Tips For Women Living With High Anxiety – Social Anxiety disorders

Tips For Women Living With High Anxiety

An anxiety disorder is a severe medical condition that interferes with a person’s day-to-day life and makes them stressed without any apparent reason. Social Anxiety disorders are as real as any physical disorder. According to the latest data, an estimated 264 million people globally suffer from an anxiety disorder. Studies also indicate that women are twice as likely as men to develop an anxiety disorder in their lifetime. Recent studies found that the prevalence of any anxiety disorder was higher for women at 23.4% than men at 14.3%.

Anxiety disorders are particular psychiatric disorders that include extreme worry or fear. The most prevalent anxiety disorders include:
⦁ Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
⦁ Panic disorder and panic attacks
⦁ Agoraphobia
⦁ Social anxiety disorder
⦁ Separation anxiety
⦁ Selective mutism
⦁ Specific phobias

The following are the signs and symptoms of an anxiety disorder:
⦁ Nervousness
⦁ Irritability
⦁ A sense of impending doom or danger
⦁ Increased heart rate
⦁ Hyperventilation (rapid breathing)
⦁ Sweating and trembling
⦁ Weakness or tiredness
⦁ Trouble concentration
⦁ Difficulty sleeping
⦁ Gastrointestinal problems

People regularly experiencing anxiety don’t have to depend on medications as their only source of comfort. You can try the following to calm your mind and reduce stress. Try incorporating these things into your daily routine to get the most out of them.

Move Your Body – Exercise

Regular exercise is crucial for maintaining physical and mental health. Working out can boost your sense of well-being and ease anxiety. Try doing 30-minute workouts three to five times a week. Also, be sure to choose the activities you enjoy, so you would be less likely to miss the exercise session.

Don’t Ignore sleep

The duration and quality of sleep you get can be detrimental to your physical and mental health. Doctors typically recommend an average of eight hours of complete shut-eye rest every night. Lack of sleep can worsen your mental problem like anxiety. However, an anxiety disorder can also make it hard for a person to fall asleep. It is a vicious cycle that you can only break by adopting a healthy sleeping routine that includes the following:
⦁ Leave the screens behind before going to bed.
⦁ Try to sleep and wake up at the same time each day.
⦁ Make sure your bed and sleeping environment is comfortable.
⦁ Try keeping the room temperature a little cooler.

Reduce Caffeine And Alcohol Intake

Beverages containing alcohol and caffeine can hamper your ability to get proper rest. People with anxiety have trouble calming their minds, and caffeinated drinks are the exact opposite of what you want. Caffeine is a stimulant that promotes brain activity, which worsens the problem of anxiety.

Alcohol can also kick your anxiety into high gear. Try to cut alcohol and caffeine intake, especially in the evening hours, to avoid making your situation even worse.
Caffeine is not only present in coffee and soda; you can also find it in the following:

⦁ Tea
⦁ Chocolate
⦁ Headache medicines
⦁ Diet pills

Schedule Your Worry Time

Allotting a specific time to worry can help you focus on other things during the day. Doctors recommend taking 30 minutes to figure out what’s bothering you and what you can do to fix it. Try being consistent by having the worry sessions at the same time each day. During this period, focus on what makes you anxious and discard what are just perceived threats.
Doing this can help you identify the problem so you can work on it and feel better.

Take A Deep Breath

A sigh of relief; that is what a deep breath is. It is a signal to your brain that you are okay. Taking deep breaths can help your body and mind relax and reduce the anxiousness developing in your brain.
Try to lie don on a flat surface, put one hand on your stomach and the other on the chest, and then take a slow and deep breath. Let the air fill your belly and make it rise. Hold it in for a second, then slowly release it. Do this a couple of times, and you will feel the calmness.

Be The Boss Of Your Thoughts

Try turning the negativity into positivity, and it starts with your thoughts. Imagine yourself facing the fears head-on. The more you think about facing your fears, the easier it will become to deal with the unavoidable dread that comes with anxiety.

Tame Tense Muscles

Tense muscles can be very uncomfortable and make you irritable and anxious. Try relaxing them with simple exercises by choosing a muscle group and tightening it for a few seconds, then letting go. Prioritize one section at a time and work through the entire body. You can follow a technique called progressive muscle relaxation to ease the tense muscles.

Help Out In The Community

Spend time doing things for others. It can help you get out of your head and experience the world from a different perspective. You can volunteer for community work to help out others. Doing this work will not only help you feel good about giving back to society, but you can also make connections that can become your support system.

Look For Triggers

Keep note of the places and situations where you feel most anxious. Write them down if you need them. Try looking for patterns and work on ways to avoid or confront your worries and fears. Knowing your anxiety triggers can help you to be ready for the next time you feel anxious.

Know About Neurological Disorders – Symptoms & Types

 

What are Neurological Disorders?

The term “neurological disorder” refers to a condition that is caused by a dysfunction in part of the human brain or nervous system, resulting in psychological or physical symptoms.

The development of the human brain begins during pregnancy period and continuing through infancy, childhood to adolescence. Most cells formed before birth, but the trillions of connections between these neurons are not developed until infancy.

The human brain is composed of gray matter (interconnections and neurons) and white matter (axons surrounded by a myelin sheath). And a motor neuron carries impulses away from the brain. The brain is only self-organizing part of the human body. It selects information to forward its development and growth. Our brain also adapts to the environment through the senses of smell, touch, taste, sight, and hearing.

All neurological disorders involve the brain, nerves, or spinal column. Symptoms of this condition depend on the area where damage occurs. Areas that control movements, hearing, communication, and thinking can be affected. Neurological disorders are wide-ranging with various causes, outcomes, and complications.

What are the most common symptoms of Neurological Disorders?

Symptoms of such disorders vary depending on the particular disease. Cognitive, physical, emotional, and behavioral symptoms may be present, with specific conditions having a combination of these symptoms. For example, ADHD tends to have more significant effects on behavior, whereas cerebral palsy tends to have more physical symptoms.

Several neurological conditions emerge during the early years of development and may diagnose at birth time. Some diagnosed later because symptoms only appear when:

• A damaging infection occurs (meningitis)
• A child misses developmental milestones or has developmental difficulties (autism)
• An accident causes brain injury (trauma, stroke, hypoxia)

Most common symptoms

While people often first look for physical signs of a medical condition, it is essential to understand that there can also be psychological symptoms of neurological disorders. For instance, people might feel mood swings and sudden outbursts. People with such conditions may also experience delusions and depression.

It should be understood that these symptoms could also be indicative of other conditions and disorders. If you have experienced these symptoms, you should take an urgent medical help.

Physical symptoms

• Physical symptoms of such medical conditions may include the following:
• Partial or complete paralysis, Poor cognitive abilities
• Partial or full loss of sensation
• Seizures, Muscle weakness
• Unexplained pain, Decreased alertness
• Difficulty in reading and writing, etc.
• 
  
  

  What are the types of Neurological Disorders?

  In terms of the “WHO” (world health organization), there are various types of neurological disorders that affect millions of people all around the world, including 24 million that have Alzheimer’s and 326 million who experience migraines. The different neurological disorders can include epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, migraines, and Parkinson’s disease, etc.

  More common Neurological Disorders

  Neuropathy – It is a nerve disorder that causes symptoms such as weakness and numbness, often affecting the feet and hand. It can be the result of systemic diseases like diabetes as well as medications.

  Parkinson’s disease – It is a progressive movement disorder that involves the malfunction and death of vital nerve cells in the human brain. Medications and surgeries can manage the symptoms of this disorder.

  Alzheimer’s disease – Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease that destroys cells in the brain and ultimately interferes with an individual’s most basic physical and mental functions.

  Myopathy – Myopathy is a disorder of the muscles characterized by muscle weakness that is usually the most severe in the upper thighs and arms.

  Stroke – It is a dangerous event that occurs when the blood supply to a part of the brain is suddenly interrupted or when a blood vessel bursts. Warning signs include arm weakness, face drooping, and speech difficulty.
  Myasthenia gravis – It is a chronic autoimmune disorder that blocks the signals from the nerves to the muscles and makes the muscles unable to move. A main indication of the disease is muscle weakness that improves after periods of rest.

  Muscular Dystrophy – It is a group of progressive muscle disorders that has a genetic issue. Symptoms initiate with a weakening of the muscles closest to the trunk of the body and later progress to severe muscle contractions and muscle deterioration.

  How many people are affected by Neurological disorders?

  Nowadays, neurological disorders are spread all over the world and become a common problem among people. Hundreds of millions of people worldwide are affected by neurological disorders. More than 6 million patients die because of stroke each year. About 80% of these deaths take place in low – and middle – income countries. About 50 million people have epilepsy worldwide. Alzheimer’s problem is a common cause of dementia that contribute 60 to 70 percent of cases. The prevalence of migraine is more than 10 percent worldwide.

How are the Diagnosis & Treatment of Neurological Disorders?

In this information section, we will explain how the nationally ranked neurosurgeons and neurologists in the United States diagnose, manage, and provide second opinions on more than 150 conditions affecting the nervous system and brain. Such information will give you advanced surgical, medical, and minimally invasive options to manage your complex disorders and diseases.

What is Alzheimer’s Disease?

It is a disease that affects the human nervous system and brain. Alzheimer’s disease happens when nerve cells in the brain die, and the condition becomes worse over time. It can confuse, problems with memory, behavior, thinking, personality changes, problems with judgment, and problems with following directions.

How is Alzheimer’s disease diagnosed?

No single test can diagnose the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. A health expert will first rule out other medical conditions. But the way to confirm a diagnosis of such disease is to examine the brain after death. An autopsy can point out changes in the brain that mark the condition.

It is crucial to find out if a medical condition causes dementia that can be treated. A healthcare expert will do thorough exams of the individual’s nervous system. A good doctor may also do:

Mental status test: It may include tests of memory, attention, problem-solving, counting, and language, and even neuropsychological tests. This will likely be a series of checkups that assess your brain function. It usually involves answering questions and doing specific tasks.

Complete health history: It may include questions about past health problems and overall health. The doctor will see how well the individual can do daily tasks. And he may also ask a family member about any changes in the patient’s personality and behavior.

Brain imaging tests: MRI, CT, or position emerging test PET may be used to rule out the other causes of the problem.

Other lab tests: These may include urine and blood tests to find out possible causes of the problem.

How is Alzheimer’s disease treated?

Medicines are often useful to help people maintain mental function and carry out daily activities. They include Rivastigmine, Donepezil, Memantine, Galantamine, etc. At this time, this disease has no cure and no way of slowing down the progression of this disease. And no alternate is available to reverse the changes that the condition brings on. But a new study finding gives reason for hope. Many medications are being studied in clinical trials to see if they can treat or progress of the disease or improve memory for a period.

Certain medicines are available to help manage some of the most severe symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. These symptoms may include:

• Behavior problems
• Depression
• Sleep problems

Social activities and exercise are essential to managing the disease. So are a healthy lifestyle, proper nutrition, and a well and calm, structured environment.

Can Alzheimer’s disease be prevented?

Since medical experts don’t know what causes the disease, there is no way to prevent it. But certain risk factors for dementia can be modified with specific lifestyle changes. Taking appropriate care of yourself by controlling your glucose and blood pressure can reduce the risk of dementia. Head injury may increase the risk of developing dementia, so it is essential to wear a helmet when taking part in dangerous activities. You should also wear a seat belt and take other measures to prevent brain injury.

What is a Brain Tumor?

A brain tumor is a mass or collection of abnormal cells in the brain. Your skull, which encloses the brain, is very rigid. Any unwanted growth in such a restricted space can cause problems. They can be cancerous or noncancerous. When benign tumors grow, they can produce the pressure inside your skull to increase. This activity can cause brain damage and become life-threatening.

Such tumors categorized as primary or secondary. A primary tumor originates in your brain, and many brain tumors are benign. A secondary brain tumor, also famous as metastatic brain tumors, occurs when cancer cells spread to your brain from another body part, such as breast or lung.

How are Brain Tumors diagnosed?

The diagnosis of such a condition begins with a physical exam and a look at your medical history. The physical exam includes a detailed neurological examination. A doctor will conduct a test to see if your cranial nerves are intact. These are the nerves that originate in the human brain.

A doctor will look inside the patient’s eyes with an ophthalmoscope, which is an instrument that shines a light through pupils and onto his or her retinas. This allows a doctor to look directly into the patient’s eyes to see if there is any swelling of the optic nerve. A medical expert can also suggest:

• MRI of the head
• CT scan of the head
• Skull X-ray
• Angiography, etc.
• Treatment of brain tumors

Surgery is the most common treatment for malignant brain tumors. The main motive is to remove as much cancer as possible without damage to the parts of the brain. While the location of certain tumors allows for safe and secure removal, other tumors may situate in an area that limits how much cancer can be removed.

Risks of brain surgery may include infection and bleeding. Clinically injurious tumors are also surgically removed. Metastatic tumors treated according to guidelines for the type of cancer.

Surgery can be combined with other additional treatments, including chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak (CSF Leak)

What is a Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak?

Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak seems when there is a hole or tears in the membranes surrounding the spinal cord or the brain, allowing the clear fluid that surrounds and cushions those organs to escape. Cranial Cerebrospinal Fluid leaks occur in the head and are associated with CSF rhinorrhea, in which the cerebrospinal vapor escapes through the nasal passages. It develops due to tears in the soft tissues surrounding the spinal cord.

How is a Cerebrospinal fluid leak diagnosed?

The diagnosis of a CSF leak generally begins with a physical test and history. It can be challenging to detect, causing delayed diagnosis and misdiagnosis. If the condition is suspected, the patient’s healthcare provider may ask to lean forward so they can observe if this increases the flow of nasal discharge. If the discharge can be collected, sent it for laboratory tests to find out if it is cerebrospinal fluid.

The individual’s doctor also may order tests to examine the condition of the spinal cord and brain. Whether the tear or hole is in the cranial area of the spine, the expert can order tests to determine the exact location of the condition.

How is a Cerebrospinal fluid leak treated?

While many Cerebrospinal Fluid leaks treat on their own and require only a period of rest, but patients with such conditions should visit their physician due to the increased risk of meningitis that is related to cranial CSF leaks.

For CSF leaks that do not respond to conservative treatments, surgery may be beneficial to repair them. An epidural blood patch with fibrin glue is the best treatment option for CSF leaks that do not respond to bed rest and other conservation alternatives. An epidural blood patch involves injecting the individual’s blood into the spinal canal.

Why Do We Need To Know About Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder – Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments

What is ADHD?

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or ADHD is a mental disorder. It can make it difficult for a person to concentrate on a given task and makes them hyperactive. People with this disorder might also act without regard to the consequences which a person usually doesn’t do. It is also hard to regulate emotions for people with ADHD.

It is a chronic condition that affects millions of children and sometimes continues into adulthood. Children with this condition can also struggle with low self-esteem, trouble relationships, and poor performance in school. With time the symptoms of ADHD become less severe, but for some, they don’t completely go away. No treatment can cure ADHD, but procedures involving medications and behavioral therapies can help people to fight ADHD symptoms and lead a somewhat comfortable life.

ADHD is more common in boys as compared to girls. The symptoms of this disorder usually develop in the early school years when a child begins to have problems concentrating and paying attention. When these symptoms carry over in adulthood, people will find it challenging to manage time, remain organized, holding down a job, or setting goals.

What are the symptoms of ADHD?

The signs of ADHD become visible in children as young as three years old. These symptoms can get less intense over time, but some people might still experience them in their adulthood.
Some common signs of ADHD include:

Lack of focus

People with ADHD have trouble paying attention, even when someone talks to them directly. They might be listening to you but would not be able to repeat what you have just said to them.

Daydreaming

It is not necessary for people with ADHD to always be loud. Being secluded from what’s happening around them, can also be a sign of ADHD.

Unfinished tasks

A person having this condition might also show interest in a variety of things, but find it difficult to finish what they have started. They might be significantly involved in a project but abandon it unfinished as soon as another thing catches their attention.

Self-focused behavior

People with this condition might also fail to recognize the needs and desires of others, which makes them do things that might not be socially appropriate.

Fidgeting

It is hard for those having ADHD to stay still in a place for long. They don’t want to stay put, and if forced to sit still, they will fidget or squirm in their char.

Emotional turmoil

Children with this condition can find it hard to control their emotions. They might burst into anger at inappropriate times. Younger children might also have temper tantrums.

Forgetfulness

Forgetfulness is also a common thing among kids with ADHD. They can forget to do homework or lose items like their toys, etc. frequently, as they can’t remember where they had put them.

Avoidance of tasks needing extended mental effort

People with ADHD avoid doing tasks that require continuous mental energy, like paying attention in a class or doing work assigned to them.

Trouble waiting for their turn

It is most common in kids, as they can find it unsettling to wait for their turn during activities or when playing games. This kind of behavior makes it hard to deal with them.

Trouble getting organized

It is hard for people with ADHD to keep track of various tasks and activities. It can pose a significant problem for them when it comes to prioritizing their work.

Problem playing quietly

Children with this condition can find it difficult to play quietly or to indulge in activities of leisure or calm.
Interrupting

It is common for people with ADHD to interrupt someone in the middle of the conversation or to interfere in someone else’s discussions. They can also interject themselves in activities or games in which they are not participating.

What causes ADHD?

The ultimate cause behind this condition is still unknown, but researches believe that several things might lead to it. These includes

Heredity – ADHD can be genetic and run in families.

Toxins – Lead and other similar substances can affect the development of children’s brains, which can lead to the symptoms of ADHD.

Brain changes – In people with ADHD, the areas of the brain responsible for controlling attention are less active in comparison to those who do not have this condition.

Brain injury or a brain disorder – Damage to the frontal lobe of the brain can cause issues relating to controlling impulses and emotions, which are the signs of ADHD.

Poor nutrition, smoking, drinking, infections, and substance abuse during pregnancy – These can affect the development of the children’s brains, which might lead to them showing symptoms of ADHD.

Chemical imbalance – The brain chemicals in people who have ADHD can also be out of balance.

What treatments are available for ADHD?

Though there is no identified cure for this disorder, it doesn’t mean that one cannot treat the symptoms. Many procedures are available, and doctors often recommend them for the treatment of ADHD symptoms. These treatments include:

Stimulant medications

Doctors usually prescribe CNS or central nervous system stimulants drugs for ADHD treatment. These CNS medicines work by increasing the amount of norepinephrine and dopamine in the brain; these chemicals improve the concentration and help a person focus better.

Non-stimulant medications

If the stimulants cause side effects, or not prove to be working as desired, then the doctor can recommend non-stimulant medications. These can include atomoxetine or nortriptyline.

Psychotherapy

It helps children with ADHD to open up about their feelings. Psychotherapy helps a person better handle relationships as ADHD can result in problems with peers and authority figures. The psychotherapist can explore the behavior patterns of a person and suggest ways in which they can make better choices in the future.

Behavior therapy

This procedure deals with altering the behavior of a person who has ADHD. The therapist will develop strategies for how a person should behave in response to certain situations. Such strategies sometimes involve some direct feedback to help the person learn proper behavior.

Social skill training

This training can be beneficial for children who have issues dealing with social environments. Similar to behavior therapy, the therapist aims to teach the kid more appropriate behaviors. That helps children with ADHD to better interact with others.

The therapist will teach the kid behaviors such as:

• Asking for help
• Sharing toys
• Dealing with teasing
• Waiting for their turn

Sometimes, with a combination of medications and behavioral therapy, children start to show significant improvements, and the symptoms of ADHD starts to appear less frequently.