Guest guest Posted June 17, 2005 Report Share Posted June 17, 2005 Anxiety & Panic Attacks JoAnn Guest Jun 17, 2005 13:56 PDT Question: What can be done for anxiety and panic attacks? I have them so bad that I am afraid to go out anymore. Answer: (Dr. Michael Murray) Here is a staggering statistic: over 14 million Americans suffer from anxiety, " an unpleasant emotional state ranging from mild unease to intense fear. " Anxiety differs from fear, in that while fear is a rational response to a real danger, anxiety usually lacks a clear or realistic cause. Though some anxiety is normal and, in fact, healthy, higher levels of anxiety are not only uncomfortable, they can lead to significant problems. Anxiety is often accompanied by a variety of symptoms. The most common symptoms relate to the chest such as heart palpitations (awareness of a more forceful or faster heart beat), throbbing or stabbing pains, a feeling of tightness and inability to take in enough air, and a tendency to sigh or hyperventilate. Tension in the muscles of the back and neck often leads to headaches, back pains, and muscle spasms. Other symptoms can include excessive sweating, dryness of mouth, dizziness, digestive disturbances, and the constant need to urinate or defecate. The anxious individual usually has a constant feeling that something bad is going to happen. They may fear that they have a chronic of dangerous illness - a belief that is reinforced by the symptoms of anxiety. Inability to relax may lead to difficulty in getting to sleep and constant waking through the night. An anxiety attack is milder than a panic attack. During an anxiety attack a person will experience intense feelings of fear. Panic attacks are most often associated with a condition known as agoraphobia - an intense fear of being alone or being in public places. As a result, most people with agoraphobia become housebound. It sounds like you may be suffering from agoraphobia. Panic attacks are very common as about 15% of the United States population experience a panic attack in their lifetimes and among adults aged 25 to 54 years about 1.5% to 3% will experience frequent panic attacks. Anxiety and panic attacks can be the result of either physical or psychological factors. For example, extreme stress can definitely trigger anxiety and so can certain stimulants like caffeine. There are at least seven nutritional factors that may be responsible for triggering anxiety: •Alcohol •Caffeine •Sugar •Deficiency of the B vitamins, niacin, pyridoxine, and thiamin •Deficiency of calcium or magnesium •Food allergies •Insufficiency of omega-3 fatty acids By avoiding alcohol, caffeine, sugar, and food allergies a person with anxiety can go a long way in relieving their symptoms. Simply eliminating coffee can result in complete elimination of symptoms. This recommendation may seem to simple to be true, but substantial clinical evidence indicates that in many cases it is all that is necessary. There are a number of popular recommendations often given to help people with stress and/or anxiety. I would recommend a good high potency multiple vitamin and mineral formula to make sure that a person is providing their body with the kind of nutritional support necessary to counteract the biochemical derangements found in patients with anxiety and panic attacks. I would also recommend one tablespoon of flaxseed oil daily. It has been suggested that patients with anxiety and panic attacks may suffer from a deficiency of alpha-linolenic acid - the essential omega-3 fatty acid found in high concentrations in flaxseed oil. In one study, 3 out of 4 patients with a history of agoraphobia for 10 or more years improved within 2 to 3 months after taking flaxseed oil at a dosage of 2 to 6 tablespoons daily in divided doses depending upon response. All patients had signs of essential fatty acid deficiency such as dry skin, dandruff, brittle fingernails that grow slowly, and nerve disorders. Beyond this sound nutritional support, I would likely recommend the herb kava. Kava (Piper methysticum) is a plant that is native to the area of Oceania, the island communities of the Pacific include Micronesia, Melanesia, and Polynesia. Several European countries have approved kava preparations as a medical treatment of nervous anxiety, insomnia, and restlessness based on the results of detailed scientific investigations and favorable clinical studies. Kava appears to be as effective as standard drugs, yet considerably safer. WARNING: If you are currently on a tranquilizer or anti-depressant, you will need to work with a physician to get off the drug. Stopping the drug on your own can be dangerous, you absolutely must have proper medical supervision. The dosage of kava preparations is based on the level of kavalactones. Based on clinical studies using pure kavalactones or kava extracts standardized for kavalactones, the recommendation for anxiety-relieving effects is 45 to 70 mg of kavalactones three times daily. Although no side effects have been reported using standardized kava extracts at recommended levels in the clinical studies, several case reports have been presented indicating that kava may interfere with dopamine and worsen Parkinson's disease, exert an additive effect when combined with benzodiazepines, and produce impaired driving (when consumed in very large dosages). Until these issues are cleared up, kava extract should not be used in Parkinson's patients; and should be used with extreme caution and close monitoring in people taking benzodiazepines. (from Dr. Michael Murray’s Web site, www.doctormurray.com) AIM Barleygreen " Wisdom of the Past, Food of the Future " http://www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/Diets.html Mail Mobile Take Mail with you! Check email on your mobile phone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 18, 2005 Report Share Posted June 18, 2005 I don't have anxiety attacks but have been diagnosed with Bi-Polar and Compulsive / Addictive. The Prescriptions I have taken have adverse side affects. I was just wondering if any alternative medicines are out there I could try? Thanks , JoAnn Guest <angelprincessjo> wrote: > Anxiety & Panic Attacks JoAnn Guest Jun 17, 2005 13:56 PDT > > Question: What can be done for anxiety and panic attacks? I have them so > bad that I am afraid to go out anymore. > > Answer: (Dr. Michael Murray) Here is a staggering statistic: over 14 > million Americans suffer from anxiety, " an unpleasant emotional state > ranging from mild unease to intense fear. " Anxiety differs from fear, in > that while fear is a rational response to a real danger, anxiety usually > lacks a clear or realistic cause. Though some anxiety is normal and, in > fact, healthy, higher levels of anxiety are not only uncomfortable, they > can lead to significant problems. > > Anxiety is often accompanied by a variety of symptoms. The most common > symptoms relate to the chest such as heart palpitations (awareness of a > more forceful or faster heart beat), throbbing or stabbing pains, a > feeling of tightness and inability to take in enough air, and a tendency > to sigh or hyperventilate. Tension in the muscles of the back and neck > often leads to headaches, back pains, and muscle spasms. Other symptoms > can include excessive sweating, dryness of mouth, dizziness, digestive > disturbances, and the constant need to urinate or defecate. > > The anxious individual usually has a constant feeling that something bad > is going to happen. They may fear that they have a chronic of dangerous > illness - a belief that is reinforced by the symptoms of anxiety. > Inability to relax may lead to difficulty in getting to sleep and > constant waking through the night. > > An anxiety attack is milder than a panic attack. During an anxiety > attack a person will experience intense feelings of fear. Panic attacks > are most often associated with a condition known as agoraphobia - an > intense fear of being alone or being in public places. As a result, most > people with agoraphobia become housebound. It sounds like you may be > suffering from agoraphobia. > > Panic attacks are very common as about 15% of the United States > population experience a panic attack in their lifetimes and among adults > aged 25 to 54 years about 1.5% to 3% will experience frequent panic > attacks. > > Anxiety and panic attacks can be the result of either physical or > psychological factors. For example, extreme stress can definitely > trigger anxiety and so can certain stimulants like caffeine. > > There are at least seven nutritional factors that may be responsible for > triggering anxiety: > > •Alcohol > > •Caffeine > > •Sugar > > •Deficiency of the B vitamins, niacin, pyridoxine, and thiamin > > •Deficiency of calcium or magnesium > > •Food allergies > > •Insufficiency of omega-3 fatty acids > > By avoiding alcohol, caffeine, sugar, and food allergies a person with > anxiety can go a long way in relieving their symptoms. Simply > eliminating coffee can result in complete elimination of symptoms. > > This recommendation may seem to simple to be true, but substantial > clinical evidence indicates that in many cases it is all that is > necessary. > > There are a number of popular recommendations often given to help people > with stress and/or anxiety. I would recommend a good high potency > multiple vitamin and mineral formula to make sure that a person is > providing their body with the kind of nutritional support necessary to > counteract the biochemical derangements found in patients with anxiety > and panic attacks. I would also recommend one tablespoon of flaxseed oil > daily. > > It has been suggested that patients with anxiety and panic attacks may > suffer from a deficiency of alpha-linolenic acid - the essential omega-3 > fatty acid found in high concentrations in flaxseed oil. In one study, 3 > out of 4 patients with a history of agoraphobia for 10 or more years > improved within 2 to 3 months after taking flaxseed oil at a dosage of 2 > to 6 tablespoons daily in divided doses depending upon response. All > patients had signs of essential fatty acid deficiency such as dry skin, > dandruff, brittle fingernails that grow slowly, and nerve disorders. > > Beyond this sound nutritional support, I would likely recommend the herb > kava. Kava (Piper methysticum) is a plant that is native to the area of > Oceania, the island communities of the Pacific include Micronesia, > Melanesia, and Polynesia. > > Several European countries have approved kava preparations as a medical > treatment of nervous anxiety, insomnia, and restlessness based on the > results of detailed scientific investigations and favorable clinical > studies. Kava appears to be as effective as standard drugs, yet > considerably safer. > > WARNING: If you are currently on a tranquilizer or anti-depressant, you > will need to work with a physician to get off the drug. Stopping the > drug on your own can be dangerous, you absolutely must have proper > medical supervision. > > The dosage of kava preparations is based on the level of kavalactones. > Based on clinical studies using pure kavalactones or kava extracts > standardized for kavalactones, the recommendation for anxiety- relieving > effects is 45 to 70 mg of kavalactones three times daily. > > Although no side effects have been reported using standardized kava > extracts at recommended levels in the clinical studies, several case > reports have been presented indicating that kava may interfere with > dopamine and worsen Parkinson's disease, exert an additive effect when > combined with benzodiazepines, and produce impaired driving (when > consumed in very large dosages). Until these issues are cleared up, kava > extract should not be used in Parkinson's patients; and should be used > with extreme caution and close monitoring in people taking > benzodiazepines. > > (from Dr. Michael Murray's Web site, www.doctormurray.com) > > > > > > AIM Barleygreen > " Wisdom of the Past, Food of the Future " > > http://www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/Diets.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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