Sunday, May 6, 2012

OPTION?

I have researched an interesting program on panic disorder help and solutions.  It is called the 21-7 technique--in a program by Barry Mcdonaugh .  The idea is to stop the cycle that causes the panic attack.  The panic attack cycle is like this:

Panic attack---then fear of doing anything due to another panic attack happening.--lock up and not live--and continue to live in fear of the panic attack--let that fear control you and your choices.  I know this cycle and lived with it for many years. The 21-7 seems to be a 1 second relaxation countdown and then 7 minutes of exercise to get rid of the adrenaline that comes with the sense of panic. Let me know if this program is what it says--but it certainly makes sense to stop the cycle of fear and reduce the adrenaline you feel. 

Check it out:

http://7e4905pet6h-70ebhkl8bidr5x.hop.clickbank.net/?tid=PANIC

Sunday, April 8, 2012

Working With Panic Disorder

This is a hard thing to do. If you suffer from panic disorder then it is hard for you to admit that there is a problem sometimes, That is a sign of weakness for yourself and for others. You don't want to be seen as unreliable, or a problem when the chips are down and work needs to get done.  I have an understanding because when this hit me many years ago I was just really starting to really work in retail and I had to work with people of all types as well as customers.  I found that being  honest with those in charge would usually turn out to be a constructive way to handle this. If they understand what you are going through, both mentally and physically, they will have a better understanding of how to deal with whatever you may need to do to get through a day. Is this easy? No. I have had mostly good experiences when laying all the facts on the table--and the few that were not ended up being people who were taken out of work for one reason or another--so --obviously not worth worrying about.  Today I suffer from a new problem--vertigo. It is very difficult to deal with on a daily basis--but the same rule applies. Be self aware--understand what you are doing or need to do that may help --and avoid the issues that are causing you to be in pain or have trouble. Understand the need for knowing your triggers. Why are you stressing? What are you thinking? What stops you from accomplishing what you want? Is there a need to look at what you are doing or what other people are doing that is triggering your feelings? Take a deep breath --let it out slowly--and try to control the extreme physical nature of what you are feeling.  It is not easy, you want to scream out of frustration, but try and relax and do one small step at a time. I know that struggle all too well--I still feel it today--so baby steps and understanding are the key to your success. Don't blame others --or yourself--just take one foot and slowly put it in front of the other--try and be focused on one task--and remain calm--finish it--and then focus on the next. Remember to try and focus on the task and only that--don't let your mind wander and get the best of you. Remember that it is very hard--but many people do honestly understand what you feel. We are here and will be glad to let you know--you are not alone.

Saturday, March 31, 2012

Anxiety Panic Disorder -- You Are NOT Alone


You wake up one morning and you are sweating, heart is racing and you can't breath with out feeling as if a two ton boulder is on your chest--you think "Oh my god I am having a heart attack"--what do I do? The panic is in full swing and you are at a loss--sound at all familiar? For me it was very real--and I went to the hospital once because of those exact reasons--to find out that it was not anything but stress induced reactions. I felt like I was loosing my mind. What do I do ?
If this sounds familiar -it is because it is very real for many people--including myself. I thought I was going to die --then I was getting very upset because these awful stress reactions would happen at the worst times imaginable. One time my wife and I were taking a trip to Boston from Long Island and in the middle of traffic and on a busy interstate highway--bang--my heart attack sensations returned--and I got so much adrenaline that I felt like I needed to get out of the car and run as far away as I could. The pressure it put on my wife was awful--and it made me feel awful on top of that. I was crushed. How do I live like this? I can't put those I love through this. What do I do to get some control over this nightmare?
It reached a point where I could not even walk without --out of the blue--I was hoping just to get to the corner. So please understand when I say you are NOT alone--believe me it is from personal experience. I know how it feels and what it makes you feel like. I know the helpless feeling it is to feel that you can't continue to live your life like this. I know how you don't want to hurt others in your family--and how it can be difficult to even deal with the topic--the physically demanding process of the most little actions. The feeling of being alone and not wanting anyone to know--that you are suffering. The painful way you try and hide from others --or avoid doing things you might normally do--because that's easier then facing the monster that is controlling your life.
I will be honest and tell you that I still struggle at times --and I am now 43 years old. But I am also here to tell you that there is hope. There is away to beat this demon that is controlling your life --and take back what is rightfully yours. Is it easy? No. I am not here to blow smoke at you and tell you that there is a magic pill--or some grand solution to all your problems for $19.95. It involves work. I will tell you that you can regain control of your life and how you feel --and I will explain how I have made progress myself.
Understand that in no way shape or form am I a doctor or a therapist or some genius on this issue. I am telling you what I have learned from my personal experience and those of others that I am aware of. My solution is a two part answer--that works for me--everyone is different and therefore you will need to adapt to what you feel works as you go through your process. In my case I started my process by going to my regular doctor and telling him that I need my life back and right now I don't have it anymore--what do I do? After the usual battery of tests to make sure the heart was fine--we came together with a solution of blood pressure medicine and a very small dose of a drug that improves your mood. I figured ok now I will be good--just take these drugs and I will solve all my problems--as usual--this was not the case.
Even though the medicine helped some--it was not the answer--it made me feel a little better but not healthy and still mentally drained. I did not want to face the reality that I needed more. I eventually reached rock bottom to the point where I simply could not take anymore and found a licensed therapist that I could talk to that helped me address some of the issues and their source. Where they came from and how to deal them was important. The key component in all honesty in my case--and I strongly believe in most cases--is the need for self awareness. Why do you react the way you do? What is triggering your anger and frustration?
Is being self aware easy? No. It is an on going process of checks and balances. Asking yourself is the reaction I have fitting the actual situation? Why do I get so upset over the same situations? Is it linked in some way to my childhood or something that my friends do? I have been working hard to remind myself of what I have learned and what there is always a need to learn--patience. We live in a fast food society where everything is on the go--in order to be successful sometimes we need to slow it down and take a deep breath. It is not easy.
So please understand that I know the pain, fear, frustration, anguish, and insanity that you feel. Many people do. I can only suggest that you slowly try and take your life back. I recommend the two stage process of going to your regular doctor and finding a licensed therapist --that you are comfortable with. Make sure that if you are not happy with either your doctor or therapist that you change until you are--they are part of the support that you need.
Also use your friends and family. Be honest--as hard as the idea may be--you may find yourself pleasantly surprised by what you here or see. There is no quick fix for this journey. It is not an easy situation to face. But I promise you one thing--You Are Not Alone.