Social Anxiety Therapy

As you know I have had problems with anxiety for many years before I decided to research ways to help myself. One of the things I explored was social anxiety therapy.

Social anxiety therapy is one way that people deal with social anxiety disorder. Usually this can mean a combination of medications and psychological counseling. Social anxiety therapy taught me several techniques to deal with my anxiety. My therapist had me relax and visualize myself in situations that made me anxious.

I can tell you this was not something that was easy for me to do. I worked with it though until I got to the point where my anxiety was minimal inside therapy. The next social anxiety therapy technique my therapist used was to take me into the situation that made me anxious. The first time we did this I almost fainted and then I realized people weren't really watching me as much as I thought.

The next step in my social anxiety therapy was for me to do the research necessary to do some simple and natural things. The challenge for me with the therapy was that I also was given a drug to curb the anxiety attacks. I don't like taking drugs because they hamper my creativity. So, I to find something else to do besides social anxiety therapy.

As you continue reading this blog I will give you many ideas to work with your own social anxiety that will be less costly than any social anxiety therapy you might experience.

Herbs to Treat Depression

When you are looking for natural supplements to treat depression there are many herbs to treat depression that you should know about so that you can have them in your medicine cabinet. Be aware that sometimes doctors will tell you not to use them, but they are working for many people.

It is essential to your health that you have more than one way to help depression because medication, over time, can be more detrimental to your health. All you have to do is ask your doctor and they will tell you that drugs have more side effects over time.

One of the differences between drugs and herbs to treat depression is the fact that herbs will work on bringing the body into balance instead of harming its systems. So, when you find yourself floating along and feeling wonderful, you don't have to worry about bad side effects.

Here are some of the herbs to treat depression that are worth trying out:

Bee Royal Jelly -- although this is technically not an herb, many people say that they can only feel happy when they take it. This comes directly from bees and it is chock full of minerals, vitamins and amino acids.

St John's Wort -- although this has become a controversial herbs to treat depression and many people say that it doesn't work at all, a study done in Ireland (see article here: http://www.vhi.ie/news/n150205a.jsp) says that this herb actually helped depression better than medicines.

Chinese Herbs - these herbs to treat depression work on the "chi" or balance in the body. Depression for the Chinese means that something is out of balance and if these herbs balance whatever it is, the body will stop being depressed. This is a series of herbs to treat depression that should not be missed.

Licorice -- here we're talking about the herb and not the candy; however the candy can help your mood if you just need a little lift. Actually, licorice has been researched and it is found that it has natural anti-depressant properties. This is another herbs to treat depression not to be overlooked.

When you are using herbs for combating depression it is a good idea to learn how to muscle test each one. There are simple ways to learn this and a good book that describes it and shows pictures is called Co-Creative Science by Machaelle Small Wright. Muscle testing will help you identify which of the herbs to treat depression work best for you.

My favorite herb to treat depression is valerian root. You can learn about it on our page for curing insomnia and nightime panic attacks. Go there now by CLICKING HERE!

Causes Of Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Today's world is in a panic because we don't know what might be coming around the next corner. Many people are afraid because of the War in Iraq, the stock market and the fact that many businesses, like Merrill Lynch are changing. These are just some of the issues that may be causes of generalized anxiety disorder.

Another way this anxiety disorder is referred to is GAD, and it seems to be hitting a lot of people. Take Larry for example. He had a successful job and he thought he had it made. He was rising to the top and was getting good reviews. Unfortunately, when Larry heard the news about how Merrill Lynch was being taken over by Bank America, he began to panic.

This wasn't the "what am I gonna do?" natural type of panic but something that hit him in a way that he had no idea what to do. For the next week, Larry worried and worried about his situation at his own job wondering whether he would remain employed or not.

Next, he started thinking that all his bosses were just being nice to him and they really didn't need him. He couldn't pull himself out of this anxiety, though he was able to recoup in the past. Larry just is showing one of the causes of generalized anxiety disorder.

What is interesting is that most doctors really don't know what causes of generalized anxiety disorder there are but they have many theories. Some think it is an imbalance of chemicals like serotonin in the brain. They figure that is this is true, some people may be more prone to stress, and that stress could be what triggers the anxiety.

Environmental influences like what happened with Larry may also be causes of generalized anxiety disorder. Other problems like a divorce, the fact that someone dies suddenly or national disasters like the World Trade Center could also be causes of generalized anxiety disorder.

Some doctors are examining the thyroid because they think causes of generalized anxiety disorder may be biological in nature, or medical conditions that cause a lot of stress could also be a problem.

A good reference for causes of generalized anxiety disorder is the Mayo Clinic and they have a full section on GAD that you might find interesting. This is an article that makes for good reading.

Although no one really knows the causes of generalized anxiety disorder, there is help for it and you can find that help RIGHT NOW by CLICKING HERE.

Why When We Sleep We Worry About Things

Have you ever wondered why when we sleep we worry about things? The bottom line is that we probably don't know. We could ask a shrink about it, that is, “Why When We Sleep We Worry About Things” or other healthcare practitioner but it just seems natural that worry would go into sleep.

Sleep usually comes at the end of the day when most people are winding down from their day. The day has been full of whatever we were doing and for the most part we had something to do. If we worried all day, it seems that when we get near sleep the worry thoughts get louder.

Why when we sleep we worry about things may be nothing more than we are used to the cycle. After all we get into a loop in our thoughts and this causes us to have some sort of physical reaction that usually is brought on by the emotions that go into the worry.

It seems that why when we sleep we worry about things is because it gets quiet at night. Many people are asleep and all the things from the day sort of catch up to us. We have been anxious all day but have kept ourselves busy so we didn't have time to worry.

As soon as we hit the bed though, that worry comes on up and it creeps into our trying to quiet our minds. Here are three things we can do to stop why when we sleep we worry about things and change this to a more positive situation:

We can make an agreement with ourselves to accept uncertainty-- one of the reasons why when we sleep we worry about things is because we think that there is something we need to fix. In reality, sometimes things are uncertain just because they are and we have to let it be that way.

Create time to worry-- some people say it is helpful to set aside like 10 minutes or so a day to worry as much as you can. Decide that you have a certain amount of time each day, pick the same time each day and worry til your heart is content. Then, walk away from it. You can even make a worry list of things to worry about during that time.

Challenge your worries -- one reason why when we sleep we worry about things is because we think the world is coming to an end or something really bad is going to happen. Usually nothing happens like we think. Instead, challenge these worries by asking for proof that something is going to happen.

Take control of your worry right now at www.Stop-Anxiety-Panic-Attack.com!

Diagnosing OCD

When you are wondering whether you have Obsessive Compulsive disorder one way to find out is to have someone skilled at diagnosing OCD talk to you and get a history of your behavior. The challenge with this is it will put you into the mental health system where you may not want to go.

Therapists have been diagnosing OCD for a very long time and they rely mostly on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual edition 4 which most people affectionately call, the DSM-IV. This manual is geared towards making a diagnosis so that your insurance company will pay for your treatment.

According to the DSM-IV a person can be diagnosed as having OCD or OCD Personality disorder and there is an entire list of criteria that is posed to define what this disorder does and how it should be seen.

Now that's the official definition. An interesting turn of events has begun though that may prove interesting to those people dealing with OCD is that some students are diagnosing OCD for fun.

In fact, if they catch themselves washing their hands a lot or doing anything they have decided is "OCD", they will say something like, "That is so OCD." Okay, this is interesting, but is it tolerable? Is diagnosing OCD something that can be played with or should we be serious about this diagnosis?

We can say you just have to lighten up. The challenge with diagnosing OCD is that it encourages people to take things very seriously. Certainly this is a serious challenge for some people but if you can't laugh at yourself, who can you laugh at? Why not find ways to laugh at what you do instead of making it a problem?

Some people suggest that the best way for diagnosing OCD is to say your fear out loud -- sometimes just saying it out loud sounds funny and you can look at it differently.

In fact, there is a whole group called L.A.U.G.H. which stands for Learn to Accept Uncertainty and Gain Hope and they work to laugh about OCD.

Diagnosing OCD can be a blessing and a curse at the same time. You can love it, hate it or choose to sit with it and be grumpy about the process.

You can do something about your OCD right now at www.Stop-Anxiety-Panic-Attack.com there's a great OCD Relief Article, you can read right now by CLICKING HERE.

Panic Disorder Facts

If you are looking for information on panic disorder facts look no father. We have a lot of information for you to show you exactly what panic disorder is like and how you can learn to live with it or eliminate it.

If you are experiencing panic disorder, don't worry because you are not alone. Here are many facts that you may not know but that may be helpful:

Panic Disorder Facts #1 -- Panic disorder affect 1-2% of the general population who deal with panic disorder on a regular basis. Women are more prone to experience this disorder then men do, and usually it happens for people in their younger years.

Panic Disorder Facts #2 -- no one really knows what causes panic disorder but scientists continue to study it. Some theories say it could be hereditary like other mental challenges in this are, it could be biological or due to stressful events.

Panic Disorder Facts #3 -- Some people with panic disorder also deal with depression and may turn to alcohol to try and alleviate symptoms.

Panic Disorder Facts #4 -- there are many support groups online as well as written materials that are helpful to many people with panic disorder. Some of them are listed on our resource page.

Panic Disorder Facts #5 -- there are a variety of medications that treat panic disorder symptoms but that may not actually stop an individual form having panic attacks. There are also a variety of natural remedies that you can find, some from this website, that seem to give more assistance to people who have panic disorder.

Panic Disorder Facts #6 -- many people with panic disorder say they experience intense anxiety between their panic episodes. Sometimes they find that they start feeling paranoid or have developed a phobia about going somewhere where they had a panic attack before.

There are more panic disorder facts but we also want to tell you that there are many ways that you can relieve yourselves from panic attacks and that there are many books on the subject.

As an example, there is a book by Linda Manassee Buell called, Panic and Anxiety Disorder: 121 Tips, Real-life Advice, Resources & More, that lists ways that you can stop panic attacks. She actually has developed these through her own problems with panic disorder and agoraphobia.

So, when you need some help with your panic disorder don't be afraid to check out other panic disorder facts to help you along the way.

Start by CLICKING HERE and end your panic disorder for good!

Stories About Worry

If you are someone who worries all the time it may be good for you to know that there are a lot of stories about worry that other people tell. These can be helpful for you as you work through your need to worry.

Most of the stories about worry that we've found are actually inspirational ones. As an example, at the website ChosentoRemember.com, there are a number of inspirational quotes and a few stories about worry. One interesting effect though happens when you run your cursor over the word "Inspirational." This is worth a visit.

You might have your own stories about worry and if you do it would be great for you to share them. If you like to give people inspirational information you can use YouTube or MySpace to give other people pointers about what to do to stop worry.

Another way to find stories about worry is to ask your friends. You might think your friends will think you are crazy if you ask them for stories about worry about actually you can tell them that you are on a mission to find out what makes people worry and how they stop worrying. Most people will be ready to tell you about their success.

You might also want to read books that contain stories about worry because they are sometimes inspirational. One title you might consider is The Worry Website by Jacqueline Wilson which is about a teacher, Mr. Speed, who sets up a website for his students. Although this is a children's book, it is fun for adults.

If you are wondering why we are suggesting a children's title it's because you can learn the most from these types of books and because they are fun. When you look adult books they are usually stuffy and want to tell you how to live. With a children's book you get a whimsical look at the problem.

The point to reading stories about worry is that they help you put your own worry into perspective. They also help you stop worrying for a space of time and they often come up with some great solutions.

Stories about worry can be a way to get new ideas of how to move forward and out of worry or to create your own affirmations. When you read, you always get some sort of insight when the topic is something dear to you.

So, take heart. Read a few books. Check out the stories of anxiety recovery at www.Stop-Anxiety-Panic-Attack.com. Read lots of stories about worry and come back to tell us about your favorites.

Real Life Stories from OCD Survivors

There are a variety of places to read real life stories from OCD survivors on the Internet and these may be great places to start finding out more information. You will be amazed when you start looking for these stories at how many people are actually telling their stories.

Take for instance, the videos of Lauren. He has lots of good information that tells you more about OCD and how to manage it. His audio is very good and he is a down to earth person.

When you are looking for real life stories from OCD survivors you will find that most of the information is in video form and a lot of information is at YouTube or TruVeo. We thought you might like to take a look at some of the videos so here are a few we liked for different reasons:

Here's Part 1 ...



Part 2 is below...




Here's another great video depiction of how OCD affects you.




Some of the real life stories from OCD survivors videos are just plain scary like this one, but it does give a good depiction of the various types of OCD. This is kind of like a soap opera and everyone on it has a different type of OCD



When you look at these you might want to have friends with you when you watch so you can talk about them. They are interesting but they do tell real life stories from OCD survivors that make sense.

If you're looking to cure your OCD, a great place to start is at www.Stop-Anxiety-Panic-Attack.com. The natural treatments for OCD work effectively and have been proven to have fantastic results

Mitochondrial Depression Anxiety

If you are suffering from depression or anxiety disorders, you probably have wondered what caused your depression or if you are just genetically predisposed to having this condition. Doctors and researchers are increasingly becoming more aware of the links which makes some people more prone to having depression and anxiety disorders compared to others.

For example, researchers have shown that mothers of chronically-ill children are prone to depression and anxiety, but this probability is increased among children who had inherited mitochondrial disorders from their mothers. This particular study showed that depression and anxiety may be, in part, affected by the presence of mitochondrial defects present in the person’s body.


Aside from mitochondrial depression and anxiety, other conditions commonly observed in persons who have defects in their mitochondrial sequences include migraines and bowel dysmotility. Scientists who are currently studying this condition are saying that if the hypothesis is true, then those people who are relatives of people with diseases related to mitochondrial defects are at a higher risk for mitochondrial depression and anxiety, bowel dysmotility and migraines.

Mitochondria are the energy-producing parts of your cell, which means that they have an important role when it comes to your metabolism. When the function of this cell is disordered, scientists believe that can play a role in the development of mitochondrial depression and anxiety, more so in people with chronic disorders like fibromyalgia.

If you are suffering from mitochondrial depression and anxiety, aside from being prescribed with antidepressants and ant-anxiety drugs, you may also benefit from alternative treatments which focus on the depression and anxiety as a biochemical illness.

Alternative treatments which you may find useful include fish oil for its essential fatty acids, tyrosine for the amino acids used by the body to make dopamine and norepinephrine, folic acid for the improvement of metabolic processes, as well as L-carnitine, which improves energy mitochondrial energy metabolism. You may also find natural herbs and hormones a beneficial form of treating mitochondrial depression and anxiety.

Anxiety, which is not the same as depression, may frequently occur with depression, although not all treatments that works with anxiety will always work for mitochondrial depression. Ask your doctor if you are allowed to take anti-anxiety herb supplements such as valerian roots, kava roots and rhodiola herbs. These may be beneficial in reducing the anxiety that is experienced by people like you who are suffering from mitochondrial depression or anxiety.

Remember, no matter how "programmed" you think your anxiety is biologically, you can always find natural and effective treatments at www.Stop-Anxiety-Panic-Attack.com.

The Connection Between Change and Stress

Everybody has that place where they can feel secure and safe and when that place is taken away from them, they start to feel anxious, nervous and stress begins to come in. This is why it is important to learn more about the connection between change and stress. In some people, change causes stress. People diagnosed with certain mental illness such as ADHD or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder needs to have constancy in their lives, if not they begin to stress.

The connection between change and stress is more commonly seen during a stage or place transition. Examples of strange transition includes from teenager to adulthood, changing from a girl to a mother, from a boy into a father and other similar situations. On the other hand, examples on place transition is moving from one place to live in another or changing jobs.

The connection between change and stress is not a healthy one. In modern culture, change is necessary to facilitate improvement and development of life. If you suffer from stress brought about by change, you will be opposed to that dynamic of life – to change.
The good news is that the unhealthy connection between change and stress can be stopped or cut. When change is necessary in order to improve or fast-track your career, you don’t have to feel stressed. Here are a few helpful tips on how you can break the connection between change and stress:

• Quickly set new habits.
In order to avoid the connection between change and stress when adjusting to a new job, you have to set new routines to stick to. When you have a routine you can stick to, you won’t feel the overwhelming effects of change as much.
• Learn everything you can about your new job or your new environment.
In order for you not to become so stressed in your new job, all you need to do is to learn as much as you can about it. This means talking to your new boss, colleagues, and familiarizing yourself with the new environment. When you are familiar with the people and environment around you, there won’t have to be a connection between change and stress.
• Make your environment feel like home as much as possible.
Adjusting to a new job and new environment will be easier if you have familiar mementos with you.
• Keep in touch with friends, family and colleagues from your previous job or location.

You can apply the same helpful tips to avoid the connection between change and stress when it comes to major life changes or stage transitions. If you are an expecting mother, join informative mothers’ classes. These will not only help you learn about your new life role but will also introduce you to new friends who are going through the same change with you.

When children become teenagers and teenagers become adults, the connection between change and stress is very evident too. In these situations, the role of the parents is very important. Children have to be guided and oriented properly in order for them to accept the role change and be productive in society rather than be a nuisance.

Learn how to avoid getting stressed out by change at www.Stop-Anxiety-Panic-Attack.com.

Treatment of Night Panic Attacks

The nighttime can be a scary time for any anxiety sufferer. You toss and turn in your bed, just hoping for a good nights rest without waking up to a terrifying nocturnal panic attack.

With a treatment of night panic attacks planned, you can avoid all this anxiety, fear and insomnia.

I would have friends that I'd call late at night. They would try to comfort me before bed and put me into a more stable state of mind. Personally, I think the lonliness factor of the night is what really triggers the anxiety. The feeling of lonliness is what led to to find a treatment of night panic attacks.

I mean, even if you have a spouse that you go to bed with, as soon as their off to sleep, you're just laying there - alone in your thoughts. It's a terrifying time to be self-aware. There are no distractions from your anxiety and panic. When you really have trouble getting to sleep, it can feel like you're in for 8 hours of this torture.

Oftentimes, the anxiety will escalate into a panic attack. The discomfort of such an attack is great. It's more than likely the problem that has led you here. Let's get started on a treatment of night panic attacks that will leave your anxiety in the dust and prepare you for a rejuvenating night's sleep.

Luckily for you, I've come up with a pretty solid treatment of night panic attacks plan.

Firstly, you're going to buy some "Sleepytime Tea" from your grocery store. Make sure it's the one with Valerian root in it. Valerian is a natural anti-anxiety herb that will calm you before bed. Dependancy can occur with this treatment of night panic attacks, so just drink the tea every few nights or so.

Reading a book is my favorite treatment of night panic attacks. Don't let the simplicity of this solution fool you. The secret to this treatment of night panic attacks is the escape that it gives you. You get out of your head so to speak. Focus on external things and away from your negative thoughts.

My last favorite treatment of night panic attacks is stretching. Stretching while practicing deep breathing is a great treatment of night panic attacks because it physically exhausts you without putting stress on your body.

When you stretch, your muscles get tired in a calming soothing way (as opposed to working out at the gym). I usuallay stretch as a treatment of night panic attacks every night. I meditate as I do it and practice controlled breathing.

Apply your treatment of night panic attacks in the following order.
- Drink Sleepytime with Valerian Root
- Stretch and Meditate
- Read until you start getting sleepy

This treatment of night panic attacks works everytime. It's really conditioned me to just float off to bed. Plus you'll have a regimen planned, so you won't get panicky as bedtime approaches.

But really, this is just the tip of the iceberg.
For the best ways to relieve anxiety, CLICK HERE.