Mar 11

We are truly in the age of anxiety. Fear is an abstract, and it is hard to pin down exactly what it is. But whatever the cause, the last century has seen an explosion of people in the U.S. suffering from anxiety as our culture gradually moved away from the simple lifestyles of past and into the fast paced computerized world of today.

There are plenty of us who will go through periods of fear and some anxiety at various times in our lives. Those with anxiety disorders are affected by fear to such a degree that they can’t function or live a normal live without the help of drugs. One of the most effective and prevalent drugs for anxiety disorder is diazepam.

More than 1 out of every 10 Americans are currently on some kind of anti-anxiety drug. Of these drugs, the most popular one is Xanax but diazepam is not very far behind.

The drug Diazepam is unfamiliar to many. That’s because most know it as Valium. It is an anti-anxiety or anti-panic agent. It works by effecting the release of the amino acid GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) into the brain. GABA acts to suppresses the nerve impulses leading to a feeling of relaxation.

Although a very useful and positive drug in the treatment for depression and anxiety – as well as insomnia, muscle spasms, and seizures – anyone taking it for anxiety should be aware of its negatives also.

Diazepam can be extremely habit forming and addictive. That’s why self medicating yourself with diazepam is not a good idea. You can very easily develop a dependance on it, particularly if you ingest it in big doses across an extended period of days. Diazepam should only be taken under a doctor’s care and never take more than the prescribed dose. Due to its addictive traits, you may possibly suffer from withdrawal symptoms when your doctor eventually begins to wean you off of the drug.

Please see more articles on what is generalized anxiety disorder. anxiety disorders and panic attacks, as well as other anxiety related topics.

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Mar 11

Separation anxiety is an occurrence that usually happens with young children, usually starting about a year old up to about two years of age. There is also another form of separation anxiety which occurs during school age children. The manifestations of this disorder are often tears and tantrums on the part of the child when the parent or parents of the child is out of sight. Separation anxiety can be selective in the sense that not all children feel this and that not both parents can be the object of a child’s anxiety.

Causes Of Separation Anxiety

This disorder is caused by the realization of the child that his parents are not constantly at his side. At this time, around a year or so old, the child realizes that some things, parents included, still exist even when they are out of his sight. This realization enhance separation anxiety. The child has no assurance that the parent or parents will return or he feels that the absence of the parent has been too long before and will feel anxious when the parent tries to go again. Separation anxiety when the parent is not there is a phase in toddlers that resolves itself as the child understands that his parents return after a few hours and when he or she perceives time.

Separation anxiety can also be caused by trauma to the child such as losing one parent or relative, the upheaval of attending school for the first time or any emotional or psychological trauma like being uprooted from a familiar place. The separation anxiety which occurs in school age children often follows these events. Separation anxiety in preschool is most common due to the new routine of school and new faces of teachers and classmates.

Treating Separation Anxiety As A Disorder

Treating separation anxiety can require some patience on the part of the parents. Reassurances are the best way to console your child regarding this disorder and it is best to keep to one’s word when a certain time is set to pick up the child. When child starts to be clingy and displays a rage or bad temper it is advisable to become firm. After two or three weeks the situation starts improving. If the separation anxiety does not improve after a few weeks, scrutinize your child’s reaction to the separation. There may be other causes of separation anxiety other than the separation such as a school bully or a strict teacher.

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Mar 10

You have probably, at one point or another, stopped to ponder the number of ADHD prescription drugs and their side effects. Of course, the most well known are Adderall and Ritalin. However, there are others too. The list of side effects that come with any drug, including ADHD drugs can be rather long. Here is a tip: the next time you pick up ANY drug at your local pharmacy, ask the pharmacist to print out a list of side effects for you. You might be VERY surprised! Some of the side effects can even be quite serious.

ADHD drugs usually fall into one of three categories:

1. Long acting stimulant

2. Short or Intermediate acting stimulant

3. Not a Stimulant.

The long acting drugs will include drugs similar to Ritalin LA, Metadate CD, Focalin XR, Daytrana, Concerta, Adderal XR, and Vyvanse. These drugs can affect your child for up twelve hours! As such, they are only taken once-per-day. In the case of Ritalin LA or Adderal XR, they come in a capsule form that you can open and sprinkle onto food. Daytrana is a patch that the child can wear just like a ‘quit smoking’ transdermal.

The short and intermediate drug prescriptions for ADHD include Ritalin, Adderall, Dexedrine and Dextrostat, as well as Methylin ER.
These drugs are sort of out-of-style as they need to be taken more than once per day. On the other hand, they are not available in generic forms which can be less costly.

Non stimulant ADHD drugs, the most well known being Strattera, are not prescribed as often as the stimulant drugs are. However, in the case of a child who suffers anxiety in conjunction with his ADHD issues, the doctor might prescribe Strattera. Drugs like this may also be an option for children who do not do well with the stimulant drugs.

The side effects for the stimulant drugs can often include headaches, stomach aches, sleeplessness (insomnia), eating disorders, withdrawing socially, vomiting and, with that, nausea. This is not the end of the list, just some highlights! As a parent, you might see the outward signs of the side effects such as your child being dull or even a bit less-responsive or the appearance of being in a trance!

The non-stimulants, like Strattera can have similar side effects too. Allergic reactions can also be a concern. As a parent, you certainly want the best for your child and that is why you both may benefit from considering an all natural alternative remedy.

One of the most alarming suspicions of researchers is the appearance of a greater risk of depression in adulthood for children who were prescribed ADHD prescription drugs. When you consider the side effects along with this long term potential danger, you might conclude that the risk is too great. The good news is that there are alternative remedies available that do not appear to have these side effects.

 

To recap, ADHD prescription drugs have a number of possible side effects. You, as a parent, definitely want your child to have a happy, successful and fulfilling life but you also want to deal with the symptoms of ADHD at the same time. Homeopathic remedies could offer a viable alternative. If ADHD can be treated safely with a more natural remedy, you might conclude that to be a better alternative than prescription drugs.

Scott Starsky has learned about ADHD natural remedy alternatives and thinks that you should too!

 *This article is for information purposes only and does not intend to render advice, diagnosis or treatment for any health condition whatsoever. If you have or think you might have a health issue of any type, visit your doctor for advice diagnosis and treatment. The USFDA has not evaluated statements about any products in this article or on this site.

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Mar 09

Anxiety can be defined as emotions which are typically negative in nature. It will often consist of fear and worry, and some organisms may even experience physical signs such as nausea or chest pains. Anxiety is a complex emotion, and is composed of a number of different elments. Some of these elements are somatic or cognitive, and the body will prepare itself to deal with an external threat. The heart rate speeds up, and the blood pressure is increased. The various muscles in the body will also receive elevated levels of blood. At the same time, the functions of the digestive system will slow down. All is about Anxiety Treatments.

People who have anxiety will generally have a sense of dread. A number of voluntary and involuntary processes will take place in the body, and the goal of these processes is to get the organism away from the source that is causing it to have anxiety. Depression anxiety insomnia is an important emotion, and is designed to increase the survival rate of organisms. In humans it appears that anxiety comes from the hippocampus and amygdala, two regions of the brain. When a person senses bad odors or tastes, there will be a large amount of blood flow which will be present in the amygdala. The evidence also shows that medium levels of anxiety will be present in this situation as well.

Based on these studies, it appears that treating social anxiety is designed to keep humans and other organisms from eating food or objects that may be harmful to their well being. While anxiety is normal, a person that has excessive amounts of it may have what is called an anxiety disorder. When a person suffers from a panic disorder, they will have extreme panic attacks, and may have dizziness or breathing problems. Anxiety disorders are broken down into phobias, panic disorders, generalized anxiety disorders, and obsessive compulsive disorders. Someone who is suffering from a phobia will have an abnormal amount of fear of a specific object or situation. People who have phobias tend to have extensive imaginations, and realize that their fear is often irrational.

When a person suffers from a panic disorder, they will have extreme panic attacks, and may have dizziness or breathing problems. These attacks will typically reach their height in about 10 minutes. Generalized anxiety disorders are common, and effect a much larger portion of the population. It is prevalent in both men and woman, and is characterized by long periods of anxiety that are not related to any specific object or situation. With the obsessive compulsive disorder, the individual with have an obsession or compulsion when it comes to specific types of behavior. People who suffer from this disorder will see the need to do something obsessively in order to reduce their anxiety.

Many people who have this disorder need to be extremely clean, and are afraid of germs. To reduce their anxiety, they will wash their hands numerous times in a single day. There are two primary methods that are used to help those who are suffering from anxiety, and this is either therapy or prescription medicaitons.

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Mar 09

Depression isn’t simple. Depression can linger and grow for months or even years before being detected . Studies have shown that millions of Americans will suffer some types of depression this year.  2/3 of these people, according to estimates, won’t seek help for depression.  In many cases the afflicted do not even realize that they are ill.  It is normal in this day in age to fall prey to the stress that rules our lives. It’s more difficult to navigate the obstacles in life.  Many people live pay check to pay check.  The recent economic crises has created even more pressure to obtain and hold a job.  Stress can be one of the main causes of depression

There are many different types of depression.  Many of the types have similar names and meanings. These include medical depression, clinical depression and manic depression.  Severe depression refers to the most advanced form of the illness.  Depression can result from a variety of causes.  One of these is simple biology, brain chemistry issues.  Depression is also passed along in the genes.  If your grandfather and father suffered bouts with depression than you may be at risk to suffer it as well.

Different types of depression are given birth by other similar factors.  Substance abuse can lead to depression.  Alcohol or drugs both show links to depression.  Depression is more likely after a close person dies.  History hasn’t been kind to mental depression.  Prior to mental illness being recognized as a disease it was considered by many to be a personal defect.  There was very little treatment offered.  Negative effects persist through all the stages of depression.  That’s why early detection is vital to treatment.

When it has become severe depression treatment is needed ASAP.  Suicide often takes place in this final phase.  The calls for help have gone unnoticed and the avenues for hope are slipping away.   Treatments include a combination of talk therapy and prescription drugs.  Also available are support groups that can help.  Natural herbs have also been found to work.  Help is out there no matter the type of depression.  Seek medical help if you or anyone you know shows signs of depression. Actual cures for depression may involve a combination of antidepressants, psychoanalysis, health food and alternative holistic remedies, similar to acupuncture.

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