Anxiety is a feeling of apprehension, fear, or worry. Most everyone experiences temporary anxiety, a feeling of nervousness or fear, as a normal reaction to a stressful situation at some point in life. While anxiety is a natural response to some situations, it can develop into a debilitating disorder in some people. It is estimated that about 13% of the United States population has anxiety. Most peope suffering from anxiety do not consult a doctor as they believe only "mentally sick" people need to visit a psychiatrist.

Anxiety manifests itself in a number of ways depending upon the severity of the disorder. It can begin by worrying about something happening to us or something that we will expect to happen to ourselves but ultimately the cause of the worry either passes or we learn how to deal with it. Unfortunately, not everyone has the capacity to cope well with what happens in their lives. In fact, there are people who spend almost their entire lives worrying and their worries are part of anxiety symptoms in a never ending cycle that can produce an anxiety disorder.

There are six major anxiety groups which all suffer from their own forms of physical symptoms of anxiety attack.

1.Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). People with GAD tend to feel anxious all the time and often suffer from the anxiety attack physical symptoms of headaches, fatigue and stomach upset.

2.Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) - this relates to uncontrollable thoughts and behaviours and compulsions such as washing hands over and over as an example.

3.Panic Attacks And Panic Disorders - Panic attacks frequently occur without any warning and can last for up to 30 minutes. Sufferers may also suffer from agoraphobia.

4.Phobias - This relates to an unrealistic fear of a specific activity, situation or object ie fear of flying, going outside the home, snakes etc.

5.Separation Anxiety - Usually related to childhood separation fears but not limited to.

6.Social Anxiety/Phobias - This often results in a debilitating fear of being humiliated in public or being extremely fearful of what other people think of you.

Anxiety attacks can be caused a multitude of things including stressors, financial problems, relationship problems, bereavement, medical conditions and medication. However, as with any medical condition, there is usually more than one cause, some of which can be interrelated.

Anxiety attacks are sudden feelings of extreme fear, terror, and discomfort. Anxiety or panic attack episodes can occur at any time - even when you're asleep. The most common anxiety attack symptoms are:

*Feelings Of Dread Or Fear
*Difficulty Breathing
*Feeling Out Of Control
*A Strong Urge To Flee Or Escape The Place You Are In
*A Choking Sensation
*Swallowing Difficulty
*Chest Pains Or Racing Heart
*A Sudden Fear Of Dying Or Going Crazy
*Shaking And Unsteadiness
*Breaking Out In A Sweat
*Dizziness Or Lightheaded
*Feeling The Need To Throw Up
*Stomach Cramps
*Hot Flashes
*Headache
*Chills

Natural Anxiety Treatments

Relaxation techniques

Learning how to relax your body and release pent up tension which contributes to anxiety can be incredibly helpful in treating the root cause of anxiety disorders. Some good relaxation techniques for anxiety include:

* Progressive muscle relaxation
* Meditation
* Relaxing music
* Abdominal breathing
* Relaxation exercises

Cognitive therapy

The use of cognitive therapy is primarily focused on changing patterns of thinking and subconscious beliefs which are triggering or may be associated with the experienced anxiety. For example, a person suffering from social phobia anxiety may benefit from changing beliefs about the way people see him/her.

Correct breathing techniques

Something as simple as learning how to change your patterns of breathing can be of great benefit to reducing the effects of your anxiety. Hyperventilation is a key physiological problem which results in the body becoming over-saturated with oxygen and thus panic-stricken.

Behavior therapy

A major component of behavior therapy is exposure. Exposure here simply means, removing all obstacles which are standing between you and your fear and confronting it at its most basic level.

Dietary adjustments

Changes made to regular dietary consumption can also make a big difference to the severity of your anxiety problems. Reducing the intake of caffeine is one of the most basic starting points, remembering that caffeine can be found in moderate to high doses in coffee, tea, chocolate, green tea and energy drinks.

Medication

Drugs have been shown to be effective in treating anxiety while they are being taken. It is vitally important, however, to view medications as a short-term solution to the problem only.

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