Suffering with panic and anxiety attacks is not a good way to live. Maybe you’ve been dealing with these issues a long time or maybe you just want to get your stress levels under control. Either way, you really need to get to some of the core issues to end panic or anxiety attacks for good. Linden Method is a self-administered anxiety treatment program that claims to be quick and effective.
It is believed that in most cases anxiety and panic attacks are initially brought on by overwhelming stress. The good news is that while no one has ever died of a panic attacks, stress is a slow and silent killer.
The American Institute of Stress (AIS) believes that stress is a “disease of civilization” and states that it is our number one health issue. Stress can cause ulcers, back pain, and headaches which are mostly annoying, but it can also lead to diseases that kill such as high blood pressure, strokes, and diabetes.
Unfortunately, overall stress levels continue to rise. No one knows for sure the exact mechanisms that cause all these health problems. However, it is documented that stress unbalances normal levels of neurotransmitters, hormones, and enzymes.
Once you look into it, you will see that almost any health complaint can be caused by stress. See this Linden Method review to learn more about relieving stress. For a list of the top 50 stress symptoms, visit Stress.org.
Another thing that makes diagnosis of stress difficult is that it’s subjective. You might find flying in an airplane the most stressful situation imaginable whereas your spouse might love to fly. We all respond to life’s situations in our own unique way.
Let’s look at some lifestyle changes you can make to minimize stress on your system, and thus reduce your propensity towards panic and anxiety attacks.
You wouldn’t let a child you love get overly tired, hungry, or thirsty, would you? Well, you need to treat yourself kindly. The more in balance all of your symptoms are, the more resilient you are to effects of stress. You might think you should be able to push yourself through these basics of life, but you do so at your own peril.
Eat a healthy diet, high in unprocessed foods. Minimize your intake of salt, artificial sweeteners, chemicals, sugar, and high fructose corn syrup. Use a high-quality multivitamin. It is an established fact that stress increases your need for certain vitamins.
Lay off the caffeinated beverages and alcohol. Caffeine definitely can contribute to noticeable feelings of anxiety. Sometimes it’s hard to tell if your jittery feelings are from caffeine or anxiety! Alcohol swings you the other way, adding to feelings of depression. It also interacts badly with any anti-anxiety medications you may be taking.
Avoid over-scheduling yourself as much as possible. Having too much on your plate or running late will increase your stress level in a hurry.
Make sure to exercise daily. Vigorous exercise is great but even taking brisk walks can be very helpful in reducing your stress levels. Exercise can also help you get a good night’s rest which is also very important to give your body and brain time to repair and refuel.
Take some time out of every day to do relaxing activities. Reading, journaling, meditating have all been proven stress reducers. Watching TV or surfing the net has been shown to not have the same effect.
An anxiety treatment program like the Linden Method is something to consider when you find that using all these methods is just not enough.
One last tip you can start today is to make a point of feeling gratitude. Gratitude has been scientifically proven to improve brain chemistry, leaving you feeling more calm and peaceful. You may have heard this technique before – keep a gratitude journal. Every evening, make your final thoughts before you go to sleep those of gratitude. Write down at least 3 or more things you are grateful for that day. Even if you are in a real funk and think your life is hopeless, exercise your “gratitude muscle” and come up with something. It can be as simple as seeing the stars come out at night or for having a bed, blanket, and pillow. You might take them for granted, but not everyone has even these basics.
Gratitude has been studied for 15 years by the Institute of HeartMath. It has been shown to be so useful at reducing stress and increasing well-being that even some Fortune 500 companies have started using similar techniques. They recognize that reducing workplace stress increases employee productivity and reduces absenteeism.