I already know about St. John’s Wort, Kava Kava, Bach flowers and homeopathics. I am looking for something different, like acupuncture. My husband is seriously depressed and our philosophical beliefs don’t condone using prescription drugs. Has anyone had any success using Meridian stress tests, acupunture, raiki, massage, crystals, etc.? I want to know your personal experiences and what helped you.

I think i have social anxiety disorder. I am very shy and when I meet new people or am in a group, I am usually quiet. I want to talk and I want to be social but I just cant or dont know what to say. This has affected my career. I have actually been fired over this. Managers cant get to know me and think I dont care about my job when indeed I do very much. My social life is also affected. I want to be around people but I have a hard time keeping friends due to my “shyness.” I tried to get therapy. It took me a lot to build up the nerve to call a therapist and make an appt but the therapist told me she wasnt taking new patients. I was so embarassed. There has to be an easier way to get help. Its too hard for someone like me to call a therapist and tell them I want an appt and then explain why I want it. What can I do? Has anyone tried acupuncture for this? I want to be outgoing, have friends, a good job, and a happy life.

I suffer from debilitating anxiety attacks. I’ve had them all my life and the dabbling in “modern medicine” worked for a spell but plateaud, leaving me even worse and with withdrawal to boot. I’ve been to a handful of different professionals and they just guess, prescribe, guess, prescribe… very frustrating.

So the long and short of it is, I’m sick of taking medicines like effexor, paxil and zoloft… I just can’t stomach trying more. So I’ve turned my sites on natural therapy.

Read the rest of this entry

Just as eating problems don’t stem from being a bad person, you don’t have an eating disorder because you eat too little or too much. An eating disorder is a sign that the spiritual and mental systems of your body are out of whack. You are hurting, and the disorder is manifesting itself through your pain. Healing yourself is not a question of will power. The healing process needs to repair the underlying problem, a hurt that won’t go away by itself, no matter how hard you try to “will” it away.

Eating disorders are often caused by serious traumatic experiences we have buried in our past. These could include sexual abuse, physical abuse, or a near death experience. The disorder cuts even deeper when consistently supported by cultural and environmental contributors such as growing up with families or friends who were overcritical about physical appearances. An eating disorder treatment center does more than help you change your diet or habits. It gets to the root of the problem-the underlying trauma as well as the unhealthy social images you’ve grown to contend with.

Read the rest of this entry

General anxiety disorder is a condition where a person suffers chronic levels of anxiety over an extended period of at least 6 months. Millions of people around the world suffer from GAD with serious effects on their lives, so you aren’t alone if you’re a victim too. The good news is that your general anxiety disorder is treatable. Here, you’ll discover your treatment options.

First, though, you need to be aware of the following: you need to get a proper diagnosis from your doctor. If you’ve been suffering with the symptoms of anxiety for a short time, they could be the signs of some other condition. If you’ve been suffering alone for 6 months or more then it’s likely that you have general anxiety disorder. In either case you MUST seek professional advice.

Read the rest of this entry

Anxiety is part of our natural “fight-or-flight” response. It’s our body’s way of warning us of possible danger ahead. Anxiety disorder is a blanket term covering several different forms of abnormal, pathological anxiety, fears, phobias. Anxiety disorders are the most common of all mental health problems. Anxiety disorders are a group of disorders which affect behaviour, thoughts, emotions and physical health. It is estimated that they affect approximately 1 in 10 people. 18.1% of Americans are affected by anxiety disorders. They are more prevalent among women than among men, and they affect children as well as adults. Anxiety disorders are illnesses. It can be present from an early age or begin suddenly after a triggering event. They are prone to flare up at times of high stress.

Read the rest of this entry

Anxiety is part and parcel of human life; we have experienced it at a variety of occassions such as waiting for the results of an examination, attending a job interview, speaking in public, and so on. To a certain extent, anxiety is normal. However, if you experience an anxiety that you can do nothing about or if you feel unnecessarily afraid of harmless life situations, you might be suffering from some anxiety disorder or the other.

Knowing the symptoms of anxiety disorder and its various cures are absolutely essential if you wish to be of any assistance to yourself or to a friend or family member. You can prepare yourself well to deal with anxiety disorders by learning about their various symptoms and the ways to treat them.

Read the rest of this entry

Anxiety disorders are the commonest psychiatrist disorders of the world. The ailment can take any one of the following forms -

* Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
* Obsessive and Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
* Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
* Phobias
* Social Disorders

Out of all these, the commonest occurrence is of GAD. OCD is mostly of a genetic origin while PTSD is the effect of one’s past trauma. Phobias are more difficult to generalize so far as causes are concerned as their causes are more diffuse.

Read the rest of this entry

The sudden eruption of acute distressful situation in which sufferers have palpitations in heart, tremble, and sweat excessively, feel dizziness, disassociation and a heart attack like situation is considered panic attack. Severity of such bouts are so chronic that panic attack victims feel as if they are victims of myocardial infarction.

Usually most of the panic disorder patients make up their mind that this disease is solely a mental problem and the attacks are not only severe but interestingly unexpected occurrences which occur without certain cause. As mental diseases are linked with a social taboo many panic attack sufferers keep concealing their conditions to avoid seer “embarrassment.” Effective panic attack cures are available today hence such misconceptions must be suppressed.

Read the rest of this entry

1. ANTI-DEPRESSANTS:
Antidepressants may be prescribed because there is coexisting depression, but that’s not always the case. Although these medications were developed initially for depression, further research has shown that many help with anxiety disorders as well because of the roles the neurotransmitters play in anxiety disorders.

Usually, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and other newer antidepressants are tried first, but older antidepressants — tricyclics and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) — also may be used with success.
ANTIANXIETY MEDICATIONS: Antianxiety medications include the benzodiazepines and Buspar (buspirone). Antianxiety medications may be prescribed on their own or along with other medications, such as antidepressants.

Read the rest of this entry