ANXIETY - (Panic Syndrome)
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    Anxiety is primarily, a disquietude of mind. It causes a feeling of  uneasiness, distress, apprehension and fear, at least. It is an 'absolute' as a personal set of feelings; that is, it is very real and stressful. It is based on, what I believe is the force that drives Man, that is, fear. We are constantly afraid. This fear is part of our inheritance as human animals; it is the reason for our survival, so far; therefore it is a survival mechanism. Without this fear, we would not have survived so long.
    The consequences of this fear, also results in our anxieties. We are anxious because we, as Man, have the ability to think of consequences (i.e. to think ahead, or extrapolate). In other words, we can remember to a greater degree (we think) than other animals.
    The mechanism for this is through our hormones, specifically, adrenaline, the 'fight or flight' hormone.
    This anxiety may or may not lead to what is termed 'panic' syndrome. Panic is the result of not being able to cope with this/ these anxieties at a particular time or times. A syndrome is a set of symptoms (things we feel or cause us to feel), that is, it is not a 'thing' in itself but the result of a number of things.
    If our anxieties were to remain on a 'normal' hunter/gathering plane, we might not exhibit anxieties which we might be able to cope with otherwise, perhaps.. Unfortunately, this seems not to be the case with the human animal.    
    The reasons that we become anxious are many. They may stem from early child-hood experiences (even biological memory), or any of those that come later. We may become anxious due to a particular trauma (even at a later date) that we do not remember.. We may become anxious from a build-up of events that are not consciously linked (much like a dream that seems real at the time but becomes disconnected upon awakening) but suddenly rears its often 'ugly' head.
    The problem with anxiety states or 'panic' syndrome (as they may be read to be the same or similar), is that they are hard to get rid of. People rarely see them as something they need some form of therapy for, and even those who we feel should be able to help (e.g. the medical profession) are not always able to (unless they have experienced it for themselves).
    Anxiety states are  'whole-body' states. They are not just something in the mind. They are 'real' states occurring through whatever is incorrect (at the time) with the rest of the body. So it is not the 'mind' that needs to be treated first (if that were possible) but the whole body. I believe it is the whole body that affects the mind.
    I have suffered from anxiety disorder for a number of years. I have researched this and discovered a number of factors which can help but none that really helped me. There are a number of techniques one can try to eliminate the feeling when it appears (which it seems to do sometimes 'out-of-the-blue').
    One of the main causes of anxiety syndrome is depression. This depression may be caused by the general sadness that we allow in our lives from sources over which we can have no control except by turning them off.  That is, turn off the television. Turn off the radio. Don't buy newspaper and magazines (unless you use them for your entertainment only). Give me a point that any 'news' is relevant over which we can have direct control and I will retract my statement. Sorry; you lost! Other forms of depression result from improper indulgence. This means food, alcohol and other drugs. I lump them all together.
    Within an already depressive state (if you listen to the 'news' or indulge in other people's lives, most probably fake, anyway),  an overindulgence of any other intake into the body, one is ripe for an anxiety state/panic attack.
    No drugs as they are defined by drug companies and however administered will help. They are a placebo to the lack of knowledge of those proposing them. They are a 'cop-out' from the reality that those prescribing them have not a clue about any treatment. They have not thought it through and probably don't have the ability to ('qualified' or otherwise).
    The answer comes from very simple experiments that cannot harm you. Like all 'answers' I am not claiming a 'cure' or anything else. I'm merely stating what I have found works for me. There is no reason why it should not work for you. Without writing a text-book (which you probably wouldn't read, anyway), the results of my experience can be checked against anything else written (except for the retrieval of cash from your wallet).
    Given that most people's diet lacks certain necessary nutrition and the plethora of junk about this diet and that, this vitamin or that, this herbal remedy or that, this regime or that and so on, ad nauseum, I feel that we should listen to our bodies. They belong to us, it's all we have whilst alive. "We live in our own head', as a colleague once said to our students. We can't enjoy anything without this function in some way, even is we are disabled.
    I know when my body needs a substance. It might be chocolate. I go and buy a bar of chocolate and 'chill-out' on it. It satisfies my needs at the time and I don't buy another one for ages. If I buy it and eat it incessantly, then I have a problem. This is purely an example.
    Because I am basically happy (I never watch television any more, I don't have a radio  (I sold it), I've never bought a newspaper in 58 years, I have no interest in the fake world we are (almost) forced to live within, I detest 'aural' wallpaper when I go shopping, I have no interest whatsoever in anything I don't have some control over, I've never voted for a politician in my life, I detest flag-waving, 'national' anthems, rhetoric and so forth. I prefer to be me. I'm not so bad, either, like you, when you get rid of all the crap that makes you sad.
    An answer is sugar (or even better, glucose).
    I was talking about anxiety!
    I've seen all the stuff on sugar. I've seen all the stuff on salt. I've also said that we should listen to our bodies. I don't always heed when it (my body) calls. I then become anxious and silly things make it worse (it depends on the original causes for this anxiety which may or may not be know to you).
    I have found that a couple of spoonfuls of sugar (any variety will do) placed, preferably under the tongue (it reaches the bloodstream faster) and within less than an hour (during which you do something active that takes your mind of yourself) and you feel much better. Much better. Your body is saying: I need sugar. Indulge it. The brain needs sugar to work properly. However, if you take glucose, put three teaspoonfuls into a small glass of water and drink it. Glucose is more readily absorbed than cane sugar. Both work.
    The listening to others about what is and what is not 'good' for you is dependent on some-one's thinking at the time; it's not necessarily a truth for you, depending on your circumstances.
    This, of course, is not any sort of answer for a lot of people. They have their own reasons for being as they are (their own 'agenda', as they say). Some want to change, others don't; that's their prerogative.
    If you look for positive openings, they will appear magically. If you stay with the negative, that will last an interminable and most often unbearable lifetime.
    You might try this simple experiment with a dose of sugar. it might work. If it does, then let me know; I'd be happy for you and myself.
    The routine:
        If you feel 'not quite right' then take two teaspoonfuls of sugar (or a small glass of glucose).
    Go and do something that is active and takes your mind off things.
    Within about fifteen minutes you will feel a different person.

If you do drink alcohol, make sure you drink at least a pint of water before retiring. It will prevent hangover (through dehydration) and allow your liver to recover. Taking a spoonful of sugar will also help your liver to recover. No other artificial aids will need to be ingested into your body. The less drugs the better!



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