There are few things that can make a person feel anxious like having too much to do and too little time to do it. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, here are some tips to reduce anxiety and help you feel more in control of your life. First, take a few deep breaths then get out pen and paper, or your laptop, and write down everything you think you must do in the next 24 hours. Now prioritize them. Your first thought will be that they are all equally important, but imagine you have a gun to your head and begin. Now examine each [...] Read more »

When faced with overwhelming stress, it’s very natural to find yourself wanting to have a drink. But drinking alcohol to calm your nerves and prevent anxiety attacks is a double-edged sword. Many people start drinking to calm their fears, particularly in social situations. They build up a tolerance to the calming effects of alcohol and find themselves drinking more. This crutch of alcohol to reduce anxiety now begins to have the opposite effect. Alcohol consumption begins to cause anxiety, as anyone who has ever had a hangover or tried to stop drinking will attest. Unfortunately, people who have an anxiety disorder are three [...] Read more »

If you have spent any time looking for ways to end panic attacks, you surely have heard that exercise is highly recommended to reduce feelings of panic and anxiety. Exercise is known to reduce stress, but it doesn’t work for everyone all the time. For some people with anxiety, exercising makes them feel worse. It can actually trigger a panic attack! Here are some tips if this happens to you: Exercise where you feel comfortable – many people find home alone is often the best place to start. Skip the noisy, crowded gym surrounded by strangers. There are plenty of exercises you can [...] Read more »

Unfortunately, we have heard of many people who have been misdiagnosed with anxiety attacks when in fact they were suffering from low blood sugar attacks, referred to as hypoglycemia. This is somewhat understandable as the symptoms are extremely similar. With either anxiety or low blood sugar, you can experience some or all of the following symptoms: dizziness, trembling, sweating, mental confusion, increased heart rate, and rapid breathing. The big clue that you have low blood sugar is if you develop these sensations when you are very hungry or haven’t eaten in a while. You can try to help yourself by eating complex carbohydrates [...] Read more »

Unless you are one of the lucky ones, you might find holiday family gatherings to be a source of stress. It seems most families have their issues and throwing everyone together during this high stress season coupled with high expectations can strain the most solid of relationships.  Here are some ways to reduce stress at holiday family gatherings. Stick to a budget and don’t overspend. Don’t play the “who can spend the most money on gifts” game. Stay away from topics you know will be controversial. Some families like to play games or watch Christmas movies or a football game. If your family [...] Read more »

The holiday season is very stressful for everyone. Even the most laid back and mellow amongst us can be overwhelmed by obligations, financial burdens, dealing with family members, and crowds and traffic everywhere you go. But if you already are coping with anxiety, the holidays can become a nightmare. Here are my favorite tips for getting through the holidays sane: Relax and lower your expectations. Don’t expect your family to look like a Norman Rockwell painting hosted by Martha Stewart!   It won’t happen no matter how hard you try. Just say no. You don’t have to attend every function or perform [...] Read more »

Caffeine has been found in over 60 plants but we most frequently consume caffeine from coffee, and some from tea and chocolate. Let’s take a look at whether caffeine is harmless or can actually increase or cause anxiety symptoms. While we love the alertness that comes with our morning cup of coffee, there are many negative side effects to caffeine. Most of us have experienced at least some of these effects. Everyone’s tolerance to this substance is different, but too much can cause insomnia, low blood sugar, anxiety, headaches, nervousness and dizziness. We were surprised to read that, according to the Mayo [...] Read more »

Psychotherapy and prescription medications are the most common doctor recommended panic attack treatments. However, medications help with the symptoms only as long as they are being taken. There is no pharmaceutical panic attack cure. There are almost too many medications used to help with anxiety and panic. Some of the more popular ones include Celexa, Zoloft, Cymbalta, Ativan, and Xanax. The benefits of using prescription drugs are that, once the right drug is being used, they can bring relief fairly fast. The downsides are that sometimes it takes a lot of trial and error to hit on the right drug or combination of [...] Read more »

Anxiety isn’t always a bad thing. It can help you when you are in a threatening situation or can help motivate you to act on a problem. But when it becomes so prevalent that it gets in the way of leading a happy, fulfilled life, you have a problem. Here are some questions to ask yourself, if you are concerned you may have an anxiety disorder. Are you worried and tense most of the time? Do your worries interfere with your job or your relationships? Do you ever realize your fears are irrational, but can’t stop focusing on them anyway? Do you ever avoid doing [...] Read more »

Using a program like Panic Away is one of the best ways to stop anxiety and panic attacks fast. But this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t also make some healthy lifestyle changes to enhance Panic Away results. Here’s how to become generally more healthy, both mentally and physically, with this one lifestyle change. It is possible reduce the effects of anxiety or panic with an unusual diet – the alkaline diet. It has been demonstrated that being overly acidic can increase anxiety and reduce your tolerance to life’s stressors. But it is possible decrease your symptoms by eating more alkalizing foods. In modern society [...] Read more »