Anxiety Panic Hub
Anxiety Panic hub
the caffeine-induced anxiety or panic attack? plz help: (?
I have panic / anxiety attacks and depression, and I'm on Paxil have been doing very well and have not had one since before the holidays ..... Today I took a lot of freshly brewed iced tea today, then hub and I went to the store, it was hot when we were walking through the store I started feeling dizzy / lightheaded and sorta hyper heart / beating quickly said, I feel dizzy / anxious and I stayed with my arm, I had to leave the store told me to give the car keys I'm going to wait in the car with the A / C ......... think it was the caffeine and sugar, I felt like because of how you feel when you eat too much sugar and as if held his breath as 30 seconds and release the rush come ....... What do you think? I felt better after I sat in the car with the A / C blowing and took some deep breaths
I have an anxiety disorder and I like it when its hot it was probably just the heat, as you said. I also feel better when they have the A / C on.
| Account limit of 2000 requests per hour exceeded. |
Panic Attacks, the Amygdala, and the Limbic System: The Paradox of Protection
The amygdala, situated equally in both brain hemispheres, is an almond-shaped (“amygdala” is derived from the Greek for “almond-like”) grouping of nuclei approximately one-inch long, located just a few inches from each ear, inward and in a direction toward the forehead. It’s considered to be the most primitive component of the brain’s basal ganglia; a grouping of nuclei deep within the brain associated with movement, motivation, emotion, reward, and addiction.
The amygdala moves into vigorous motion in response to threatening sensory input, real or perceived. And don’t ever forget those last three words. Indeed, as the amygdala is stimulated electronically in the laboratory animals respond with aggression. Taking it to the extreme, if the amygdala is removed an animal’s rage response to agitating stimuli falls by the wayside. Fear and sexual responses go out the door as well. And how ‘bout this factoid? The amygdala has the most structural variance between the genders of any brain structure. And, oh by the way, the amygdala shrinks by some 30% when a male animal is castrated. Ouch.
The amygdala is a card-carrying member of the brain’s limbic system. The word “limbic” is derived from the Latin, “limbis,” meaning a border, edge, or fringe of an object. The term “limbic system” was coined by 19th Century French anatomist, Dr. Paul Broca, who used the term in reference to the tissue he found surrounding the brain stem and beneath a piece of brain anatomy known as the neocortal mantle. The limbic system is all about the memory and motivation components of emotion; and its star players, for our immediate purposes, are, indeed, the amygdala, the hippocampus, and the hypothalamus.
It’s fascinating that the limbic system impacts memory formation by merging assorted present emotional states with stored memories of previous experiences. As it swings into action the limbic system influences our endocrine system (hormone secreting ductless glands) and, of particular note, the autonomic nervous system (ANS); composed of two parts, the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system. It also impacts the prefrontal cortex, the executive functioning/decision-making portion of the brain.
Let’s finish our journey through the limbic system by taking a look at the hippocampus; a crescent-shaped bit of anatomy that in cross-section resembles a seahorse, and curves in an upward direction toward the back of the brain from the amygdala. The word, “hippocampus,” coined by 16th century anatomist Julius Caesar Aranzi, is derived from the Greek, “hippos,” meaning horse, and “kampi,” meaning curve. The hippocampus is assigned the task of forming event-induced memories, converting them to long-term memories. Don’t ever downplay the role of the hippocampus as it relates to memory and emotional reaction because remembering threatening events, people, etc. gives us a huge leg-up on responding to future threats from the same or similar sources. Indeed, that’s memory’s foundational purpose.
Though the amygdala and our fear circuitry remain mega-mysterious, it’s commonly accepted that what we perceive as fear is produced by a very sophisticated two-way input system. And here’s how it works. Sensory input passes through a gateway in the brain, a messenger hub if you will, called the thalamus. It sits right above the amygdala in the center of the brain. The main function of the thalamus is to transmit its received sensory data to the higher-centers of the brain for reasoned response. The primary recipients of these messages are the thought and logic centers of the cerebral cortex. However, as you’re about to learn, the thalamus has other communication partners.
When environmental input from our senses of sight, sound, taste, and touch reaches the thalamus, and very specific cues are analyzed, there looms a fork in the road. One bit of pavement leads directly to the amygdala, while the other takes its sweet time and heads toward the cerebral cortex. And each of these destinations generates very different and very unique responses. You may have noticed I left out our sense of smell from the first sentence of the paragraph. That’s because input from our sense of smell forgoes all the thalamus formality and shoots straight into the amygdala, though the amygdala doesn’t facilitate perception. Now, when the amygdala receives a message it’s engineered to react by launching an intense physical response generated by activation of the HPA axis, which, as we know, leads to the secretion of cortisol and norepinephrine. So this is the actual physical manifestation of fear that panic sufferers know all to well. See, the amygdala doesn’t care if it’s right or wrong, justified or not; it receives input and fires. By the way, the amygdala also sends messages to the brainstem to facilitate required adjustments in heart rate and respiration in response to fear and stress.
Well, after the initial onslaught of environmental boom hits home the slower sensory messages from the thalamus finally hit the cerebral cortex; specifically the prefrontal cortex, the area at the very front of the brain responsible for executive functioning - the mental ability to receive and interpret information and formulate decisions. As this occurs, conscious and rational thought regarding the events at hand is generated. Yes, it’s in the prefrontal cortex that the fear stimuli are logically analyzed in great detail, the final assessment being sent to the amygdala. The prefrontal cortex must remain on high-alert and do its best to ensure assessment accuracy because of its communication with the areas of the brain associated with pain, pleasure, anger, aggression, and panic. Indeed, there’s a lot at stake. And when it’s all said and done the amygdala ultimately takes its version of appropriate action, which if sufficiently convinced can include restoration of calm.
Think about what a miraculous system this is. I mean, the amygdala, the entire limbic system for that matter, has its fear message and is prepping the body for immediate action. It’s taking no chances as it elects to err on the side of caution. And as you consider these dynamics, always keep in mind that evolution brought us a genetic make-up that leans toward the anxious. Well, after the amygdala sends its message the prefrontal cortex takes the time to calculate the exact nature of the threat. If sufficient evidence exists that there is no threat, the amygdala is told to chill-out.
Again, what an incredible mechanism this truly is; however, as it applies to panic there’s a major drawback. In the face of fear, the amygdala is the dominant of the two structures. And once the amygdala starts beating the drums it’s really tough for the prefrontal cortex to convince it to knock it off. And without practiced intervention it really doesn’t stand much of a chance. That‘s what paves the way for misinterpretation of sensory input, leading to overreaction to truly harmless stimuli.
And that’s at the very foundation of panic.
About the Author
After a life-long bout with panic disorder - and recovery - and a career in the business world, Bill found his life\\\'s passion, his life\\\'s work. So he earned his master\\\'s degree and counseling credentials, and he's now doing all he can to lend a hand to those having a tough time.
Bill authored a panic disorder education and recovery eworkbook entitled, \\\"Panic! ...and Poetic Justice,\\\" which is available on his website and online store for immediate download. Also available is information regarding a collection of poems he wrote along his panic disorder and recovery journey entitled, \\\"The Poetry of My Life.\\\" Lots of good stuff to see, and more to come.
In addition to doing psychiatric emergency work, Bill continues to do a lot of writing. He's conducted numerous mental health workshops for non-profit organizations and remains available to offer more. Bill is a national and local member of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (N.A.M.I.).
Compare_________________________________________________
|
|
Panic Attack Or Anxiety PTSD $29.99 George Grie Panic Attack Or Anxiety PTSD - Photographic Print |
|
|
Anxiety Phobias And Panic $11.99 Struggling with Anxiety Phobias or Panic Attacks? Discover Proven Strategies that can Help You Conquer Fear and Take Charge of Your Life! Are you one of the nineteen million Americans who suffer from anxiety-related problems? Don't lose hope! Take action today with techniques that have helped thousands of people overcome their anxiety and live full and satisfying lives. Now in this new updated edition of his classic guide Reneau Peurifoy an internationally recognized expert in the field incorporates the latest available information and research. He presents a step-by-step program of fifteen manageable lessons that you can use to: * Identify and reduce the sources of your anxiety * Minimize and manage stress more effectively * Discover relaxation and other methods to ease symptoms of anxiety * Recognize and change harmful modes of thinking * Learn how to stop worrying and avoiding things * Manage anger and build self-esteem * Avoid relapses and keep moving forward. You too can live a happy and healthy life that's free of... Anxiety Phobias and Panic. |
|
|
Anxiety and Panic Attacks $16.44 Now, at last, there's a simple, easy-to-follow method for reducing the anxiety and panic attacks that feel like they are taking over your life. Developed by a renowned stress management consultant who has been there himself, you will discover the simple five-step prgram that will help you, conquer fear, reduce or eliminate anxiety, end stress-related illness, and change bad habits, and more--all without drugs or expensive therapy. You don't have to suffer anymore--join the countless number of people who have been helped by Robert Handly's LIFE-PLUS PLAN--starting right now!Readable and timely, this is an important self-help book in our stressful times.Booklist |
________________________________________________________
Mail this post
