DISORDERS

Description: Anxiety can be either acute or chronic. Acute anxiety manifests itself in panic attacks, which are complex, involuntary physical responses in which the body prepares itself to deal with an emergency situation. An increased production of the hormone adrenaline causes the body to speed up its metabolism of proteins, fats and carbohydrates to quickly produce energy for the body to use. In addition, the muscles tense, and heartbeat and breathing become more rapid. In the face of a real threat such as an accident or a natural disaster, this type of reaction is normal and helpful for survival. At other times, however, the symptoms caused by a surge of adrenaline can be distressing and frightening. Panic attacks are usually very intense. They can occur at any time of the day or night and can last from a few seconds up to half an hour. Some people experience the attacks every few weeks, while other may have several a day.

Chronic anxiety is a milder form of this disorder, characterized by a vague feeling of anxiety much of the time, but the intensity of the feeling does not reach the point of an actual panic attack. Some people with chronic anxiety also suffer from occasional panic attacks.

Symptoms: Someone having a panic attack is often overwhelmed by a sense of impending disaster or death, which makes it impossible to think clearly. Other symptoms of a panic attack include shortness of breath, heart palpitations, chest pain, dizziness, hot flashes and/or chills, trembling, sweating, nausea and a feeling of unreality. A person having a panic attack often thinks they are suffering a heart attack or stroke. Many people with acute anxiety disorders become fearful of being alone and of visiting public places because they fear having a panic attack. This adds to the level of anxiety and often leads to their lives becoming abnormally restricted. Many psychologists believe that some panic attacks are self-induced; because the fear of a panic attack is the very thing that brings one about. People with chronic anxiety may feel uneasy, especially in the presence of other people, and tend to startle easily. Headaches and chronic fatigue are common among people with chronic anxiety.

Incidence: Anxiety is a far more common problem than was once thought. It appears to affect twice as many women as men, although it’s possible that men are less likely to acknowledge or report having a problem of this nature.

Causes: Panic attacks may be caused by stress or certain emotions. They may also be caused by certain foods, drugs, or illness. Allergies and hypoglycemia are both common among people with anxiety disorders. An attack may follow overindulgence in caffeine stimulants, such as tea or coffee, but some attacks occur with no apparent cause. Studies have shown that anxiety has a real, physical basis and is not just a psychosomatic phenomenon, as once thought. Some experts believe that panic attacks are caused by a malfunction in brain chemistry. Hyperactivity in certain areas of the brain causes the release of norepinephrine, which causes an increase in the pulse, blood pressure, and rapid breathing -- the same symptoms as a panic attack. Anxiety disorders seem to run in families, and may be hereditary to some extent.

Treatments: A healthy diet, appropriate nutritional supplementation, plus following the recommendations listed below can be of considerable benefit in reducing anxiety and decreasing the frequency and intensity of panic attacks.

Avoid the following:

Prescription for Nutritional Healing, 2^nd Edition

By James F. Balch, M.D. & Phyllis A. Balch, C.N.C.

Prevention’s Healing with Vitamins, by the Editors of

Prevention Magazine Health Books

The Green Pharmacy, by James A. Duke, Ph.D.