Sunday, March 2, 2008

Help a Panic Attack

How to Help a Panic Attack, Even if You Aren't the Victim

Having a panic attack is a scary and traumatizing event, both to the person having the attack and to the people around them. To a person witnessing a panic attack, it can be confusing and they may even wonder if the sufferer is having a heart attack or other serious medical emergency. If you see it occurring, is there any way to help a panic attack?

Believe it or not, the old cliché about breathing into a paper bag may actually help a panic attack. If you give the victim a paper bag and instruct them hold the opening over their mouth and breathe slowly in and out, you may help a panic attack subside sooner.

You can also help a panic attack victim by asking them to lie down on their back on the floor. Stay close and instruct them, in a calm and soothing voice, to breathe deeply and try to relax. Try to avoid or remove all stimulation that might distract the sufferer from attaining a calm state of mind.

If you are in public and lying down is not an option, ask the victim to close their eyes and imagine that they are in a calm place. This may not help a panic attack subside immediately, but after a few minutes of deep breathing and calming exercises, the panic attack victim should start to feel the attack loosening its hold.

Long-Term Treatment Options

If you want to help a panic attack sufferer in the long term, you may be in for a somewhat trickier job. If someone you are close to suffers from panic disorder, there may be underlying causes for their panic attacks that you do not know about. It could be some past trauma that causes a panic attack when the victim is triggered. It could be a chemical imbalance that impairs the function of their natural "fight or flight response." Or it could be stress in their life that causes periodic attacks.

Whatever the cause, trying to help a panic attack sufferer to get over their disorder entirely is usually only successful if they are willing to receive your help. You can't force the other person to accept your help, and pressuring them to do so may actually worsen their anxiety and bring on more panic attacks. It's best to approach the subject in a calm and non-threatening way to see how they will react.

If the other person is receptive, you can offer to help them get to a doctor who can treat them. You could also offer support for their daily activities, such as going into stressful situations with them to act as an anchor if they are likely to be triggered into a panic attack.

However you are able to help a panic attack victim, just the offer of assistance can be a very welcome gesture. Panic attack sufferers often feel scared and alone, and knowing that someone cares enough to offer help can go a long way toward helping them to recover.

Cellulite Cure

Is There a Cellulite Cure?

Cellulite is not a disease, but rather it is an unsightly skin condition that affects millions of women around the world. It does not only develop on overweight women, and in fact a large majority of sufferers are healthy, fit women. It results from poor blood and lymphatic circulation, and other possible contributors to this problem include connective tissue weakness, premature skin aging and poor nutrition.

Many people wonder if there is a cellulite cure, one that could rid them of their cellulite for once and for all. As of yet, there are actually no substantial clinical studies which would go to prove that there is a cellulite cure. It is obviously devastating that there is not yet a cellulite cure, but at the same time it is important to realize that there are many effective treatment options which are available for cellulite and which are often just as good as a cure.

Treating Cellulite and Finding a Cure

Cellulite creams are very popular, because they work so quickly and are usually very affordable. This makes them accessible to the average person, and allows them to buy new product once the old one has run out.

One of the best things that you can do to get rid of your cellulite is make a change in your diet. You should stop eating fatty and sugary foods, and avoid eating salt and adding salt to your meals because this will cause an increase in fluid retention and as a result increase the visibility of your cellulite.

Exercise is also often helpful for eliminating cellulite, and even if you can only get out for a quick jog here and there you will still be benefiting. Exercise will not only help with your cellulite but as well will leave you looking and feeling younger and healthier by improving your muscle tone and keeping your skin fresh and glowing.

Although there is no cellulite cure you should not get disappointed or frustrated, but rather understand that there are things you can do and products you can use to make it less noticeable or even get rid of it completely. For more extreme cases there are treatments such as liposuction and cellulite laser treatment which, although much more expensive than the more conventional treatment methods, offer great results and are usually permanent. Speaking to your doctor about this will be very helpful, as they will be able to do a proper assessment and determine which specific treatment is going to work best for your particular condition.