Thursday, February 26, 2009

SUICIDAL THINKING MAY BE PREDICTED AMONG CERTAIN TEENS WITH DEPRESSION

SUICIDAL THINKING MAY BE PREDICTED AMONG CERTAIN TEENS WITH DEPRESSION

Certain circumstances may predict suicidal thinking or behavior among teens with treatment-resistant major depression who are undergoing second-step treatment, according to an analysis of data from an NIMH-funded study. The study was published online ahead of print February 17, 2009, in the American Journal of Psychiatry.

In the Treatment of SSRI-resistant Depression in Adolescents (TORDIA) study, 334 teens who did not get well after taking a type of antidepressant called a selective serotonin uptake inhibitor (SSRI) before the trail were randomly assigned to one of four treatments for 12 weeks.

Switch to another SSRI
Switch to venlafaxine (Effexor), a different type of antidepressant
Switch to another SSRI and add cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), a type of psychotherapy
Switch to venlafaxine and add CBT

Results of the trail were previously reported in February 1008. They showed that teens who received combination therapy, with either type of antidepressant, were more likely to get well than those on medication alone.

Using data from spontaneous reports by the participants and from systematic assessment by clinicians, David Brent M.D., of the Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, and colleagues aimed to identify characteristics or circumstances that may predict whether a teen is likely to have suicidal thoughts or behavior during treatment. Nearly 60 percent of TORDIA participants had suicidal thinking or behavior at the beginning of the trial.

Fifty-eight suicidal events—which include serious suicidal thinking or a recent suicidal attempt—occurred in 48 participants during the trial, most of which happened early in the trial. The researchers found that teens who had higher levels of suicidal thinking, higher levels of parent-child conflict, and who used drugs or alcohol at the trial’s beginning were more likely to experience a suicidal event during treatment and less likely to respond to treatment. They were also less likely to have completed treatment.

“These new data may contribute to developing more targeted and individualized interventions,” said NIMH co-author Benedetto Vitiello, M.D. “If we can know which teens may be more susceptible to suicidal thinking and behavior, we are better able to tailor safer treatments for them.”

No statistically significant differences in suicidal events nor non-suicidal self-injury were found among treatment options. However, the use of venlafaxine was associated with a higher rate of self-injury in participants who had more severe suicidal thinking at the trial’s beginning. These results suggest that SSRIs are preferred over venlafaxine in the treatment of depressed teens who are at risk for suicidal thinking or behavior, according to the researchers.

Although CBT was found to have a protective effect over the long-term among teens with depression in the NIMH-funded Treatment for Adolescents with Depression Study (TADS), it did not appear to reduce the rate of suicidal events in TORDIA. The researchers theorize that because the suicidal events tended to occur soon after treatment began, the CBT did not have enough time to deliver a protective dose.

Finally, Brent and colleagues found that the use of anti-anxiety medications called benzodiazepines was associated with a higher likelihood of, and faster time to, a suicidal event—an unexpected result not found in other similar studies. The researchers theorize that participants who were taking a benzodiazepine in addition to an antidepressant may have been much more severely ill and therefore may have been more prone to suicidal thoughts or behavior. But more study is warranted on the potential role of anti-anxiety medications in suicidal thinking and actions among patients also taking an antidepressant.

“Because the suicidal events tended to happen early in the treatment process, interventions that address safety, emotion regulation and family conflict should be some of the first to be implemented,” concluded Dr. Brent. “With this data, we are in a better position to design future interventions that could lessen the risks of suicide even further among this vulnerable population.”

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/science-news/2009/suicidal-thinking-may-be-predicted-among-c...

GETTING CLOSER TO PERSONALIZED TREATMENT WITH TEENS WITH TREATMENT-RESISTANT DEPRESSION

GETTING CLOSER TO PERSONALIZED TREATMENT FOR TEENS WITH TREATMENT-RESISTANT DEPRESSION

Some teens with treatment-resistant depression are more likely than others to get well during a second treatment attempt of combination therapy, but various factors can hamper their recovery, according to an NIMH-funded study published online ahead of print February 4, 2009, in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

Background
About 40 percent of teens with major depression do not get well after a first treatment attempted with an antidepressant medication. The NIMH-funded Treatment of Resistant Depression in Adolescents (TORDIA) study was designed to test second-step treatment strategies for these teens.

In TORDIA, 334 teens who did not get well after taking a type of antidepressant called a selective serotonin uptake inhibitor (SSRI) before the trial were randomly assigned to one of four treatments for 12 weeks.

Switch to another SSRI
Switch to venlafaxine, a different type of antidepressant
Switch to another SSRI and add cognitive behavioral therapy (CHT), a type of psychotherapy
Switch to venlafaxine and add CBT

Results of the trial, which were reported in February 2008, showed that the teens who received medication plus CBT were more likely to get well than those who switched medications only. In this most recent data analysis, Joan Rosenbaum Asarnow, PH.D. of the University of California Los Angeles, and colleagues aimed to identify how to better predict a teen’s response to treatment, and any factors that might affect response.

Results of the Study
Many predictors were similar to those found in studies of first-step treatments, such as NIMH-funded Treatment for Adolescents with Depression Study (TADS), underscoring the important of early treatment before the depression becomes chronic. For instance, like in TADS, teens in the TORDIA study were less likely to respond to treatment if they had very severe depression or higher levels of suicidal thinking. In addition, teens prone to self-harming behavior and family conflict were less likely to respond to treatment.

In contrast to TADS, however, the TORDIA teens with coexisting disorders, such as anxiety disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or others, did respond to TORDIA’s combination therapy. The researchers theorize that in this SSRI-resistant group, adding a CBT framework may have helped the teens deal with difficulties associated with coexisting disorders. In addition, the type of CBT used in the trial included general strategies for coping with a wide range of disorders, such as ways of solving problems and improving social functioning. Because community settings often must treat patients with coexisting disorders, this finding supports the use of CBT with patients who have complex diagnoses, according to the researchers.

Combination treatment, however, was not as beneficial for teens with a history of abuse, and those reporting high levels of hopelessness. This suggests a need to strengthen treatment strategies for teens suffering from these problems, said the researchers.

Significance
Knowing predictors and moderators of treatment response may help identify the most appropriate treatment for each individual.

“Selecting the optimal treatment for teens with depression is partially crucial for those who do not respond to an initial treatment, because when depression is unremitting, teens and their parents often give up, which makes them less likely to stick to treatment,” concluded Dr. Asarnow. “With this new data, personalizing depression treatment based on a teen’s individual circumstances becomes a real possibility.”

What’s Next
Future studies can help confirm these findings and therefore contribute to a more personalized approach to the treatment of depression in adolescence. In addition, the researchers conclude that findings from this study can inform efforts to build better treatment strategies.

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/science-news/2009/getting-closer-to- personalized-treatment-for...

POSSIBLE HIV PREVENTION THERAPY SHOWS PROMISE, BUT AT A SIGNIFICANT COST

POSSIBLE HIV PREVENTION THERAPY SHOWS PROMISE, BUT AT A SIGNIFICANT COST

A therapy that shows promise in preventing HIV infection could significantly reduce the risk of HIV infection among high-risk groups, but the cost may be substantial unless drug costs can be reduced, according to a study published online ahead of print February, 4, 2009, in Clinical Infectious Diseases. The study, which analyzed the risk reduction and probable costs associated with the treatment using a computer model stimulation, was co-funded by NIMH, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and the National Institute of Drug Abuse.

Background
An HIV prevention study currently under study involves getting high-risk populations antiretroviral drug regimens to protect them from HIV infection in case they are exposed to the virus, an approach known as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PREP),. The method involved the combination of two antiretroviral medications—tenofivir and entricitabine—which has shown promise in preliminary studies. David Paltiel, Ph,D., of Yale University and colleagues devised a computer model to asses PrEP’s potential success in reducing HIV infection rates among a population that is at high risk of contracting HIV. For simulation, the researchers targeted one such group—men who have sex with men. They assumed an average age of 34, a 1.6 percent HIV infection rate per year, and the use of PrEP at a cost of $9,000 per year. They also assumed the treatment would prevent HIV infection at a rate of 50 percent.

Results of the study
Among the test population, the lifetime HIV infection risk decreased from 44 percent to 25 percent, and the average life expectancy increased from 39.9 to 40.7 years. However, using the initial model assumptions, lifetime treatment costs increased from $81,000 to $232,700, an increase that would exceed most standards of cost-effectiveness of health interventions. The researchers found that with small improvements in effectiveness, reductions in treatment costs, or by targeting the treatment to a younger, higher-risk population, PrEP might be as cost-effective as other widely recommended public health and medical interventions.

Significance
According to the researchers, this is the first model to establish performance benchmarks that could help researchers understand the circumstances under which PrEP would provide improved patient care, better public health outcomes and increased financial value. If the costs of the treatment can be reduced, PrEP could be a good option for reducing the rate of HIV infection among high risk populations.

What’s Next
PrEP represents a promising approach to containing the HIV epidemic, but this analysis focused only on the United States. Future research should take into account the potential impact of PrEP on a global scale. In addition, future research will need to determine the most appropriate criteria for who is eligible to receive PrEP. http://www.nimh.nih.gov/

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

IMPROVE YOUR BREATHING

IMPROVE YOUR BREATHING
To Reduce Stress and Increase Your Performance
by Ingrid Bacci, Ph.D.
Author of “The Art of Effortless Living”

I learned to improve both my physical and my professional performance by making it a priority to breathe in a deep, relaxed manner in all my activities. In this article, we will explore how other people have used breath awareness to transform their lives in positive directions. But first let's remember some basic principles:

Your health, emotional balance, creativity and productivity all depend on your inner state. The more comfortable you are in your own skin, the more healthy, creative, effective and productive you are. Mind-body work teaches you how to be comfortable in your own skin, with the result that you can perform at your peak.

The first rule of thumb for all mind-body work is to practice relaxation in all situations, and the first technique for doing that is breath awareness. Relaxed breathing is synonymous with physical ease, mental focus, and emotional calm. Most of us breathe shallowly when under stress, contributing to mental tension, emotional anxiety, irritability, and anger, and muscular discomfort. By reversing this pattern, we improve our performance.

A few case histories will give you a sense of how dramatically you can change your life by consciously relaxing your breathing.

Making business work for you. A corporate consultant who was extremely successful came for sessions with me because she was aware that she continued to be plagued by feelings of anxiety in her work. Janice was a performer. Earning a top salary didn't free her from a subtle need to gain her clients' approval. Despite her earnings, she was emotionally under the thumb of her clients, and worried that with the next job, she'd under perform.

Over a series of months, Janice paid attention to her breathing when she was with clients. She noticed how often she stopped breathing, or tightened up in anxiety. Then she practiced letting go of the anxiet by opening up her breathing. As she did this, she more and more comfortable. And as she felt more secure, she started putting up boundaries, boundaries that she should have put up long before.

Janice saw that when her breathing became tight, she was taking on too much work, or backing away from stating her own point of view if that meant disagreeing with her clients. Enlightened about her own behavior, and feeling more confident as a result of her inner work, she decided to change this pattern. The result? Within a year, she had significantly reduced her workload, while increasing her income by a third. Isn't it interesting, how focusing on making relaxation your top priority can generate such productive results!

Eliminating chronic migraines. I had a client named Alice who came to me at the age of 54, and who had been suffering from migraines since the age of 16. In her search to find a cure for her headaches, Alice had seen countless doctors, all to no avail. I showed her how to become more aware of physicala tensions in her body, and how to use mind-body techniques to release that tension. One of the main techniques was deep, relaxed breathing.

Four months later, Alice was free of migraines. I myself was astounded at this success, after four decades of pain. Yet changing your breathing patterns changes the way you live in your body, and the effect of this can be dramatic. Through breath awareness, Alice eliminated muscle tensions that had been radiating up into her head and restricting circulation, all of which contributed to the migraines.

Improving your golf. I worked with an amateur golfer named David who was interesed in using mind-body techniques to upgrade his game. We paid attention to one thing, and one thing only; the quality of his breathing when he swumg a club, picked up a golf ball, walked from the tee to his ball, etc. My assumption was that if David learned to make relaxed breathing his top priority, this would automatically reduce the muscle tension, racing thoughts and anxiety that interfered with his game.

When David and I began working together, he was an enthusiastic but average golfer. A year later, he was invited to play in his club's championship tournament. Equally important, in addition to improving his game, David had learned how to make golf something he deeply enjoyed. Whether or not he shot the perfect score when he played, his goal was always to us breath awareness to feel more effortless. And so long as he kept that goal in mind, his game gradually improved.

Keeping the stress out of your life. The head of a summer camp came to me at one point because daily stresses were contributing to neck problems and bronchial infections. Ellen was fascinated by the idea of using relaxed breathing as a centerpiece of her life. I remember her telling me about going to meet an old friend at an art exhibit. She and her friend reacted quite differently to the exhibit, and they started arguing about it. Then she noticed that the minute she started arguing, her body tightened up.

Ellen focused on using breath awareness to let her body relax, and she decided to let go of an argumen if it made her tense. As things turned out, when she did this, she and her friend communicated their differences much better. Ellen was amazed that simply focusing on staying more balanced inside helped her communicate more effectively. She also enjoyed herself more.

What is the bottom line in all these stories? When you used breathing to make your inner state – how you feel inside – more important than what you accomplish – how much you get done, how many people you impress, how many tennis balls you hit, or whatever it might be – you end up performing at a higher level. And – you find much greater pleasure in what you do.

Here are a few tips for learning how to breathe in a deeply relaxed way:

1. Place one hand over your belly, and one over your chest, and notice where you feel the breath. When you breathe in a relaxed way, your chest will stay fairly quiet, while your belly expands. Practice breathing gently into your belly until it becomes a habit.
2) Keep in mind that when your body is fully relaxed, you will breathe between four and six breaths a minute. Notice how many breaths you take. If your norm is between ten and twenty-five breaths a minute, used meditation to gradually slow down and open up your breathing. Chapter 6 of my book, The Art of Effortless Living, describes in detail how to breathe in a relaxed, meditative manner.

3) Begin to incorporate breath awareness into simple activities. When you are showering, preparing breakfast or dinner, cleaning your office or driving your car, notice the quality of your breathing. Is it constricted or shallow? Do you ever stop breathing? See if you can consciously relax into deep, easy breathing in these simple situations. Then graduate into more challenging situations; negotiating with a colleague, meeting a deadline, handling difficult relatives, etc.
http://1sholistic.com/Reading/liv__bacci-improve-breathing.htm

THREE KINDS

Three Kings

The war has just ended, and all Americans and Kuwaitees are seemingly in peace and celebrating the end of the war. It is in the middle of the dessert and some people are just occupying themselves on a hilltop, and it looks like they are expecting something to happen at any moment. There are three towelheads on the top of the hilltop, and they seem to be enjoying themselves in their own manner.
Way on the other side of the dessert, there is an American soldier just standing there and he is wondering what is going on now, now that the war has ceased between the Americans and the Kuwaitees.
“Is the war still going on or what? I am wondering if there is still shooting going on, or if the war really has come to an end.? I guess, by the the guys standing on that hill over there, that it hasn’t?”
So, he shoots his gun at them a few times, and some guy’s head just seems to pop off, and he is dead for sure. So, the American soldier walks over to the hill, and notices that some towelheads look very suspicious to him. He orders them to disrobe, and one man won’t take his orders, and he just stares at the soldier, and wonders what he’ll try to make him do next.
“Come on! I said to disrobe, and take all your clothes off! Come on! That is my order!”
Some other American soldiers also join in along with him and say the same thing, to the towelheads.
Since there is one stubborn one, that won’t listen to him, the soldier says,”I guess, I am going to have to do it myself!”
So, he and a few others disrobe the soldier half way and notice a document in the guy’s buttocks, so one soldier says to one other.”Take that document out of his buttocks, and hand it over to me.”
“No way am I going to do this, without some gloves on!?
So another soldier hands him a white glove.
“Boy, this is something else. This document looks like something valuable.”
“Here, hand it over to me, so I can take a look at it,” says another soldier.
So, the document is handed over to him. And he takes a good look at the map, of some Carbolo caves, which some Kuwaitees have been hiding something valuable in one them, which seems to be some gold bullion in solid gold.
One of the soldiers take some other soldiers to a camp, where the map is laid out on a table, under some photographic light. “Where it seems to be some Carbolo caves along this line where the Kuwaitees have been hiding some gold bullion in.”
“Yes, that I can see,” says another soldier.
The captain, Archie Gates, remarks, “As I can see, putting my hands on this gold, can substitute for working on my job. And, four of us will leave tomorrow in a Hombie, and go on our way to Kuwait, to find this gold and put our hands on it.”
So, early in the morning, the captain, Archie Gates, Troy Barlow, Vic, and Ice Cube leave on their journey to Kuwait, to look for all this gold bullion, which could be worth millions of dollars, and when found, split evenly between them all.
As soon as they reach Kuwait, the three soldiers in back of the Hombie, while they are on the dessert, fire a few rounds, while traveling across the dessert to the Carbolo caves. Soon, the captain hops out of the Hombie, and wonders why the other soldiers were firing so many rounds in the back of the Hombie.
“Well,” said one soldier, “I thought, that you mean’t that we could fire as many rounds as we could while in back of the Hombie.”
So, the captain hops into the Hombie and drives the Hombie the rest of the way to the Carbolo caves in Kuwait, where they begin. As soon as the American soldiers arrived there, they all got out their guns and prepared to get the Kuwaitees in order, as they moved down the steps to where, they thought, the bags of gold were. Upon arriving there, they held their guns out to the Kuwaitees, and those who didn’t cooperate where shot down. But no gold was found down there in the cave, so as they found their way out of the cave, the Captain, Archie Gates remarked, “They lied to us, because there was no gold found down there. In fact, I think, that there is something about that well over there.”
So, they proceeded over to the well and went down the well, and ordered some Kuwaitees in hiding, to stay back, while the American soldiers and Captain Archie Gates went through the bags. And to their amazement, one of them found about four bags of gold bullion down in the well. So, they proceeded to bring the bags up to a truck, that they found near by the well, and headed off for seemingly home, but on the way, they ran into some more Kuwaitees, who the American soldiers and Captain had to fire, to get them to cooperate with them. There, the American soldiers and Captain picked up some refugees, who were trying to escape from the Americans. But they were shot down, and to the despair of the American soldiers and Captain, they were fired at, and the Captain, and two other soldiers were injured. The Captain was injured in the arm and one soldier in the neck and chest and the other soldier in the chest.
The Kuwaitees started another war, and kept firing at the American soldiers and Captain, and finally their Hombie went up in flames and they found themselves running for their lives. A reporter ran into them part of the way, and was told by one of the soldiers, that the gold bullion was in another area. So, she wasn’t aware of the fact, that the gold had already been picked up. She went all over the place, until finally one American soldier told her, that the gold was in the Carbolos caves. But she was too late, by the time she arrived at the caves. The gold was no longer there.
The American soldiers and the Captain, Archie Gates were now in danger. The Captain had to be given some pain reliever in a tent, for his condition, and one of the American soldiers were chased by the Kuwaitees, after his truck had fallen down to its’ side, after being shot down. The captain had gotten away and the American soldier, Troy Barlow, had been kidnapped by the Kuwaitees, and taken to a cave, where he was thrown down the steps by two of the Kuwaitees.
One of the Kuwaitees started to question Troy Barlow, after one of the Kuwaitees had told him to put some clothes on, as he had been partly disrobed by two of the Kuwaitees, after trying to escape them. He had been disrobed down to his longjohns.
“Now, who is this Michael Jackson? Who is he??
“I don’t known what you are talking about,” said Troy Barlow.
“ Now, who is this guy, the one with the white glove?”
“I told you already, I don’t know?”
So, one of the other Kuwaitees down in the cave, put some wire around Troy’s ears, and turned some machine on, to torture him, which made Troy squint in pain.
“Does that hurt? I said, does that hurt you.?”
“Yes, it did, it hurt very much,’ Troy said, squinting.
“Now, are you a father?”
“Yes, I am.”
“And, do you have any kids? Or, are married, at all?”
“Yes, I am married, and I have a kid.”
“What is the kid’s name?”
“His name is Crystal. And, are you also, a father?”
“Yes, I am a father, don’t you remember. My kid was killed when some cement cracked on top of him.”
The Captain and other soldiers were still looking for Troy. The Captain said to some other soldiers, “I can’t seem to find Troy, and I have no idea where he went, because some Kuwaitees must have kidnapped him.”
So, the Captain and other soldiers kept on their search for Troy, while trying to protect themselves from being shot at anymore.
In the meantime, the Kuwaitees started shooting at a truck going by in the dessert, until the truck tipped over, and milk came pouring out of it. When it was, the Captain and other soldiers, toppled over onto the ground, and got soaked with milk. Some of the refugees tried to save some of the milk and one dog started licking some of it up.
“Why did the Kuwaitees do that, and try to shoot down the truck,” one other soldier asked.
The Captain answered, “They did that, because they were trying to starve the refugees,” replied the Captain.
The Captain and the other soldiers, that had gone with him on the trip to find the gold, now were among some Kuwaitees, that cared what happened to them. One said to the Captain, “Did you find the other soldier yet, that has been missing?”
The Captain replied, “ No, we haven’t.”
Now, the Kuwaitee led him and other soldiers down one of the Carbolo caves, and showed them some cars, which were expensive and brand new. “Would you like some cars to use, to bring the refugees across the border? We have all different kinds of cars down here.’
‘Yes, we would, and we need them badly, because we need to bring the refugees across the border, before we can bring all that gold home, and we will have to give some of the gold to the refugees.”
So, some Kuwaitees offered the cars to the American soldiers and Captain Gates, so they could bring as many as possible across the border. Then, some other Kuwaitees helped bring the bags of gold to the cars, that was all the gold that was still left yet.
As the captain and soldiers got part way across the dessert, then, some other Kuwaitees started firing at them and the Captain and soldiers fired them down. So, then, they proceeded to the Carbolos caves, and looking through each one of them, the Captain found Troy, and brought the guy to safety, so he thought he did.
After the soldiers and captain were trying to flee from the Kuwaitees and shooting at those who came in reach of any of them, some of the Kuwaitees blew up the cars till they were on fire, and now, the soldiers and Captain were in again in siege of the Kuwaitees. But anyhow, the Captain was not to think of going home again, until he found Troy.
And, in going through one of the caves, he found Troy, and he looked pretty beaten up, though he hadn’t been, and looked like he could use a new body, plus a few weeks in the hospital.
As soon as the captain got Troy out of kidnapping, after shooting down the Kuwaitees who had held him prisoner, he and the other soldiers soon found themselves in the middle of some more shooting. Vic was shot down in the neck, and well as Troy was shot in the chest, but the Captain had escaped any shooting this time. Vic was lying down on the grass besides Troy, and Vic died because he was bleeding too much, but Troy was bleeding, and his breathing was relieved, by something the Captain had inserted into his belly button, which he had to push down on every fifteen minutes or so.
Before they knew it, some other soldiers were on the way to arrest the Captain and other soldiers, for trying to bring home some gold bullion, and for trying to bring the refugees across the border.
When they got arrested, they were pardoned, because they decided to do jobs for the military. Ice Cube and the Captain got jobs working together, as military consultants, and Troy Barlow started his own carpet company. And the reporter kept on reporting
all over the place, and got an award for reporting on the war between the Kuwaitees and the Americans.

Monday, February 23, 2009

ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES

ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES FOR ANXIETY DISORDERS
Although there is no solid scientific evidence suggesting that any of the altenative therapies can in fact cure anxiety disorders there is no doubt about their beneficial effects on reducing the anxiety levels and diminishing the symptoms of anxiety disorders. There millions of people who suffer from anxiety disorders spending billions of dollars every year trying to take control over their conditions. Many of the pills and medications used in the traditional treatments for anxiety disorders have unpleasant side effects therefore a lot of people don't like taking them. Alternative therapies are a great boon for them. These non traditional therapies and approaches not only help people to reduce the anxiety but at the same time they indirectly improve the overall health and fitness level which is an essential step in overcoming anxiety disorders.
Alternative therapies for anxiety disorders have been around for ages, providing positive, beneficial results to the patients. Recently some new methods and techniques have been developed and few of them have proved to be very effective side tools for treating anxiety disorders. Depending on the individual, some alternative therapies can provide better results than others but they all have very similar goals which are: to relax the muscles and the nerves and to relieve the tensions. Usually, the alternative therapies do not have any negative side effects but if you decide to try out some of them it is still advisable to consult your family doctor first, especially in case where you are already undergoing some other treatment for your anxiety disorder.
One of the alternative therapies to which more and more panic attack victims turn nowadays is phynotherapy. It uses hypnoses in an effort to change the behavioral patterns which are the causes of panic attacks, Below are some of the other alternative therapies which are commonly used to assist the treatment of anxiety disorders and other mental conditions.
Acupressure
Acupressure is a technique, based on the principles of acupuncture, which uses touch or a gentle pressure on specific body parts in an effort to eliminate pain, nausea or tension. This action increases the blood circulation throughout the body and has a beneficial effect of relaxing the muscles and nerves of the entire body. There are some acupoints that can be gently pressed to get relief from anxiety. These points may include Chest (located on the middle of the breastbone), third eye (exactly between your eyebrows in the indentation between forehead and the bridge of nose), Shoulder (top of the shoulder muscle halfway between the tip of shoulder and the spine) etc.
Aromatherapy
Usage of essential oils from flowers, herbs, and trees for reducing the anxiety and stress is another very effective treatment. Many different scents as vanilla, orange blossom, lavender, chamomile, rose, sandalwood, nutmeg and lavender could have indeed a grateful and very calming effect on anxious and mentally disturbed people. These scents can significantly improve the mood and eliminate the tensions, anxiety and worries.
Ayurveda
Ayurveda is an ancient Indian medicinal science. It uses various Ayurvedic herbs like Shatavari, Ashwagandha, and Brahmi which are known to have a positive effect on nervous system and keeping the mood calm. The therapy called 'Panchakarma' is known for its cleansing and rejuvenating effects on mind, consciousness and the whole body in general and it has a good track record of treating the anxiety and anxiety disorders in its unique way. Certain oils and medicated materials poured on the forehead in a particular fashion is very common way of treatment in India and some other South East Asian regions.
Yoga and Breathing Techniques
Latest researches and clinical trials have found that certain yoga postures could be an excellent remedy for anxiety disorders. Some specific yoga postures especially in combination with meditation can produce a very positive outcome for anxiety disorder sufferers. Breathing techniques known as 'Pranayma' have scientifically proven results in treating people with anxiety. Yoga not only helps in eliminating the anxiety but also rejuvenates one's mind. As a result of that, the negative thoughts and feelings of hopelessness are gradually transformed into positive and optimistic ones..
Hydrotherapy
Hydrotherapy is mostly used as a part of psysiotherapy and it consists of various rehabilitation exercises which tend to relieve discomfort and to enhance the healing process but warm baths with certain herbal extracts can also have a very positive effect on reducing the symptoms of anxiety disorders.
There are many other alternative therapies like shiatsu, massage, reflexology, meditations, spiritual therapy, homeopathy etc. which play a very important role in the process of overcoming the anxiety and anxiety disorders.
Http://www.panichub.com/anxiety-disorders-alternative-therapies.html

POST-TRAUMATIC DISTRESS DISORDER

POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER
Alternative Therapies
Because PTSD is an anxiety disorder in which the victim is left tense and jittery, the practice of any exercise or relaxation technique is extremely valuable. Choose one or two techniques that you like and practice them daily.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture has been shown to ease excessive fear reactions and can reduce traumatic dreams. It works best when combined with psychotherapy. Consult an acupuncturist experienced in treating emotional disorders.
Biofeedback
In EEG biofeedback (a form of biofeedback also known a s neurotherapy), the sufferer retrains his brain's neurological functioning. In controlled studies, some veterans who have suffered for decades have shown great improvement. In some cases, they have experienced total recovery. The patient is attached to an EEG machine and, by listening to the kind and amount of brain waves produced, learns to change the in ways that ultimately affect both behavior and feelings.
Eye Movement Therapy
A new treatment-known as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)-seems promising. In some clinical studies, EMDR has reportedly brought dramatic improvement in 90 percent of those tested, and it has become standard treatment in some veterans' hospitals.
The technique is relatively simple. The patient visualizes a distressing image from the traumatic event while tracking with his eyes two fingers the therapist moves quickly back and forth across his line of vision. After each set of movements, the client reports any new feelings or forgotten memories he may have. The therapist then repeats the procedure. Each session lasts about 90 minutes and is repeated as often as needed. One Vietnam veteran reported that EMDR accomplished more in one session than conventional counseling had managed in years.
Massage
Massage has proven effective in lowering anxiety and stress for some natural-disaster victims, but it should not be used with anyone who has been physically abused. Massage should be gentle and is best performed by an experienced therapist.
Relaxation
PTSD can be helped by various forms of relaxation training. Choose the technique that works for you.
Here is a simple progressive relaxation exercise. Sit in a comfortable chair, close your eyes and follow these instructions.
Clench your right fist. Keep it tightly clenched for about ten seconds. Release and let it go limp. Repeat with your left hand, then both hands simultaneously.
Next, bend both your elbows and tense your arms. Relax them and let them hang at your sides.
Tense and then relax both your shoulders and your neck. Wrinkle, then relax your forehead and brows.
Squeeze your eyes shut and clench your jaw, then relax.
Tense and relax your stomach, lower back, both thighs, buttocks, both calves and both feet.
This will take about ten minutes. Do these exercises about twice a day.
Yoga
Yoga and meditation are excellent for lowering stress and anxiety. Follow a regular yoga relaxation program such as sun salutation, yoga nidra, etc. and practice the Shoulderstand sequence slowly. Make sure that you have incorporated in your daily routine at least six yoga poses. When choosing the poses, choose those that require a complete breath movement. This will help make you physically strong and more able to cope with stress and anxiety. Vary the poses from day to day. This will keep your interest high and strengthen different parts of your body.
Holisticonline.com

ELECTROCONVULSIVE THERAPY

ELECTROCONVULSIVE THERAPY
Reality often fails to jibe with movies and books. While psychotherapy and antidepressants have garnered some positive fictional portrayals, electroconvolsive therapy (ECT) typically evokes frightening pictures. More than 30 years after One Flew Over the Cuckoo-s Nest won its Academy Awards, the images from the film linger in many people's minds. Yet ECT remains one of the most effective treatments for severe depression, with responsive rates from 80%-90% for people with major depression. ECT may also be used to treat mania when a person fails to respond to other treatments.
Despite its effectiveness, doctors usually reserve ECT for situations in which several drugs have failed. That's partly because of its technical complexity, and partly because of its negative image.
How ECT works
The discomfort of ECT is roughly equivalent to that of a major surgical procedure. The purpose of ECT is to induce a seizure, which acts as the therapeutic agent. Before receiving treatment, a person is given general anesthesia. Then the doctor places elecatrodes on the patient's scalp and administers an electric current in a brief pulse that causes a seizure. Medicine is given to prevent the muscular effects of the seizure, so there are no obvious convulusions. The seizure is evident only because it registers on an electroencephalographic monitor. The procedure takes a few minutes, after which the person is roused from the anesthesia.
On average, 6-12 treatments are given over several weeks. Contrary to what some people might expect, when there is a good response, the improvement occurs gradually over the course of treatment, rather than all at once. Generally, the response occurs faster than with medications, making ECT a good treatment a good treatment for severely depressed people who may be at very high risk for suicide.
In the best-case scenariio, a prospective patient is well-educated about ECT. Usually, doctors and nurses explain the treatment in detail, and often patients watch videotapes of the procedure. Sometimes other people who have had ECT explain what the experience is like to further demystify it. Patients decide if they want to try ECT only after they have been fully informed about how the procedure works and what its risk and benefits are. Most states have clear safeguards against involuntary ECT treatment.
ECT and memory
The most commonly described side effect of ECT is memory loss. Routinely, patients lose memories of events that occurred just before and soon after treatment. After the treatment concludes, some people will have difficulty remembering things that occurred during the course of treatment. Once all the treatments have ended, relatively few people have persistent memory problems. However, ECT may exaggerate problems in people already having memory trouble.
Other side effects are fleeting. Some people feel a bit sedated or tired on the day of the procedure, or they might have a mild headache or nausea. However, these symptoms might come from the anesthesia rather than ECT itself. To date, no study has shown that ECT causes brain damage.
One drawback to ECT is a relapse rate of about 50% in people treated for severe depression. It may be even higher with so-called double depression (the combination of depression and dysthymia). To help avoid a relapse, a person who responds to ECT might also take an antidepressant medication or mood stabilizer. If dual treatment doesn't work, some people receive maintenance ECT on an outpatient baiis about once a month. Some people with severe depression may have done very well with this approach.
Http://www.everydayhealth.com/emotional-health/depression/electroconvulsive-therapy.aspx

B W C H Thanx

Welcome to all clients and staff of Blue Water Club House. We are a fellowship of men and women who come together to share our experiences, our strengths, and our lives to help each other achieve a greater sense of self respect and dignity. Together we learn coping skills that enable us to face anything that challenges us. Our disabilities are many and serves a wide spectrum of medical science. With the tools we learn and share at BWCH we are able to touch lives outside of our club and teach them that we don't have to be prisoners of our disabilities. We Can, and We Do overcome the obstacles that restrict us from the freedoms that those without disabilities have. In a way, we teach them that we are all equal in our Creator's Eyes. Let's each one us reach out and give thanks everyday to other club members and staff for the commitment, the help, and the love that we all share together. We deserve it. We have earned it. We worked hard for it. And WE OWN IT! May God Bless each one of us. Thank you for being friends, thank you for being my friend.

NEW APPROACHES TO TREATMENT

NEW APPROACHES TO TREATMENT
Two newer treatments are geared toward people who haven't responded well to other, more traditional approaches. While they are somewhat similar to ECT, in that they rely on delivering impulses (electrical or magnetic) to achieve results, neither has the proven track record of ECT.
Vagus nerve stimulation
In the summer of 2005, the FDA approved a device known as the vagus-nerve stimulator, as a treatment for adults with depression who haven't responded to four or more other therapies. Extending from the brain through the chest cavity, the vagus nerve helps control your breathing and is linked to the amygdala, hypothalamus, and other parts of the brain that modulate mood and anxiety. A vagus-nerve stimulator is a surgically implanted device similar to a pacemaker that delivers a small electrical impulse to this nerve for about 30 seconds every five minutes. Although vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) was initially developed as a method for controlling epilepsy, researchers found that it improved mood in some people.
The FDA based its approval on research showing that VNS was safe and effective. One study cited in the FDA approval documents showed that 31% of people getting VNS responded well to the treatment in the first 12 weeks of therapy and 45% did after one year. The most common side effects are cough and neck pain. Many people also find that their voice often becomes hoarse while the stimulator is delivering its impulse. Between impulses, though, the person's voice returns to normal.
Although the VNS device is on the market, VNS is a relatively untested treatment that has not yet been proved effective by randomized, controlled trials. For this reason, the consumer group Public Citizen petitioned the FDA not to approve it. The FDA has mandated that Cyberonics, the company that makes the device, conduct studies to monitor its effectiveness. For the most part, this treatment should be reserved for exceptional cases where many other therapies have been tried without success.
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), is traditional therapy, called repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), is also being tested in several centers. During rTMS, a donut-shaped wand passed along the surface of the scalp focuses magnetic pulses on a small part of the brain. This technique isn't invasive and doesn't cause seizures or require anesthesia, as ECT does. A person undergoing r TMScan sit comfortable in a chair and remain awake during the whole procedure, which takes 30-45 minutes. Usually, it is done once a day for 10 days.
Although results in trials are still inconsistent, the news from what now amounts to a large number of controlled studies is getting better. For example, in one study, using rTMS at different frequencies on different areas of the brain improved depression in people who had not responded to drugs. Researches also have found weekly rTMS helpful to adults with bipolar disorder who are taking lithium.
Http://www.everydayhealth.com/emotional-health/depression/new-approaches-to-treatment...

MAFIA HIT MAN ON THE RUN

Mafia Hit Man On The Run
There was this family of three, the Smiths, who lived together in a mansion. The mansion was made of red brick with a huge porch containing a huge heated pool, one master bedroom, eleven guest bedrooms, two kitchens, two dining rooms, one on the first floor and one on the second floor, a huge living room on the first and second floor, along with two basketball courts off of each side of the curve driveway. All rooms had black leather furniture in them, all the bedrooms contained water beds with wooden shelves at the top of the beds along with two oak dressers, and a side table on both sides of the waterbeds. In the entertainment room, there was two big pool tables, a treadmill, which had two steps on it, and operated, like as if you were walking up stairs, two weight benches including up to two hundred and fifty pound weights, which contained a weighted section on the end of the benches, for exercising the legs, a ski machine, a regular treadmill to either walk or run on, and a basic weight machine, which exercises the whole body, including the legs. In the living room area on both floors, there are eight black leather couches, two glass coffee tables, two flat televisions, along with plenty of black leather lazy boy chairs with lifts on them. On both of the floors, the living room areas connect to the entertainment area, on one side, and, also, connect to the dining area on the other side. The porch area is separated from the living room on the first floor, by glass doors, and all around the porch area, are glass doors, which can be opened in the warm weather to let all the breeze in. Also, in the porch area, are two bamboo tables, with four bamboo chairs around these tables, along with white lounge chairs around the whole porch area, ideal for laying on for just relaxing or for getting a good tan underneath the ceiling, which contains four sun windows built into the ceiling, to let the full rays of the sun in during the day. Except for the porch area, which has a white tiled ceiling, with glass doors all around on three sides, with a portion of white wall on the side, where the glass doors, separating the porch area from the living room area, the rest of the rooms in the house, all have bright red walls and ceilings. The only area in the entire mansion, that doesn’t have sun windows in the ceiling, is the kitchen, to keep the room, from getting too warm during and after the cooking is done for the lunch and dinner meals. And the dining area on both of the floors, contain big oak tables, which have eight oak chairs around each table. And in the kitchen areas on both floors, the counters in the kitchens are huge, and of a reddish white marble, which curve around in the middle of the kitchen areas. Also, this mansion is located on Vine St. in California.
George and Christie, the parents of Nick, both work during the week and hold different jobs. George is an actor and director for Warner Brothers Company, and mostly, makes movies about twice a year. He, usually, receives good pay for each movie, he makes, and, usually, gets ten million dollars for each movie made, but sometimes, when a movie turns out to be bad viewing for the general audience, he is lucky, if he even gets one dollar for that kind of movie. And his latest movie, Syrianna, had a good turnout, so, he ended up, getting at least two million for that movie. When he can’t get a good deal on a movie and won’t accept low pay for it, he tries to get a part in a series for at least one season. But if the program ends up, getting good ratings throughout the whole season, then, he stays with the series for the whole season, for as many seasons, as the program lasts on television.
Backflash
One of the series ER, for several years, that it was running, while he had a good part on the series, he ended up, getting very good pay for his part all the time, he was in the series. But after few years, when his part as Dr.Ross became worn out, when his writers could no longer, think of any more lines for him, to keep being in the series, he, then, went off the show, when Dr. Ross couldn’t get his two contract renewed with the hospital, mostly, being it was a teaching hospital, and he got to the point, where the hospital couldn’t continue, keeping him on staff as a doctor, anymore. So, when his contract with the hospital, couldn’t be renewed, he left the staff of the hospital, and went on with his life, getting a new job in a city, quite far away from that hospital; landing the job, mostly, because he, then, was a full-fledged doctor and no longer a resident. In no longer being a resident, is what made him, have to move on to a different location, and have to leave his girlfriend, behind, even though, the two had been planning to get married, sometime, in the future. And then, in a future episode, the two got reunited, when his girlfriend, formerly, a nurse with the teaching hospital, had twin babies, but had to leave them behind with her mother, so, she could go back to Doug. That was, being that keeping the babies would have gotten in the way of getting reunited with Doug, because even though, the babies were Doug’s, too, there would be no way, that the two would be able to stay together, a second time, and his girlfriend stay buried in trying to take care of the twins. If she had brought the twins with her, when she moved back with him, the twins would just have drawn the two apart, again, and it would have turned out to be a hopeless case, in the two trying to stay together in a relationship. That was, mostly, because their relationship has been on the rocks, before, when Doug used to think, that acting boyish towards his girlfriend, would help them, develop a good relationship with each other.
George’s and Christie’s son, Nick, just graduated from high school, and at the present time is lead singer and lead guitarist for the band, Glass Mountain. Most of the year, the band would hold their concerts in the eastern part of California, and sometimes, they would go on tours during the warmer months of the year, especially, in the spring, and have been on tour, already, all over the United States, especially, in Florida, where during the winter months, it has been the best time with good temperatures, similar to the summertime, and not too hot, that it makes you sweat. When it gets hot down in Florida, you, only, feel hot, and don’t sweat, easily, unless you are into some heavy physical activity, or are out in the sun too long especially, without a sunscreen on.
When the weather was just right and warm enough, the band, Glass Mountain, they held their concerts in the porch area of the mansion, and could get a good tan at the same time, as long, as they, always, took the time, to put on a good sunscreen before playing their music. The porch area was roomy enough, to hold all the band’s equipment needed at the time of their practice sessions, so, the band could hold many practice sessions, there, as long as it wasn’t foggy outside. That was being that fog brought on smog, and during warm weather, when the glass doors to the porch were open, it could put a damper on their practice sessions. The smog could roll in and make it very difficult, for the band to hold a practice session, being it would make it hard for the band members to even see their equipment and lead sheets. And the lead sheets, especially, would turn damp, and possibly, ruin the lead sheets, so, the members of the band, playing their instruments or even just singing at the time, would, soon, be unable to finish that practice session. So, during those kinds of days, the band would have to go into the basement in order to get in enough practice for the day and part of the afternoon.
But during the summertime, when the smog and storms were at their worst, the band couldn’t play their music in the basement, being that if lightening struck the house, while they attempted to play their instruments, it could short out all the instruments in the basement at the time. And then, that would ruin all practice sessions until they could get out to get new equipment, to use, or keep instruments that didn’t require electricity to play, in the basement at all times, so, the band could, still, play their music, but wouldn’t have access to speakers or even synthesizers, which, always, seem to enrich their music, when used.
Rather than take chances of their equipment, shorting out during a thunderstorm, or getting wet from smog in the air, most of the time, during the summer and during other warm months, the band, usually, had to go to a studio for their practice sessions. But going to the studio, would cost a pretty penny, so, then, most of the time, especially, during the summertime, the band would practice at summer camp in another area of California. And summer camp would be a lot better place, to hold practice sessions at and, to, also, do concerts. So, since, it was in the peak of summer at this time, the band, Glass Mountain decided to leave and go to the other side of California, to hold some concerts for the summer. And there, the weather was a lot nicer, and there were fewer storms, if any, and no smog, whatsoever, there, at this time of year.
So, one bright and sunny, clear day in June, the weather was perfect for traveling, and also, a perfect time to take off to summer camp. There wasn’t even one cloud in the sky, and the sky seemed to be a pure blue, except where the sun was shining, bright rays of sun down to earth. There wasn’t even a drop of moisture in the sky, and there wasn’t any rain forecast for the rest of the day or even the evening, either, for the next few days and nights. It was a warm morning and the temperatures were, already, in the fifties, and definitely, would be much warmer, once, the group, Glass Mountain, arrived at summer camp.
So, the group, Glass Mountain, met at the mansion, after everybody had a good breakfast and some stiff coffee, to keep them all awake throughout most of the trip to summer camp. At that neither George nor Christie were home at the time, being that both of them, were away, enjoying a weekend in a classy motel in Florida, probably, in the section, where there were fabulous resorts to stay in, to just enjoy staying at, and getting some exercise out on the lake, or even catching a bus to one of the theme parks in Disney World, to do a lot of walking, and catch some of the attractions and rides, which make up these theme parks. It was a good day for walking and was going to be a good one in the evening, too, with temperatures in the sixties in Florida, while back in California, temperatures, already, were in the upper sixties. And the temperatures were going to creep up to the eightys towards the ninetys all week long in the Disney World area of Florida, while the temperatures were going to be in the upper seventies in California, where the Glass Mountain was going to be heading for on the trip, once, Glass Mountain reached the summer camp.
In Florida, neither George nor Christie were planning on spending much time on the beach, if any, at all, being the weather was going to be too hot to lay out in the sun for long periods of time, which both just loved doing, once, at a beach, somewhere. Most of their time was spent in the motel, keeping cool and having as much as they could get in as far as romance was concerned. And when they were in the mood for it, they would spend a lot of time, making love after having some hot romance every night, if they could get it in, without getting too tired, afterwards. Romance and making love was all for them, just to kill the weekend away. That was, being that they both were in good spirits most of the time, while gone at the resort, and feeling like their worlds were joined together in perfect harmony.
Back at the mansion, the group, Glass Mountain, was in the process of packing their things in Nick’s sporty orange Mustang. They packed all the equipment and instruments needed for their concerts in a black trailer, which had three sides to it, along with a moving ramp. This moving ramp was of a black color, folded up on the trailer, to keep anything packed into the trailer, from falling out of the trailer, while it would be moving at any time. Also, the group couldn’t fit all their suitcases and other things in the trunk, being all of it wouldn’t fit into the trunk, so, the boys set some of the suitcases into the trailer, and then, Nick pushed the ramp back up, until it was locked, securely.
Now, all the boys in the group, Glass Mountain, were more than ready, to take off on their trip to the other side of California. So, they all hopped into Nick’s car, feeling like a guardian angel was with them, and was going to be flying along the car, all the while, it was moving, until they could reach their destination. Since, the car was a convertible, and it was, now, warm enough, outside, to catch the breeze, while the boys were traveling, Nick put the top down on the car, and then, they all took off for the other side of California in good spirits. Drinking a beer, while they all had been packing their things for the trip, was responsible, for putting the boys into good spirits. With all the boys having a beer in hand, except for Nick at this time, being he was the driver, they all took for their destination, the summer camp. While on the road, the breeze was swooshing on them from the front of the car, giving them all the feeling, as if they were floating away with the wind, as the strong breeze hit their faces, and made their hair, go wild in the wind.
The trip took them, a few hours, to get to the summer camp, so, they had to make a few stops on the way, there. A couple of the stops were rest stops and to get a cup of coffee, and the rest of the stops, were to stop at a restaurant to get in the early evening, where they all ordered fish and chips and coffee. After the boys from Glass Mountain, had finished eating, they all filed into Nick’s car, and took off for the summer camp, only, a half hour away.
Before the boys realize it, Nick was pulling the car into the parking lot, which by this time, was full of cars and he was lucky, to even get a parking space, which was a few minutes from the summer camp. Upon all the boys, getting out of the car, they had a bell boy, who had been waiting near the parking lot for the group, load all their bags and things on a luggage cart, while another one, loaded their equipment and instruments into a truck. One bell boy drove the equipment and instruments right to the big building, where the group, Glass Mountain, would be have all their concerts during their stay at summer camp. The other bell boy wheeled the luggage cart right over, to where the cabins were, to where the boys would be staying for the duration of their stay at summer camp. And all the cabins were nearby, so, the bell boy didn’t have too far to go. As the bell boy wheeled the luggage, the boys followed, and went right to their cabins.
Being the big building, where all the entertainment was held, was close by, after the boys all changed into some more comfortable clothes, they all met, shortly, over at the big building. There at the building, all their equipment were warmed up, already, so, the boys from Glass Mountain, could, immediately, start practice, and got in a few hours of practicing that evening, being they, still, had plenty of time, for their practicing, that night. They all rehearsed some old songs, plus some new ones, which Nick, recently, had written with the help of one of the other boys in the group. And another boy had arranged and put music to the new songs, so, when the boys got to the building, the new songs were, already, to be played and sung.
The guys from Glass Mountain, spent all their nights, rehearsing all the music, which they had brought with them, which took at least three hours to cover all the songs. In that time, they had some instrumentals to play, so, they, always, included these instrumentals in their practice time, every single night. And in the mornings, they held their concerts, and then, spent, mostly, their afternoons, relaxing by the beach, trying to get good tans, and when, it was, really, hot in the afternoon, the boys spent a lot of time, swimming in the huge heated pool at the summer camp.
One night, when Nick was relaxing in his cabin, just after the group finished their practicing and rehearsing, an uninvited guest, with long brown hair, and a good build, and brown eyes, going by the name of Jack, a hit man for the mafia, showed up, unexpectedly, at his cabin. It was about eleven o’clock at night, when it, already, was dark outside, when this guy, Jack, very suspicious-looking, happen to drop by to see Nick. How he even knew Nick was staying at this cabin, was, really, a mystery to Nick, and he never remembered, meeting this guy, anywhere at any time, before, especially at summer camp. This was, although, Nick could have met him, before, and not remembered ever speaking to him, although, the guys’s name didn’t in the least, seem at all familiar to him at all. As this guy, Jack, appeared at the front door, he knocked on the door, very loudly, scaring Nick in some way, so, Nick wouldn’t even open the door, until this guy, almost, pushed the door in. Only, then, did Nick answer the door, and then, Jack, suddenly, changed into a different person, and told Nick, he was sorry for making so much noise, but, only, had done so, being Nick hadn’t answered the door on the first couple of knocks. Nick was shaking like a leaf at this time, and Jack could sense this in him, so, he went ahead for no reason at all, and placed a threat on his family and group friends. He threatened to kill him, his family and also, all his group friends, unless Nick cooperated with him. Jack let Nick know, that he would think, about trying to spare all of their lives, as long as he let him in free for the rest of his groups’ concerts. And if Nick didn’t go along with Jack, and let the ticket guy over at the building, know, that Jack was a special friend of his, and that for this reason, he wanted to see, that Jack was let in free for the rest of Glass Mountain’s concerts for the duration of their stay, here, at summer camp. So, even though, he was, still shaking and nervous, Nick let Jack know, that he would see to it, that he didn’t have to pay to get in the building, to see any more of his concerts, and that he would call up the ticket guy, tonight, and let him know, that he was going to lose his job, unless he let in Jack in free for the rest of Glass Mountain’s concerts. Jack, then, didn’t even say another word, being he was afraid, to ask Jack, why he was putting a threat on his family, friends, and, also, him, and if someone had brainwashed him, into getting down on Nick, his friends, and his family. So, then, Jack left as quickly, as he had appeared at the door, and never encountered Nick, again, all the while, he and his group were at the summer camp. Not even during the rest of Glass Mountain’s concerts, did he ever, again, come in contact with Nick, or even the rest of the group. During the rest of the groups; concerts, Jack, just merely, sat in the audience, like if he never had met Nick or even his group, before, and didn’t even yell out one word to the group, all the time, they were in concert. Now, even though, Jack hadn’t said anymore to Nick, since, that night, he had encountered Nick at his cabin, Nick and his friends were, still, in danger, and Nick was aware of this, all the time, he and his group were at summer camp.
So, the next morning after the last concert for the season at summer camp, all the members of the group, Glass Mountain, were too scared for their lives. So, in knowing, that all their lives were in danger, and possibly, even Nick’s parents, they weren’t feeling like themselves at all. In fact, they were very scared to even return to George’s mansion. But the group took off for home, just after the bell boys loaded all their stuff into the trailer and into the truck of Nick’s car, and all of Glass Mountain had hopped into Nick’s car, and Nick put the top down on the convertible, being it, already, was warm enough, to catch some fresh air, which, mostly, was felt, as Nick was driving on the main thoroughfare.
The bell boys had been very good about transferring all their stuff from the building, and from all the cabins, the boys had stayed at, during their stay at summer camp. So, Nick had given both of the bell boys, good tips, for doing a good job, in protecting their equipment and instruments over at the entertainment during the whole stay for the group at summer camp.
Upon hopping into Nick’s car, and him, putting the top down on the convertible, they all took off for George’s mansion, and the trip took about five hours to get there, and the Glass Mountain, only, made two stops, one to get some breakfast, and another one, to get some lunch at a carry out place, which they all ate in the restaurant.
As soon as they all arrived at George’s mansion, they all got of Nick’s car, and ran inside, to relax for awhile on leather couches, but within a half hour, except for Nick, who was too scared to leave the mansion, at this time, the rest of Glass Mountain unpacked their luggage into a red and white van, which the rest of Glass Mountain had come to Nick’s house in. And the equipment and instruments were left in the trailer until the next morning, and the trailer, then, was taken into the garage, with Nick driving the car, which was pulling all these things into the garage. Upon arriving in the garage, he hopped out of the car, and went through the garage through a side door in the garage into the living to join the rest of the group.
As he entered the house, neither of his parents were home, and the mansion appeared to be disheveled. So, as the rest of the group were resting on leather couches and chairs, he, immediately, called the cops, and left a report at the station, about his father’s mansion having been disheveled, and, possibly, that his parents had been kidnapped, while the Glass Mountain was gone on their trip to summer camp. And a couple cops came out, that evening, to check out the place, but couldn’t find out any clues, leading to his parents’ disappearance. So, the cops made out reports on the situation, and also, what Nick had encountered, while at summer camp, about that hit guy from the Mafia. And that guy could have something, to do with Nick’s parents’ disappearance, too, and could have broken into the place, while the group was gone, and left the place, disheveled, and could have taken anything from the mansion, that Nick was unaware of at the time, of being gone or tampered with. Since the cops could find some information, leading to whoever could be responsible, for his parents’ disappearance, or anything of his parents’ or his, found missing, after a more thorough search, during the rest of the night, and from now on, the place was kept, constantly, guarded. But neither Nick nor the cops could find a phone or even an address, to where his parents might have gone. And when one of the cops went back to the police station, Nick’s parents were reported as missing from when the group, first, left for their trip to summer camp.
Upon having gone inside the mansion, even the rest of Glass Mountain had grown scared for their lives and for Nick’s too, and were, still, feeling like their worlds were closing in on them, and were going to suffocate them in some way, if Nick’s parents or that Mafia hit guy, Jack, weren’t found, soon. So, even that cops were, now, all around the mansion, guarding it, Nick’s friends, still, were feeling scared, inside, so, they all, quickly, ran out the door of the mansion, and over to the van. As the boys, all, were, running over to the van, Jack, the hit man from the Mafia, seemed to appear from nowhere, so, the boys never made it to the van, and were frozen in their paths. Now, the whole group, really, were in immediate danger for their lives, and were lost as what to do at this time.
Jack ordered all of Nick’s friends to their knees, and none of them, were prepared for this one, either. But Nick, still, was inside the mansion, so, Jack didn’t know, that Nick was hiding inside the mansion at this time. Now, the whole group were in immediate danger for their lives, and Nick didn’t know this at the time, being he thought, that his friends, all, had made it safely home by now. But Nick hadn’t missed the sounds of Jack’s motorcycle pulling up into the driveway, which was, what made him, feel like hiding at this time. So, he just looked out the front window, hoping that all his friends’ lives would be spared, this time. But as Nick noticed each one of his friends, on his knees, he knew, they were all feeling, as if they were scared. And as if the earth was ready to cave in on them and crushing them to pieces, any time, now. Being all Nick’s friends were, still, on their knees, they were afraid to get up, for fear, that this guy might pull something else on them, tonight.
But Jack walked up, stealthily, to each member of Glass Mountain, except for Nick, who, still, was hiding inside the mansion, and afraid to come out the door, for fear, that Jack might shoot him down, and mercifully, too. Now, he was afraid, that Jack was about to pull some dirty trick on each of his friends, and he didn’t want to be outside, to witness anything, Jack could pull on his friends, so, he closed the drapes.
Upon him, closing the drapes, he heard something, he dreaded to hear, and that was some shots from a gun. So, as he opened them, again, Jack was walking up to each member of Glass Mountain, and shooting each one, with no mercy, whatsoever, until each one was stone dead. Then, as quickly, as he had come to the mansion on his motorcycle, he was about to jump back on his motorcycle at the time, but he knew better than that, from having been a hit man for some time.
Unexpectedly for Nick, he snuck up to the front door of the mansion, with something up his sleeve and being suspicious-looking and acting very sly. He, then, knocked on the door, very loudly, and then, Nick went up to the main front door, and peaked out the eye hole, noticing that it was Jack, at the door. Nick, then, opened the door, slowly, and demanded what he wanted at this time. But Jack just looked at Nick with a suspicious and evil eye, and pointed his gun at him, as Nick backed away, but Jack spared his life, being he trusted him, in not knowing where parents had gone to, being that he hadn’t even seen the whereabouts of any of them, even before he had left for summer camp with his group, a few days ago.
Then, without saying another word to Nick, ran over to his motorcycle, as if Nick was planning to shoot him in self-defense, and then, Jack, quickly, took off on his motorcycle, before any of the cops, guarding the mansion at the time, could even have a chance to catch up to him. A couple of the cops did chase him down the road, but lost him, as he disappeared around the curve of the dirt road. Then, both cops lost track, of where Jack went to, so, both of the cops drove back to the mansion, feeling disappointed, that they weren’t able to catch Jack, in knowing, that he was very dangerous in being a hit man for the Mafia, even though, they knew, he had been brain washed to kill, and was kidnapped by the Mafia at a young age.
Then, about an hour later, Jack had the guts to drive back to the mansion, even though, he knew, it was being guarded all around by cops night and day. And this time, he knocked on the mansion door, for the second time, and when Nick opened the door, very slowly, Jack grabbed Nick by the collar, and then forced him, to go with him this time on the motorcycle, if he wanted to save his neck. And at this time, Nick was feeling, like his stomach was crawling. But what he didn’t know at this time, was that his mom wasn’t in the hands of the Mafia; that she had moved to another house, and had gone into hiding, just after Glass Mountain had left for their trip to summer camp, a few days ago. And that his dad had been forced to launder money, after being kidnapped by the Mafia, recently, as he was on his way to work.
So, Jack wanted to stay alive, so, he jumped up on Jack’s motorcycle, and Jack sped along the streets, until they reached the Mafia house on Jack’s motorcycle. Upon them, reaching the red brick circular house, Jack and Nick hopped off the motorcycle, and Jack led Nick inside the Mafia house to the room, where his dad was being held. He appeared very frail-looking, and looking as if he hadn’t slept in days, being there were circles under his eyes. He didn’t appear to be himself at all, and couldn’t even say one word to Nick, being the cat had his tongue. He was on job, laundering money for the Mafia, but as soon as Jack entered the room, he grabbed George by the arms, and tied him up in the corner with tape over his mouth, so, he couldn’t cry for help at all. Upon seeing his dad, Nick broke down into tears and started crying, uncontrollably. He couldn’t bear, seeing his dad in this condition, so, he had to walk outside.
Then, Jack made him, get up onto the motorcycle just behind him on the seat, and sped off again, taking Nick back home to an empty mansion. And he wasn’t shot at all by Jack, which he found very surprising at the time, being Jack had pointed his gun at Nick, just before taking off for the Mafia house. Then, Jack looked Nick, very suspiciously, and then, without another word, jumped back onto his motorcycle and took off for the Mafia house, or to wherever he had planned to go.
That night, on which Jack had taken Nick back to the mansion, from the Mafia headquarters, he had left as quickly as he had showed up at the mansion. But he, still, threatened to kill Nick’s mom and dad, if he could track them down, which he never was able to do, anyways.
Then, soon after Jack had taken Nick back home to the mansion, where he was living all alone and in a world of uncertainty and confusion, Jack showed up at the mansion, again. This time, Jack was planning to shoot Nick down in cold blood, whatever it took to accomplish it, if Nick didn’t let Jack in on where his parents were hiding.
Soon, George was able to contact Nick, after he was able to sneak out of the Mafia house, one, sullen night and get to a pay phone. He let Nick know, that he was free from the Mafia, but could be taken to jail for laundering money against his own free will. But to protect his skin, anyways, he couldn’t give Nick, the address, to where he and his mom were hiding at this time.
Again, one day, Jack showed up at the mansion on his motorcyle, and was walking up to Nick, who was walking all over the place, especially, around the grassy area, looking for clues to his friends’ deaths. At the same time, his parents with some cops, unexpectedly, showed up at the mansion. Nick was running around the outside of the mansion, trying to escape danger. Just then, Nick took a shot at Jack, who was darting all around the top of the garage, and Nick just happened to catch him in the right spot for a good aim with his gun. Nick shot at Jack, until he fell down dead from the garage.
The cop felt for life in Jack, but he was stone dead. Then, the cops took the body away to the morgue. Nick and his family, were, completely, out of the hands of the Mafia for good, now. Two cops busted the Mafia house, and took the whole Mafia to prison. All Mafia members would be serving a life sentence, once, convicted of crime, in having several warrants against them. As Nick’s dad was forced to launder money at the Mafia house to save his skin, all charges against him, were dropped.

Friday, February 20, 2009

IMPROVE YOUR HABITS

IMPROVE YOUR HABITS
What else can you do to control your GERD symptoms? Changing your sleep habits is essential. Try not to lie down for at least three hours after you've eaten. That's when your stomach acids are most active. Also, elevating your bed can lessen your heartburn and help you get more restful sleep. You must actually prop up the end of the bed where your head rests. Using extra pillows won't do the trick—the whole bed frame must be elevated. You can do this by slipping a four-by-four board, or phonebooks that are about four inches high, under two of the bedposts. You might need help to do this, but it takes only a minute. By following these steps, your heartburn and your sleep should improve.
Get Moving
Some people find that taking walks after meals helps to calm their heartburn. This is also a good way to boost your metabolism to help you lose weight. Plus, a light workout can improve your emotional well-being. Studies have shown that stress can worsen heartburn. By addressing the cause of any stress and figuring out ways to cope with it, you can also lessen your heartburn. Give yoga or meditation, a try. And take the time to talk to your friends and family about anything that's bothering you – that's what loved ones are there for.
Quit Smoking
It goes without saying that if you smoke, you should quit. But if you've been putting off quitting, know that smoking is thought to stimulate the stomach to produce more acid than normal—making your heartburn even worse.

GREEN ACRES APARTMENTS

CONSIDER FOR NEWSLETTER
“GREEN ACRES APARTMENTS”
The property land which my husband and I live on, now (for years), is called “Green Acres Apartments;and these apartments are located in the City of Sandusky, WEST across the street from the Sanilac County 4-H Fairground.
We live in the Green Acres Apartments property since Aug., 2001 and WE LOVE IT THERE/HERE, since 2001.
It's a safe property and it's always in good shape and condition!!
Written by A.W.

BUSINESS MEETINGS

CONSIDER FOR NEWSLETTER
BUSINESS MEETINGS
I like going to business meetings (conferences) of clubhouses and supported' because I'm #1) interested in going to meetings, since I used to be on 3 04 4 Sanilac County Boards in the past, and #2) that way, I can get all sorts of information found out about different types of certain subjects; plus on top of that, get some paper collection about the certain subjects.
The meetings that I go to are usually OVERNIGHT meetings located on Hotel properties, inside the Hotel buildings.
While I'm far, far (or long, long) distance away from home, where my husband and I live (Sandusky); in other words, when I go to traveling meetings, then my husband stays home by himself and watches TV mainly, all day.
Written by A.W.

WAL-MART

CONSIDER FOR NEWSLETER
WAL – MART
A “Shopping Center Store” named/called WAL – MART (located in Sandusky; West from M-19, on M-46) is a very, very good/fun and JOYFUL place to go to for all sorts of good reasons (legal).
There are “additional” departments (for customers). My husband and I go to that location/property (WAL – MART) a few times a week, every morning, except on my two general clubhouse days where I “volunteer work.” We go there also, in late-afternoons/evenings once or twice every week!!
We get our prescribed medications from there, except groceries and other purchases. So, that's how we got the attention to go shopping at the WAL – MART Business location, ONLY; except the parts that must get ORDERED out of a catalog, when we need to get some SPECIAL, that needs to be connected with the parts (of one subject ) that we bought from them 9WAL – MART).
Written by A.W.

SPRING QUOTES

QUOTATIONS ABOUT SPRING
Springtime is the land awakening. The March winds are the morning yawn.-Quoted by Lewis Grizzard in Kathy Sue Loudermilk, I Love You
Spring is nature's way of saying, “Let's party!”-Robin Williams
Spring makes its own statement, so loud and clear that the gardener seems to be the only one of the instruments, not the composer.-Geoffrey B. Charlesworth
April prepares for her green traffic light and the world thinks Go.-Christopher Morley, John Mistletoe
Hee that is in a towne in May loseth his spring.-George Herbert
It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade.-Charles Dickens
Everything is blooming most recklessly; if it were voices instead of colors, there would be an unbelievable shrieking into the heart of the night. - Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters of Rainer Maria Rilke
It's spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you've got it, you want – oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but is just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!-Mark Twain
Hoe while it is spring, and enjoy the best anticipations. It is not much matter if things do not turn out well.-Charles Dudley Warner
Awake, thou wintry earth -
Fling off thy sadness!
Fair vernal flowers, laugh forth
Your ancient gladness!
-Thomas Blackburn, “An Easter Hymn”
I love spring anywhere, but if I could choose I would always greet it in a garden. - Ruth Stout
No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow. - Proverb
Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush. - Doug Larson
Science has never drummed up quite as effective as a tranquilizing agent as a sunny spring day. - W. Earl Hall
If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome. - Anne Bradstreet
The year's at the spring
And day's at the morn;
Morning's at seven'
The hillside's dew-pearled;
The lark's on the wing;
The snail's on the thorn;
God's in His heaven -
All's right with the world!
-Robert Browning
No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn. - Hal Borland
Spring shows what God can do with a drab and dirty world. - Virgil A. Kraft
April is a promise that May is bound to keep. - Hal Borland
Where man sees but withered leaves,
God sees sweet flowers growing.
-Albert Laighton
That God once loved a garden we learn in Holy writ.
And seeing gardens in the Spring I well can credit it.
'Winifred Mary Letts
In June as many as a dozen species may burst their buds on a single day. No man can heed all of these anniversaries; no man can ignore all of them. - Aldo Leopold
In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt. - Margaret Atwood
Indoors or out, no one relaxes in March, that month of wind and taxes, the wind will presently disappear, the taxes last us all the year. - Ogden Nash
And Spring arose on the garden fair,
Like the Spirit of Love felt everywhere'
And each flower and herb on Earth's dark brease
rose from the dreams of its wintry rest.
-Percy Bysshe Shelley, “The Sensitive Plant”
Every spring is the only spring – a perpetual astonishment. - Ellis Peters
Spring is sooner recognized by plants than by men. - Chinese Proverb
The naked earth is warm with Spring,
And with green grass and bursting trees
Leans to the sun's kiss glorying,
And quivers in the sunny breeze.
-Julian Grenfell
In the spring I have counted one hundred and thirty-six different kinds of weather inside of four and twenty hours. - Mark Twain
O, wind, if winter comes, can spring be far behind? - Percy Bysshe Shelley
I think that no matter how old or infirm I may become, I will always plant a large garden in the spring. Who can resist the feelings of hope and joy that one gets from participating in nature's rebirth? - Edward Giobbi
Spring has returned. The Earth is like a child that knows poems. - Rainer Maria Rilke
The sun was warm but the wind was chill.
You know how it is with an April day.
Robert Frost
To be interested in the changing seasons is a happier state of mind than to be hopelessly in love with spring. - George Santayana
The first day of spring is one thing, and the first spring day is another. The difference between them is sometimes as great as a month. - Henry Van Dyke
If you've never been thrilled to the very edges of your soul by a flower in spring bloom, maybe your soul has never been in bloom. - Audra Foveo
Spring is not the best of seasons.
Cold and flu are two good reasons;
wind and rain and other sorrow,
warm today and cold tomorrow.
-Author Unknown
April hath put a spirit of youth in everything. - William Shakespeare
The day the Lord created hope was probably the same day he created Spring. - Bern Williams
Yesterday the twig was brown and bare;
To-day the glint of green is there;
Tomorrow will be leaflets spare;
I know no thing so wondrous fair,
No miracle so strangely rare.
I wonder what will next be there!
-L.H. Bailey
If I had my life to live over, I would start barefoot earlier in the spring and stay that way later in the fall. - Nadine Stair
Poor, dear, silly Spring, preparing her annual surprise! - Wallace Stevens
The first day of spring was once the time for taking the young virgins into the
fields, there in dalliance to set an example in fertility for nature to follow. Now
we just set the clocks an hour ahead and change the oil in the crankcase. - E.B. White, “Hot Weather,”
One Man's Meat, l944
Verses in spring.
-Violet Gartenlicht
Now every field is clothed with grass, and every tree with leaves; now the woods put forth their blossoms, and the year assumes its gay attire. - Virgil
First a howling blizzard woke us,
Then the rain came down to soak us,
And now before the eye can focus -
Crocus. - Lilja Rogers
In springtime, love is carried on the breeze. Watch out for flying passion or kisses whizzing by your head. - Emma Racine deFleur
May is a pious fraud of the almanac. - James R. Lowell
You can't see Canada across lake Erie, you know it's there. It's the same with spring. You have to have faith, especially in Cleveland. - Paul Fleischman
People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring. - Rogers Hornsby
The seasons are what a symphony out to be; four perfect movements in harmony with each other. - Arthur Rubenstein
http://www.quotegarden.com/spring.html

ST. PATRICK'S DAY

ST. PATRICK'S DAY – CELEBRATING THE GREEN
ST. PATRICK IS BELIEVED TO HAE DRIVEN THE SNAKES FROM IRELAND. ONCE A PAGAN HIMSELF, ST. PATRICK IS ONE OF CHRISTAINITY'S MOST WIDELY KNOWN FIGURES.
THE MODERN SECULAR HOLIDAY IS BASED ON THE ORIGINAL CHRISTAIN SAINT'S FEAST DAY ALSO THOUGHT TO BE THE DATE OF THE SAINT'S DEATH. IN 1737, IRISH IMMIGRANTS TO THE UNITED STATES BEGAN OBSERVING THE HOLIDAY PUBLICLY IN BOSTON AND HELD THE FIRST ST. PATRICK'S DAY PAR ADE IN NEW YORK IN 1766.
TODAY, THE TRADITION CONTINUES WITH PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS AND HERITAGES BY WEARING GREEN, EATING IRISH FOOD AND ATTENDING PARADES. ST. PATRICK'S DAY IS BURSTING WITH FOLKLORE FROM THE SHAMROCK TO THE LEPRECHAUN AND TO PINCHING THOSE THAT ARE NOT WEARING GREEN.
The First Parade
ST. PATRICK'S DAY is celebrated on March 17th, his religious feast day and the anniversary of his death in the fifth century. The Irish have observed this day as a religious holiday for thousands of years.
On ST. PATRICK'S DAY, which falls DURING THE CHRISTIAN season of Lent, Irish FAMILIES would traditionally attend church in the morning and celebrate in the afternoon. LENTEN prohobitions against the consumption of meat were waived and people would dance, drink and feast—on the traditional meal of Irish bacon and cabbage.
The first ST. PATRICK'S DAY parade took place not IRELAND, but in the United States. IRISH soldiers serving in the ENGLISH military marched through New York City on March 17th 1762. Along with their music the parade helped the soldiers serving to reconnect with their IRISH roots. As well as fellow IRISHMEN serving in the ENGLISH army.
NO IRISH NEED APPLY
Up until the mid—Nineteenth Century, most IRISH immigrants in AMERICA were members of the protestant middle class. When the great potato famine hit IRELAND in 1845, close to a million poor, uneducated, Catholic IRISH began to pour into AMERICAN TO ESCAPE starvation. DESPISED for their religious beliefs and funny accents by the AMERICAN protestant majority, the IMMIGRANTS had trouble finding even menial jobs. When IRISH AMERICANS in the country's cities took to the streets on ST. PATRICK'S DAY to celebrate their heritage, newspapers portrayed them in cartoons as drunk, violent monkeys. However, the IRISH soon began to realize that their great numbers endowed them with a political power that had yet to be exploited. They started to organize, and their voting black, known as the “green machine” became an important swing vote for political hopefuls. Suddenly, annual ST. PATRICK'S DAY parades became a show of strength for IRISH AMERICANS as well as a must attend event for a slew of political candidates. In 1948 President Truman attended New York City's ST. PATRICK'S DAY PARADE, a proud moment for the many IRISH whose ancestors had to fight stereotypes and racial prejudice to find acceptance in AMERICA.
WEARING OF THE GREEN GOES GLOBAL
Today, ST. PATRICK'S DAY is celebrated by people of all backgrounds in the United States, CANADA AND AUSTRALIA ALTHOUGH NORTH AMERICAN IS HOME to the largest productions, ST. PATRICK'S DAY HAS BEEN CELEBRATED IN OTHER LOCATIONS FAR FROM IRELAND, INCLUDING JAPAN, SINGAPORE, AND AUSTRALIA.
IN MODERN-DAY IRELAND, ST. PATRICK'S DAY HAS TRADITIONALLY BEEN A RELIGIOUS OCCASION. IN FACT, UP TO THE 1970''S, IRISH LAWS MANDATED THAT PUBS BE CLOSED ON MARCH 17TH. BEGINNING IN 1995, HOWEVER THE IRISH GOVERNMENT BEGAN A NATIONAL CAMPAIGN TO USE ST. PATRICK'S DAY HAS AN OPPORUNITY TO DRIVE TOURISM AND SHOWCASE IRELAND TO THE REST OF THE WORLD. LAST, CLOSE TO ONE MILLION PEOPLE TOOK PART IN IRELAND'S ST. PATRICK'S DAY FESTIVAL IN DUBLIN, A MULTI-DAY CELEBRATION FEATURING PARADES, CONCERTS, OUTDOOR THEATER PRODUCTIONS AND FIREWORKS SHOWS.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

ANXIETY ATTACKS VS. PANIC ATTACKS

ANXIETY VS. PANIC: WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE
The Similarities and Distinctions
The terms anxiety attack and panic attack are often used interchangeably to mean the same thing. In this sense, the difference is purely a matter of semantics. But from a clinical perspective, panic and anxiety are defined by different featurs.
The DSM-IV-TR uses the term panic attack to describe the hallmark features associated with panic disorder. The term “anxiety attack” is not defined in the DSM-IV-TR. Rather, anxiety is used to describe a core feature of several illnesses indentified under the heading, “Anxiety Disorders.” Disorders under this heading include:
Panic disorder
Agoraphobia without History of Panic Disoder
Specific Phobia
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
The differences between panic and anxiety are best described in terms of the intensity of the symptoms and length of time the predominant symptoms occur.
Panic Attack
During a panic attack, the sysmptoms are sudden and extremely intense. These symptoms usually occur “out of the blue,” peak within 10 minutes and then subside. However, some attacks may last longer or may occur in succession, making it difficult to determine when one attack ends and another begins.
According to the DSM-IV-TR, a panic attack is characterized by four or more of the following symptoms:
palpitations, pounding heart, or accelerated heart rate
sweating
trembling or shaking
sensations of shortness of breath or smothering
feeling of choking
chest pain or discomfort
nausea or abdominal distress
feeling dizzy, unsteady, lightheaded, or faint
feelings of unreality (derealization) or being detached from oneself (depersonalization)
fear of losing control or going crazy
fear of dying
numbness or tingling sensations (paresthesias)
chills or hot flashes
Anxiety
Anxiety, on the other hand, generally intensifies over a peroid of time and is highly correlated to excessive worry. The symptoms of anxiety are very to the symptoms panic attacks and may include:
Muscle tension
Disturbed sleep
Difficulty concentrating
Fatigue
Restlessness
Irritability
Increased startle response
Increased heart rate
Shortness of breath
Dizziness
While some of these symptoms are similar to many of the symptoms associaated with panic attacks, they are generally less intense. Another important distinction is that, unlike a panic attack, the symptoms of anxiety may be presistent and very long lasting—days, weeks or even months.
Whether you're dealing with panic, persistent anxiety or both, effective treatment is available.
Http://panicdisorder.about.com/od/understandingpanic/a/anxvspanic.htm?nl=l

IS IT NORMAL ANXIETY OR IS IT AN ANXIET Y DISORDER?

Is It Normal Anxiety or an Anxiety Disorder?
How Can I Tell the Difference?
Defining Anxiety
According to Kaplan and Sadock, anxiety is a “diffuse, unpleasant, vague sense of apprehension, often accompanied by autonomic symptoms such as headache, persperation, palpatations, tightness in the chest, mild stomach discomfort, and restlessness, as indicated by an inability to sit or stand still for long.”
Anxiety Can Be Normal and Beneficial
There are an infinite number of human experiences that cause normal anxiety. Life offers us the experience of many anxiety-provoking “firsts”--a first date, the first day of school, the first time away from home. As we journey through life, ther are many important life events, both good and bad, that cause varying amounts of anxiety. These events can include things such as, taking a school exam, getting married, becoming a parent, getting divorced, changing jobs, coping with illness and many others.
Anxiety Can be a Problem
What it's pretty clear to see that anxiety is normal and even beneficial, for many people it becomes a problem. The main difference between normal anxiety is in the source and the intensity of the experience.
Normal anxiety is intermittent and is expected based on certain events or situations. Problem anxiety, on the other hand, tends to be chronic, irrational and interferes with many life functions. Avoidance behavior, incessant worry and concentration and memory problems may all stem from problem anxiety. These symptoms may be so intense that they cause family, work and social difficulties.
The components of problem anxiety include the physical responses to the anxiety (such as palpitations and stomach upset), distorted thoughts that become a source of excessive worry and bahavioral changes affecting the usual way one lives life and interacts with others. Left unchecked, problem anxiety may lead to an anxiety disorder.
Talk to Your Doctor
If you believe your anxiety is a problem, it is important to talk to your doctor. Excessive anxiety can be caused by a number of medical and psychological conditions. Problem anxiety has been indicated in a variety of physical illnesses, such as heart disease, stomach problems, and pain. But, the best reason to talk to your doctor: Anxiety is easily controllable, and its complications are easily avoidable with treatment.
Http://panicdisorder.about.com/od/understandingpanic/a/normprobanxiety.htm?nl=l

PANIC DISORDER AND ANTICIPATORY ANXIETY

ANTICIPATORY ANXIETY AND PANIC DISORDER
What is Anticipatory Disorder
According to Merriam,Wedber's Online Dictionary, acticcipation is a “visualizaation of a future event or state.” If you have panic disorder (PD), you may find yourself anticipating many life eveents. Driving to work, going into a store, attending a social gathering and many other activities may be a daily focus of your anticipation. Before panic, you probably didn't give much thought to any of these common events. But now, anticipation may cause you to feel anxious and interfere with your ability to fully function in your everyday life. This is often called “anticipatory anxiety.”
Normal vs. Problem Anticipatory Anxiety
An infinite number of human experiences cause normal anticipatory anxiety. With panic disorder, thoughts are generally focused on worrying about having a panic attack in a situation that will result in embarrassment, extreme comfort, a heart attack or even worse. If you have PD, you are probably very familiar with “what if” worries. Perhaps yours are similar to these:
What I have a panic attack and drive my car into a ditch?
What if I start to panic in the store and embarrass myself with some bizarre behavior?
What if, while eating at a restaurant, I can't swallow and start choking on my food?
What if I take a walk around the block and start to panic and can't get back home?
This kind of thinking causes a lot of anticipatory anxiety that can lead to avoiding certain activities. Ths anxiety may be so intense that it causes a condition called agoraphobia.
Tips to Cope With Anticipatory Anxiety
Learn and practice relaxation techniques
By learning and practicing relaxation techniques, you will be able to reduce your level of anticipatory anxiety. You may even be able to defuse a panic attack in the making. Some techniques that may be helpful include:
Deep breathing
Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Guided Imagery
Meditation
Journaling
Get professional help if you can't get your anxiety under control.
A variety of professionals are able to help you with problem anticipatory anxiety. Some of the treatments they may be able to provide include:
Cognitive-behavior therapy to help you identify and change damaging behaviors and thought processes that are contributing to your anxiety.
Panic-focused psychodynamic psychotherapy to help you become aware of unconscious conflicts and defense mechanisms that reinforce your anxiety.
Medications, such as the class of antidepressants known as selective serontin reuptake inhibitors SSRIs and anti-anxiety drugs known as Benzodiazepines, to relieve some of your anxiety and panic symptoms.
Http://panicdisorder.about.com/od/symptoms/a/anticianxiety.htm?nl=l