Menopause and Panic Attacks update

October 13th, 2009

Menopause and related Symptoms

 

 

 

Panic Attacks

 

It starts with your breathing. You breath in faster and faster but you are not sure why. Then you realize that your heart is beating so quickly it might fly right out of your chest. You may feel trapped, constricted or frozen. A feeling of sheer panic consumes you. Such are the first moments of a panic attack. One in four people will experience one throughout their lifetime, so it is not a rare occurrence. They can be brought on by many reasons, personal or environmental stress, medication or simply for no reason at all. What many people don’t realize though is that during menopause you are more susceptible to panic attacks than at any other time in your life.

don't be afraid of panic attacks get help now and end your panic attacks

don't be afraid of panic attacks get help now and end your panic attacks

 

Are you finding yourself becoming anxious about events that you usually wouldn’t worry about? Are your stress levels higher than normal? While there are many reasons that your stress and anxiety levels seem greater than in other times during your life, menopause and the hormonal changes that occur are often a cause of increased stress and anxiety.

 

Inside your brain is a small centre called the Amygdala. Among many other functions, the Amygdala monitors your response to stressful situations and can bring about the onset of a panic attack. During menopause, the altered levels of hormones cause the Amygdala to react, which can make you far more likely to have high levels of stress and in turn be prone to panic attacks. What your brain viewed as a normal, or slightly stressful situation a few years ago, it now sees as being highly stressful. The hormonal changes that menopause brings have, in effect reset the way that the brain interprets stress.

 

While anxiety is a symptom of menopause, this does not mean that you need to accept this as a part of your life. There are ways that you can control these reactions. The first step is to talk to a councilor or other qualified professional. You may wish to consult with your GP. Anti anxiety medication can be prescribed to help.

 

If you feel like you are experiencing a panic attack the best thing to do is take deep relaxing breaths. This will slow down your heart rate and help bring the attack under control. If you are driving, pull over safely as soon as you are able. Sometimes a panic attack can be a reaction to a stressful event, sometimes it can seem to happen for no reason at all.

 

Another great step is to take a more relaxed approach to other areas of your life. Take up yoga or meditation classes once a week, you will learn strategies to deal with difficult situations and find that over time you will have a more relaxed attitude. If you are feeling constantly stressed, take ten minutes to sit down are think about what is really stressing you out, perhaps write a list. Think about these issues and whether they are really worth stressing over. If so, what can you do to help resolve or improve the problem?

 

 

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Hormones and Panic Attacks

October 13th, 2009

Hormones and Panic Attacks

 

One of the most common effects of menopause is the increased experience of anxiety. Symptoms can include sweating, increased feeling of nervousness or stress, fear, depression and panic attacks. Even the most relaxed person who has never felt anxiety in their life can find their stress levels increased substantially during menopause.

 

These increased levels of anxiety are caused by the hormonal changes which are taking place in the body. During menopause the ovaries stop producing eggs, they also substantially decrease the amount of hormones that they produce. Some women will feel very few effects of this change, others will struggle with the effects of menopause for many years.

 

Over time, the symptoms of menopause will subside. It is simply a matter of waiting for the body to adjust to the decreased level of hormones. In the mean time there are several approaches to best manage your menopausal symptoms.

 

The first step is to make sure you are leading a healthy lifestyle. Take a look at your diet, make sure you are consuming the right amount of calories and drinking plenty of water. Make sure you are getting enough calcium and magnesium. Many researchers believe that magnesium is one of the keys to decreasing the symptoms of menopause. Being a healthy weight is important, women who are thinner than average may have a harder time during menopause, as the body’s fat stores can be a source of additional estrogen. Being overweight can also be harmful to your health. All of these steps will help correct the hormone imbalance you are currently experience, which will in turn decrease the amount of panic attacks you are suffering.

 

Stress management techniques can also help in decreasing the occurrence and the severity of panic attacks and other symptoms of anxiety. Being able to control your breathing is important. Take some time out each day to take deep breaths. You may like to try meditation at the same time. Taking this time out each day will work wonders on your high stress levels.

 

Natural remedies can also play a role in the management of anxiety and panic attacks. There are several herbal products on the market that can help with the symptoms of menopause. Iron, calcium, B vitamins are all important to the body at this time of life.

 

If you feel overwhelmed by your symptoms of anxiety it is a good idea to see a counselor or other professional.

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Hot Flushes and Panic Attacks

October 13th, 2009

Hot Flushes and Panic Attacks

 

How have you been feeling lately? Are you irritable, hot and bothered? Are you feeling unusually stressed out? Are you just a little off key? For many women feelings such as these are the early signs of the onset of menopause. Menopause will effect different women in different ways, for some menopause will be drastic and life altering, for others it will be barely noticed. Menopause itself happens when the ovaries stop producing eggs, however the symptoms of menopause may begin many years before this and not cease until years after.

 

Menopause seems to creep up on us. For some women the symptoms will appear very suddenly, but for most they gradually increase over a number of years, in fact a lot of people don’t even realize what they are experiencing is a part of menopause.

 

Hot Flushes are perhaps the most common and the most uncomfortable symptom of menopause. Along with night sweats, it isn’t really known for sure what causes this reaction. A hot flush occurs when the brain thinks the body is too cold, it increases the flow of blood around the body which increases temperature quite quickly. Hence the uncomfortable feeling of hotness. It is thought that the hormone estrogen may have a role in reporting the body’s temperature to the brain. During menopause estrogen levels drop substantially, which could have a role in the onset of hot flushes.

 

Of course, one of the best ways to deal with a hot flush is to cool down the body’s core temperature. If possible, take yourself to a cool room. Splash a little water on your face and wrists and have a glass of water to drink as well. Take off any extra items of clothing like jackets or cardigans. If you are at home, taking a lukewarm shower can help.

 

Even women who have had a calm and relaxed mindset for most of their lives may feel increased levels of stress and tension during menopause. For some, this may even eventuate in a panic attack. When a panic attack happens for the first time, many women do not think to associate with menopause or even recognize it as a panic attack. It is often one of the earliest signs of menopause. A panic attack can strike at any time, it may be triggered by a stressful event or simply nothing at all. You may feel tightness in the best, have difficulty breathing, nausea, headache or an intense feeling of fear.

 

It is difficult to know when a panic attack will strike, but the best way to be prepared is to make sure you are implementing stress management techniques in your daily life. If an attack does start, try to breathe slowly, and keep in mind that these feelings will pass in only a short space of time.

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Menopause and Hot Flushes

October 13th, 2009

Menopause and Hot Flushes

 

Hot flushes are an almost inevitable symptom of menopause, in fact for many women this is that first sign of changes that they experience. The feeling of a hot flush can be overwhelming, other than the feeling of heat, other symptoms may include faintness, sudden fatigue or headache. A hot flush will only last for five minutes, but can cause a major disturbance to your life.

 

Menopause begins when the ovaries have run out of eggs, for most people this is between the ages of 45 and 55. The reason why menopause brings so much change for many women is that the ovaries do more than just produce eggs, they are also responsible for the secretion of hormones. When menopause sets in these levels can drop but up to 90%. With this in mind it is easy to see why it can take as long as seven years for the body to adapt to these major changes.

 

Hot flushes can be awkward in particular situations, for instance such as at work, or in a social group. Not many of us would feel comfortable excusing ourselves while we got have a sit down and wait for the flush to pass. Unfortunately the only option is to carry on, as if nothing was happening. This is not only difficult socially but incredibly uncomfortable. Some find that hot flushes can even effect them in their sleep. While some women will only experience one or two hot flushes during menopause, some may experience hundreds across a span of several years.

 

It is not precisely known what causes hot flushes. There is some belief within the scientific community that estrogen levels have an effect on the brains temperature control. When estrogen levels drop, the brain thinks that the body is too cool. It immediately opens up blood vessels and speeds up the flow of blood around the body in order to create heat, which in turn causes the flush.

 

While some people will tell you that there is no way to control or predict a hot flush, there are in fact a lot of options when it comes to dealing with the symptoms of menopause. Eating a good diet low in processed food and taking part in regular exercise is a great start. It’s important at this time in your life to ensure you are getting adequate amounts of calcium, magnesium and iron. Avoiding caffeine, spicy food and excessive amounts of salt can also help lessen the symptoms of menopause. Foods high in sugar can also contribute to mood swings, so you may wish to avoid sugary foods as well. Being at a healthy weight will also lessen the effects of menopause.

 

 

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Hot Flushes and Night Sweats

October 13th, 2009

Hot Flushes and Night Sweats

 

The feeling starts in your heart, you feel like it’s beating faster for some reason. A sensation of heat expands outwards throughout your whole body, it hits your face and you feel a headache hit you or even a feeling of nausea. You probably want to go sit down or lie down somewhere and wait for this to pass. A hot flush at an unexpected time can be both uncomfortable and embarrassing. You never know when one might hit you, and it is often at the most inopportune time.

 

Night sweats are a similar phenomenon and are thought to have the same basis as hot flushes, the difference being you are asleep and it takes longer for you to register the rise in temperature and make a move to cool down your body.

 

Hot flushes and night sweats can effect your life in many different ways. Judy, a woman in her early fifties, had worked in a bank for most of her life. Being on the teller, she found it incredibly embarrassing when hot flushes hit her at work.

 

‘I would feel the heat spread and my face turn pink. It was hard to concentrate often I had to excuse myself and quickly find someone else to help a customer, it was just too overwhelming.’ Says Judy of her experience with hot flushes.

 

Leah, who is in her late forties, has never experienced hot flushes during the day but experiences night sweats two or three times a week.

 

‘Often I wake up suddenly and feel panicked for some reason,’ Says Leah, ‘It’s uncomfortable, waking up feeling so hot and not understanding why. I’d heard about these things but never though menopause would be so hard for me, or hit me so early.’

 

There are several ways of dealing with symptoms of hot flushes and night sweats. Seeing your GP is a great first step. There are some hormone replacement programs which may be of help if your symptoms are severe.

 

More natural approaches to menopause are now being considered by many women. Of course, making sure you are sweating a healthy diet and drinking plenty of water will help lessen the severity of menopause. Exercising at least three times a week is important too. Herbal supplements are a great alternative too, look for products that contain iron, calcium and magnesium, all of which are thought to help during your forties and fifties. B vitamins are also helpful if you are feeling lethargic and low in energy.

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How To Cope With Panic Attacks In Menopause

October 10th, 2009

A Glimpse into Anxiety

 

Anxiety is something that plagues everyone at one point or another, regardless of age, race or sex. For some, it can come and go without so much a flinch while some others have trouble dealing with it and even suffer all out panic attacks because of it. For someone who has never really suffered from high anxiety, it can be difficult to even begin to comprehend how terrifying it can be. High levels of anxiety and panic attacks can make one feel as though they are having a heart attack or dying. Anxiety attack symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, heart palpitations and others can take over and make it hard to rationalize and get a grip on the anxiety. It is also hard to determine anxiety attack causes.

 

Anxiety, strangely enough, is actually our body’s way of helping us fight off a real threat or danger and protect us. Not sure what I mean? Just imagine what your response would be if there were a bus racing towards you on the road; your heart would race and you’d quickly jump out of its way. This reaction is all part of the fight or flight response which is a part of anxiety. This response would help to save you from a real threat. Why does it happen during a panic attack and why can this lead to anxiety disorder or even social anxiety disorder? When you have a panic attack or anxiety attack you are thinking that there is something wrong with you. Its feels as if something bad is happening which sends the signals to your brain indicating that there is a threat, even though it is nothing more than an imagined threat. This sets the cycle in motion by increasing your adrenaline and getting you ready to either fight the alleged threat or run from it. It’s quite genius really, the way our body is built to process information and deal with it.

 

If you suffer from severe anxiety and often look at those who seem to deal with the most stressful situations with ease and wonder what their secret is; it’s no more than them understanding that anxiety won’t hurt them and therefore not fearing it and allowing it to get the best of them and take over, and you can get anxiety treatment to do just this before it leads to depression or anxiety mixed moods disorder. I know that it’s easier said than done, but you really can get control over your anxiety by understanding how it works and learning the difference between a real threat to your well being and an imagined one. Anxiety will only affect you as much as you let it. So why not look into an anxiety test and then move on to some effective form of anxiety attack treatment.

 

 

 

 

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Menopause And Panic Attacks

October 9th, 2009

Menopause And Panic Attack Disorder

 

Panic Attack Disorder is considered a panic attack followed by a month or more of a fear of another attack. A person who suffers a panic attack may very well never have an episode again, but it’s more likely that they will, as well as some secondary fears. Panic attacks are in fact completely based on fear and it is this fear of the panic attack that then leads to fears such as being sicker than anyone realizes and having something seriously wrong that is going undiagnosed or a fear that they are going to die. No wonder these fears lead to a panicked state!

 

Something that many don’t realize about Panic Attack Disorder is the impact that it can have on ones life. There is a stigma around anxiety-related disorders that those who suffer are somehow weak minded or flawed, but the reality is that it can happen to anyone at any given time. It can also lead to several other conditions if left untreated, such as depression, substance abuse and even suicide. When you live in constant fear of panic attacks and add to that the imagined threat that something else is wrong—usually explained as an impending feeling of doom—it’s no wonder that it can affect someone to such a great degree that they would be pushed that far. If you are suffering from this or nay other anxiety disorder, you need to realize that there is help and with a little time, patience and know-how; you can stop panic attacks for good.

 

Menopause And Panic Attacks

 

When something triggers your anxiety, your first response is to react out of fear even though a panic attack doesn’t actually pose a real threat to you. Just the imagined threat or danger is enough to trigger an attack in those with the disorder. No matter how intense your physical symptoms may be during a panic attack; you need to try to remember that you are NOT in any real danger and a panic or anxiety attack CANNOT hurt you. There are no known cases of a panic attack killing or hurting anyone, so as upsetting and uncomfortable as they may be; do not fear them as they pose no real threat at all. It will take time to really comprehend that and apply it so that it helps you keep attacks at bay, but Panic Attack Disorder can be cured for good once you learn to not let the fear of the attack take over and consume you. There is a light at the end of the tunnel.

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