Health Information

Do you have feelings of nervousness, apprehension, fear, or worry? These may be symptoms of anxiety. Some fears and worries are justified, like worrying about a loved one or anticipating taking a test. Problem anxiety interferes with the ability to sleep or even function. Anxiety may occur without a cause, or it may occur based on an actual situation but may be out of proportion to what would normally be expected. Severe anxiety can have a serious impact on daily life.

Panic attacks are intense periods of fear or feelings of doom developing over a very short time frame, about 10 minutes, and are associated with at least four of the following:

• Sweating
• Trembling or shaking
• Shortness of breath
• Sense of choking
• Chest pain
• Nausea or other stomach upset
• Dizziness
• A feeling of being detached from the world
• Being unable to think, feeling as if the mind has gone blank
• Fear of dying
• Numbness or tingling
• Chills or hot flashes

In a few cases, anxiety can be treated at home without involving a doctor. These are limited to (1) anxiety attacks of short duration in which you know the cause, (2) the anxiety is short and it goes away by itself, and (3) the cause can be eliminated. For example, you may be anxious over a speech you have to make in front of a group of people, a test, or an interview. With these circumstances, stress may be relieved by such actions as these:

• Picturing yourself successfully facing and conquering the specific fear
• Talking with a supportive person
• Meditation
• Watching TV
• Taking a long, warm bath
• Resting in a dark room
• Deep-breathing exercises

Mentor Me Community Support will be able to help.
Programs are currently being developed and will soon be available