Many people are fearful, anxious or phobic about something — a dark room, a fury cat, being on top of a tall building, or being in a small, cramped room. These fears or phobias may be exaggerated or irrational yet they cause so much distraction and distress.

In the long list of fears known to man, perhaps one of the most difficult to bear is the condition called social anxiety disorder. This disorder refers to the constant fear of being criticized by other people. People who have this problem are so self-conscious to the point that they feel that everyone around them is looking at them. In the process, socially anxious people become afraid of the world around them.

According to National Institute of Mental Health, …social phobia is characterized by overwhelming anxiety in everyday social situations. It can be any type of situation—such as fear of speaking in formal or informal situations.

Anxiety in social situations is not felt by shy, insecure people alone. Famous people like the singer Donny Osmond the brother of Marie Osmond also had social anxiety. In a very intimate interview, Donny Osmond revealed that, for years, he struggled with stage freight and would experience anxiety panic attacks right before a public performance.

Another famous person diagnosed with social anxiety disorder is singer-actress Barbara Streisand, who, in 1967, became so anxious that she forgot the lyrics of song in front of a large crowd. She was so embarrassed that she stayed away from performing in public for a long time after that moment of song amnesia.

The great actor Laurence Olivier who stunned audiences with his theatrical genius also struggled with social phobia for five years just when he was at the peak of his career.

Social anxiety disorder is not so easy to spot in a person. A person with so much insecurity and anxiety in being in the middle of a social occasion can still hide his predicament. Even with all the anxiety, that person can still act witty and gregarious.

But there are some people who literally freeze whenever they face a crowd or even a small number of people. Their excessive self-consciousness somehow paralyzes them, making them unable to function well in social circles. At first glance, people with social anxiety disorder may exhibit chronic fear, sweating, trembling, stammering, and blushing whenever they stand in front of people. They are also easily embarrassed or humiliated by even the slightest hint of being at the center of attention.

Social phobia affects more than five million Americans and is now the third most common disorder after depression and alcoholism. It affects all gender and ages but usually starts in childhood or early adolescence. It is often accompanied by depression and some have fallen into the trap of substance abuse in the hope that drugs would help them cope with their anxieties. They feel distress whenever they have this following situations

l Being introduced;
l Being teased;
l Being criticized;
l Being at the center of attention; or
l Being out of place.

One of the most common treatments for social anxiety disorder is called cognitive-behavioral therapy. Medication such as antidepressant prescriptions are used conjunction with the said therapy. Social anxiety, as well as other forms of anxiety, can be successfully treated today if a patient works with a qualified therapist or doctor. A physician can determine whether the symptoms that alarm you are due to anxiety disorder, or if these are symptoms of another medical condition. As they say, there is nothing to fear but fear itself. Commitment and determination to face one’s fears will surely lead to freedom, confidence, and a better appreciation for people and life itself.

I was with the company for 5 years and was already occupying a supervisory position. But then came the new manager with whom I did not see eye to eye. I just couldn’t take it anymore since we didn’t share the same views on workplace policies. He didn’t say it much but somehow he always made it a point to show that he disliked. He often ignores me or gives a sneer when I suggest something to improve our department. Worse… some of my colleagues are now being influenced by this new manager. They are now imitating his bullying. — David.

David is a classic example of a victim of workplace bullying. No wonder, David often experiences anxiety and panic attacks. According to research conducted by the The Workplace Bullying Institute, workplace bullying is now among the causes of poor employee retention, resignation, and other organizational problems. A third of the human-resource executives surveyed said that they had personally witnessed or experienced workplace bullying.

Bullying is also known as mobbing — or a frequent and systematic form of harrassment. So-called school based bullying occurs when a child torments, taunts or intimidates another child in school. The workplace version may be looked at as en extension of that form of harassment into the world of adults in the office. In the workplace, bullying comes in the form of criticism, teasing and even sarcasm directed an another employee. Harassment in the workplace ranges from antagonism and up to extreme acts that could even lead to physical injuries. The target is subjected to character assassination, aggressive behavior, verbal abuse, and the cold-shoulder treatment. Some are deliberately singled out to do unpleasant or hard tasks. Colleagues may even try to sabotage the victims’ work, hampering his or her productivity — even going so far as hacking the victims’ office computer.

The common stereotype of a bullied person is someone who is a loner or weak in character. However, there are cases when the one being bullied is a capable staff member and may even be well- liked by co-workers. The bully considers their capability a threat and, therefore, is determined to make that person’s work life miserable or so hard that the victim no longer poses as a threat to the bully’s career.

Effects of this harassment can cause victimes to suffer from stress, anxiety, and serious health problems. Absenteeism from work is one clear sign of a stress-related illness. Sleeping disorders, depression, and anxiety panic attacks are the most well-known consequences of harassment. The effects of harassment goes beyond the workplace as it also affects the victim’s marriage or personal life.

A bully can contaminate a workplace environment by causing fear, anger, and low morale. About 80 of bullies are bosses. Some co-workers and a few higher-ups can aslo engage in bullying taactics. A bully can either be a man or a woman. Bullying affects productivity and, as a result, the bottomline of a company. On the other hand, bullying can also be a source of problems for management especially when victims file law suits and compensation claims due to work-related stress.

To address bullying, there must be clear and strict workplace policies in order to stop or prevent this form of workplace harassment. Employers must conduct risk assessments and implement guidelines and stress management programs. With better decision-making processes and policies, the employer can prevent a potential war zone in the company. This will take efforts that may entail the conduct of investigations and conflict resolution to prevent the escalation of a problem between employees.

One of the main causes of being stressed out in the office is lack of time for other important things outside work. Being so career-driven, an busy worker can even lose his touch with time…losing the ability to distinguish between sunrise and sunset. You are too busy even to have a social life and recreational activities. Eventually, this situation leads to stress and anxiety…and even burn out. It is important to know that you have control over time and that you can maximize to achieve your daily tasks, and still leave behind precious time for yourself and your family.

Stress Management and Time Management Principles

KNOWING THE TIME WASTERS – recognize which activities that waste your time. Don’t concentrate anymore on what is unimportant and and irrelevant.

FOCUS ON PERSONAL PRODUCTIVITY- check your schedule, you may get clues as to where as you’re losing more precious time. It could be unclear assignments or poor scheduling.

LOOK TO THE PRESENT, NOT STAY IN THE PAST- yesterday is gone. It is now part of history. You can’t bring it back anymore. Life is meant to be lived in the present. The Now that we are so capable of changing. The present on you can make vital choices that affects your future.

WRITE IT DOWN- a written daily schedule will aid you on how to budget your time. Write down your activities and include activities for your family and friends. Set a significant time for leisure like biking, watching a movie or reading a good book. a well written schedule is the way for you to have a more balanced life.

PRIORITIZE- write a list of things to do. Each task should be properly labeled in order of difficulty which is the toughest job first than the easier ones. Don’t let others dictate your schedule. Always be on charge. Don’t allow intrusions like a cellphone or telephone call. Schedule your appointments and create boundaries.

Turned your life around. Trying to do everything or being a workaholic so you can just be able to reach the top is not what success is all transformation will begin the moment you decide to change and make an intense personal commitment. Time Management affects your relationships, your physical needs, your attitude and your work life.

Make every minute counts. Make break apart your day into 10 minutes blocks of time to make quick re-evaluation and put it into practice, into action and not just visualizing. Time is the essence. Make it count and not in pursuit of things that gives you too much stress that may even give you anxiety panic attacks.

The hurdle to change is the first stepbut taking action is another. After that, anything is possible. So manage your time so you can set achievable goals, strive for excellence, break bad habits, use money wisely, control your fears and anxieties, be more enthusiastic and gain more personal growth.

Life is a continuous process of learning something new. There are times that maybe even twenty four hours is not enough because if you look more closely in the bigger picture is like putting together a piece of the puzzle. That life is what we make. Working too hard and not spending quality time for others will determine if you have really been a success. Failure starts the moment that you made unnecessary pursuits and next thing you’ll know how you wished you can turn back time.

Elizabeth is again upset and stressed about her day. Aside from taking care of her children ages 5 and 8 years old, she is also in charge with the household chores. She even have a part-time job and a sideline to add to their income. As soon as her husband arrives from work, she tells him how hard her day was. But her husband Philip, is as tired as her and it seems her words just passed through at his ear and was not really listening. Philip just slumps down at their sofa and turns on the T.V set and kept saying Yes dear! Yes dear!. Elizabeth felt ignored and she felt unloved as this was happening to them lately.

It seems even if they spent a few minutes together inside their house, they weren’t really communicating. Elizabeth’s resentment started to build up. All she ever wanted is that she needs someone to talk to, someone who is concerned and in tune with her feelings. A kiss or a hug will do but neither that, or not even an encouraging word she never gets from Philip. Her anger have turned into a big disappointment. She was heavy burdened and felt empty as the days passes by.

Elizabeth, as in other numerous women around the world are exhibiting signs of depression. One of the main causes of depression in our lives is disappointment. All of us become too disappointed when things don’t work out or turn out the way we planned or expected to be. Other things that can also contribute to our depression are the nagging feelings of guilt, heartbreak, unforgivingness, and even an ongoing illness. At times of great loss, we are often overwhelmed with our inner struggles and moments of deep sadness in our lives. Like Elizabeth, when things get too much for her, she had those panic attacks episodes.

Women tend to be more depressed than the male specie as their needs are entirely different from men. They get more depressed in terms of their relationships. They mostly wanted to have closer ties, To be loved and cared for, to be truly understood and to be respected. The most basic and underlying need of a woman is to have a close and a meaningful relationship and if things don’t work out, an array of emotions set in like frustration, hurt, loneliness among others. While men, unlike women who go for intimate relationships, men are more focused on individual achievement.

OVERCOMING DEPRESSION

Maintaining a level of joy is the key to overcoming depression because it is our level of strength, In other words, depression can’t gain control of our emotions if we took time to respond on the more positive side and replace the heaviness of our heart with outward expressions of joy. While it is not wrong to experience depression, is it not also right that you constantly dwell on it. You can overcome it by the following

? Counseling or Psychotherapy- treatment of mental and emotional disorders
? Antidepressant prescriptionsmedications- which can restore chemical balance in the brain
? Regular exercise- is also beneficial for helping to uplift mood
? Combination- of counseling and taking antidepressant medications

These therapies can be effective combination of methods and can elevate your mood, It can also discover and help you get rid of negative thinking. Therapies that will aid you in your coping skills and help you and other women like Elizabeth to re-gain your self- worth and confidence.

Anxiety and panic disorders are the most common emotional disorder. It is reported that one out of every 76 people worldwide will experience a panic attack in their lives. Each year around 13 of American adults have at least one panic attack while most of these adults never develop repeated panic attacks. Only 21 of people who ever suffer from anxiety and panic attacks reach out for professional help.

Do I have Anxiety and Panic Disorder?

The truth is if you experience one or several of the following symptoms, it is very likely that you have it heart palpitations, sweating, trembling or shaking, sensations of shortness of breath or smothering, feeling of choking, chest pain or discomfort, nausea or abdominal distress, dizziness or light-headedness, derealisation or depersonalisation, fear of losing control or going “crazy”, fear of dying, paresthesia, and chills or hot flushes.

What you don’t know about Anxiety and Panic Disorders

We receive thousands of emails via our web site from anxiety, panic attacks, phobias, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder PTSD and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder OCD suffers every month. What is very apparent from most of these is that people have a lot of misconceptions about anxiety and panic disorders. In order to cure them we need to know some facts about them first.

Firstly, anxiety and panic disorders are NOT mental illnesses. They are just behavioral conditions stored as memory, instinct and habit in the Amygdala, an almond-shaped set of neurons inside the brain. The National Institute of Mental Health has confirmed that conditions such as anxiety, depression, autism, PTSD, OCD, and phobias are caused by abnormal functioning of the Amygdala.

Secondly, anxiety and panic disorders conditions CAN be eliminated 100 permanently, contrary to what most believe. We already know that stress, bereavement and life circumstances are just the triggers for the anxiety and that Amygdala is THE cause. If we can change the way the Amygdala reacts, you’d be anxiety free. The good news is we can change the reaction of Amygdala quickly and permanently with immediate results.

Please visit our Anxiety Panic Away website listed below for more information on how your can permanently cure anxiety and panic attacks so you can make an informed decision as to the best course of treatment that would best fit you.