The one thing that all forms of mental ailment have in common is that they cause great distress to those that endure them. As a result, many people that have anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, etc., turn to substance abuse to cope, and cigarettes is one of the most common drugs used for this purpose. Now, let me get something straight, I don't equate anxiety disorder with any of the personality disorders. These are very different conditions that are not connected to anxiety disorder per say. So to all my hypochondriacs
Just Say No To Anxiety Drugs
Today I wanted to talk about anti-anxiety drugs and whether or not we should be taking them. Let me just start by saying that although the title of today's post is "just say no" maybe a better way of understanding my viewpoint on this issue is "just say no - most of the time". There is a great debate out in the world about whether or not people should be taking drugs to correct any health issue. There are many proponents of holistic healing and natural remedies who feel that drugs are not the answer to illness. On the
The Anxiety Guru Show: The Looking Glass Ep 6
Show Notes With anxiety disorders comes a loss of confidence. It is difficult for you to make decisions sometimes since you think one decision sounds great one minute and the very next second your on to something else totally different. You may think that because you have lost most or all of your confidence that you are a coward or defective. This of course is not the case at all. This may also lead to you challenging yourself to a test of "strength" and will. You go and do things that you may not be ready for - but when you do
Anxiety and Your Amygdala
I recently posted an entry about a new study taking place at Rutgers University. The post describes how researchers have found the small cluster of cells inside the brains amygdala that directly controls fear and anxiety. As a result of writing about that I wanted to evaluate the amygdala itself. When you have a first response of fear and anxiety it is instantaneous. You go from normal to very afraid in what seems like nanoseconds. What is going on in the brain when this happens? What fires the emotional trigger that sets you on a course
How To Reconnect With Loved Ones
Today I wanted to touch on a subject that I have struggled with for years. That issue is the connection, or lack thereof, with the people we love. This problem is not just between you and your significant other, but also between you and your sibling, parent(s), friends or even your dog. As I have mentioned many times in the past our anxiety disorders tend to make us selfish worrymites that only think about our disturbing thoughts or symptoms and how they are affecting us. During this worry time we exclude others from our lives and seem
How to Cope with Your Breathing Problem
Do you ever feel like you can't take a deep breath? Ever feel like you have a lump in your throat that just won't go away? Anxiety disorders can cause you to feel what seems like millions of symptoms and sensations. The feeling that you can't breathe right is a very common one. So your sitting there minding your own business when all of a sudden you feel like you can't expand your chest all the way. You yawn and sigh so that you can suck in more air, but as soon as you stop doing that you're right were you started. So what the heck is