The dread that is felt builds up the more you think about them. You feel physical manifestations such as nausea, dizziness shortness of breath. Your heart starts to beat a mile a minute.

You can avoid these things altogether. You could walk wherever you wanted to go. Millions of people live lifetimes without having to make public speeches. You could go another route. Or you could face your fears and learn how to prevent panic attacks.

Set little goals to move towards conquering your anxiety attacks. Afraid of speaking in public? Practice a speech by yourself in front of a mirror. When you pretty much have the speech memorized, recite it for a friend. Then a couple of friends. Then try three. Keep working on it. You may realize that the fear had nothing to do with being in front of people, but of being unprepared.

The causes of social anxiety are many. Yet the most important ones are the ones that set you off. The causes that skyrocket your levels of anxiety. Remember to rule out any medical explanation, determine what your triggers are and then work to overcome them.

Imagine a life free from panic attacks. It’s yours for the taking.

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