Agoraphobia is linked to the experience of panic attacks. This is the fear of open spaces or of being in crowded, public places like shopping markets. It’s associated with leaving a safe zone, such as the home. Because of feeling vulnerable, people who experience this fear often suffer from panic attacks in these “open” situations. It’s true to say that many people who have regular panic attacks experience different degrees of agoraphobia. Some have a lingering background anxiety about being away from home should they experience a panic attack. Others are so immobilized by this fear that they find it
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For many people who suffer from panic attacks and experience high levels of anxiety, mornings can be a particularly stressful time of day. Some people find themselves always getting up in a frantic state, while others feel very depressed and experience a heightened state of worry upon waking. If mornings are particularly difficult for you, you need a strategy for getting your day off to a healthy start. I talk more about starting the day right in my book, Panic Away, and you can start implementing these strategies right away: 1. Start with a light stretch. Stretching will help increase
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Most people who experience panic and anxiety attacks regularly have forgotten how to breathe correctly. If you think about it, consider how you breathe when you’re tense or anxious about something. If you’re like most people, your breathing becomes really shallow and you may even “sink” into your body, rounding your shoulders and slouching slightly. This often sets you up for feelings of fatigue as you breathing is too shallow. Making sure fresh oxygen is circulating throughout your body helps to keep you alert and clear headed. When you are feeling anxious, you might slow down your breathing and thereby
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