Yoga for Anger

An inability to control your temper can be a destructive behavior to yourself and those around you. As you experience angry feelings, your brain prepares your body to confront the source of your anger. Your heart rate and blood pressure increase, and you produce large quantities of adrenaline. Exercise is an effective outlet for you to release energy and feelings of stress. Consult with a mental health care professional if you experience persistent feelings of rage.
Step 1
Go for a brisk walk, or run, preferably outside. A brisk walk outdoors can help you release frustrations, anxiety, and stress. By keeping your heart rate in your target aerobic zone for at least 30 minutes, your brain will release endorphins. Endorphins are chemicals that have a positive effect on your moods. By exercising outside, you take yourself away from an environment that may have contributed to your anger and hostility.
Step 2
Focus on determining the origins of your anger during your walk. Make a decision to not let your anger control you. As you feel your anger dissipating, make a plan to handle the situation that caused your anger, in a constructive manner.
Step 3
Hit a punching bag, or pillow, repeatedly. This is particularly effective if you feel yourself losing control. Make sure that you throw enough punches to release all your energy. According to the website aarp.org, joining a boxing, or a kickboxing class, might help you to release anxiety.
Step 4
Perform a weight training workout. Lifting weights is an effective means of channeling your extra energy when you are angry. It is also a way for you to make use of the adrenaline that your body has produced as a result of your anger. Lifting weights, particularly free weights, requires great concentration. While you are lifting weights, it will give you an opportunity to focus on something other than what you are angry about. Anger can cause tension in your muscles, so be sure to stretch all your major muscle groups after you finish lifting weights.
Step 5
Practice yoga exercises, poses and movements. According to MayoClinic.com, practicing yoga, particularly hatha yoga, is an effective means of reducing anxiety and stress. Deep, controlled breathing is an integral part of yoga, and definitely has a calming effect on your mind and body. The slow, controlled movements require great concentration, and serve to take your mind off outside influences.

Effect of Exercises on Anxiety

If you experience nervousness, panic or a general sense of dread or worry while exercising, you could be suffering from exercise-induced anxiety or a panic attack as the result of your increased heart rate. Use proper exercise procedures, take your time and adjust your routine to help combat anxiety symptoms, rather than let exercise perpetuate your anxiety.
Step 1
Assess the various reasons for your anxiety during exercise and make an appointment with your doctor to discuss the issue. Consider the various triggers that you have for anxiety, whether it's the idea of losing your breath or feelings of inadequacy when you visit the gym. In some cases, prescription medication may help treat your symptoms so you're able to function.
Step 2
Exercise during a time of day when you're the most relaxed. If you tend to be high-strung or experience more anxiety symptoms in the morning, schedule workouts in the late afternoon or evening so you can concentrate on your exercise instead of other things that cause stress and worry, such as your performance at work or a busy day.
Step 3
Participate in exercise that you actually enjoy. Pushing yourself to be a runner when you hate to run can make you feel anxious before you even begin. Find an exercise that feels more like a pastime than formal exercise, such as hiking, cycling or organized sports.
Step 4
Warm up and cool down before and after your exercise. Anxiety can sometimes stem from a sudden increase in heart rate. Take the time to stretch and perform five minutes of easy exercise to increase your heart rate gradually. Then, finish your exercise with cooldown stretches, bringing your heart rate down gradually.
Step 5
Drink 7 to 10 oz. of fluid every 10 to 20 minutes to provide your body with enough hydration to function properly and finish strong.
Step 6
Practice breathing techniques to help you gain control over your stress, panic and worry during exercise. Lie down and practice belly breathing before and after your workout, where you breathe so deeply that your belly rises. Concentrate on breathing rhythms during your workout so that you don't hold your breath through exercise. This will optimize your oxygen flow.

Why do we feel axious?

Common Factors 
Anxiety is a "state of uneasiness and apprehension." It can further be explained as excessive worry about events, situations and the future. Everyone has anxious feelings at one time or another, but those who suffer from anxiety on a daily basis are diagnosed with GAD, or Generalized Anxiety Disorder.
Reasons Women Suffer From Anxiety
GAD sufferers worry constantly about work, family, school, health issues and money. They often ask themselves, "why do I feel anxious?" and have no good answer. Daily life is a constant cycle of fear. People with GAD have feelings of anxiety that interfere with their thinking, social lives, work and school. Approximately 4 million of Americans experience GAD during the course of a year. Feelings of anxiety usually manifest themselves in childhood or early adolescence. They can, however, begin in adulthood. Women are twice as likely to suffer from anxiety as men.
Common Symptoms of Anxiety:

• Worry and tension that is unreasonable
• Unrealistic views of problems
• Feeling restless or on edge
• Often have a feeling of irritability

Physical Symptoms of Anxiety:

• Tense muscles
• Headaches
• Sweating
• Nausea
• Frequent visits to the bathroom
• Feeling tired
• Trembling
• Sleep problems

There are many reasons women suffer from anxiety. First, genetics may play a role. Research now supports the assumption that anxiety issues are hereditary and passed down through families. Second, a woman's brain chemistry may be predisposed to anxiety because of misfiring neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters move information from nerve cell to nerve cell. If they are out of balance, messages cannot reach the brain. This causes the brain to alter its reactions to events and situations, thus resulting in anxiety. Third, environmental factors such as a death in the family, changing jobs, trauma, and changing schools can all cause anxiety.

Is There Treatment for Anxiety?

Treatment for anxiety includes ruling out any physical illnesses. If nothing is found physically wrong, then cognitive behavioral therapy performed by a mental health professional that specializes in anxiety disorders is recommended. Cognitive behavior therapy believes if you can change the way you think about a present situation, then you can change the emotions associated with that situation.

The more severe symptoms of anxiety can be treated with the family of medications known as benzodiazepines. Known as tranquilizers, these medications leave one feeling calm and relaxed. Xanex, Librium, Valium and Ativan are some of the more common benzodiazepines. Often antidepressants such as Paxil, Prozac or Zoloft are prescribed for long-term treatment.

Is There a Cure for Anxiety?

Unfortunately there is no cure, but certain precautions can be taken to prevent anxiety or control the symptoms. Diet plays a large role in prevention. Excluding caffeine and chocolate from the diet is recommended. Daily exercise and eating a healthy, well-balanced diet is advised. However, stress management is just as important as diet and exercise. Last, getting help if you need it after a trauma or extremely stressful event is imperative.

The symptoms of anxiety can range from mild to debilitating. There is no cure, but there are steps you can take to control and even prevent anxiety. Medications, therapy, diet and exercise can allow one to master and even conquer anxiety.

How to ease anxiety?

If you suspect you have an anxiety disorder, I urge you to get the appropriate diagnosis and treatment from a mental health professional. But in addition to cognitive behavioral therapy(CBT) and medication, there are some things you can do on your own to enhance your treatment.

These approaches can also help those of you who may find yourself worrying or anxious at specific times in your life, but who don't actually have an anxiety disorder. One warning: An anxiety disorder is a serious medical condition requiring a professional's help. Do not try to substitute these options for professional help.

• Kava. Numerous studies find that this herb, a member of the black pepper family, works better than a placebo to reduce symptoms in people with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Kava can interfere with how your body metabolizes certain medications, however, so, as with any supplement, check with your health care professional first.
• Inositol (vitamin B8). Studies find that supplementing with 12 to 18 grams a day works about as well as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) like fluvoxamine (Luvox), and better than a placebo, to reduce the intensity and frequency of panic attacks. Other studies find inositol works better than a placebo to reduce symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).
• Herbal teas. Valerian and passionflower have long been used to calm nervousness and treat anxiety, although there are no studies showing they're effective in treating anxietydisorders. However, I believe that any time you brew a pot of hot tea and sit in a quiet place to sip it, you will feel better.
• Acupuncture. There is some limited evidence that acupuncture may help reduce the symptoms of GAD. As with many alternative remedies, I think the effectiveness is often individual. If you are comfortable with acupuncture, talk to a licensed acupuncturist about the possibility of using it as an adjunct treatment for your anxiety.
• Journaling. I know that when I can't sleep at night, writing down what I'm worried about or making a list of everything I have to do clears my mind and allows me to fall asleep. You might try this when you feel your mind going around and around the same groove.
• Applied relaxation. Relaxation techniques such as meditation, progressive muscle relaxation and systematic breathing, can all reduce stress hormone levels. Studies suggest they can also improve symptoms of GAD nearly as well as CBT and may provide some benefit in panic disorder. I suggest taking a class at your community hospital or recreation center to learn the proper techniques.
• Exercise. You knew this would be here, didn't you? We know that exercise is a terrific treatment or treatment addition for depression, boosting levels of feel-good hormones. So it's no surprise that studies suggest the same benefits for anxiety disorders. One interesting study found levels of the neurotransmitter gamma aminobutyric acid, or GABA, increased in yoga practitioners after a 60-minute session compared to people who just read for 60 minutes. This is important because studies find low levels of GABA in people with some anxiety disorders, particularly panic disorder. In another interesting study, researchers used a drug to stimulate a panic attack in 15 healthy people after they either exercised or rested quietly. Just six participants had a panic attack after exercising, but 12 had one after resting. I don't think you have to train for a marathon, but a daily walk sure wouldn't hurt!

Pscyhology of Anger in Adolescents

Anger
Adolescents, like many adults, become angry when mechanical things fail to work or in other impersonal situations. But the most effective stimuli in evoking anger are social-unfair treatment, un­just accusations, unwelcome advice. Among college students, high on the list comes thwarted self-assertion.
The most frequent response made by the angry adolescent is talking. Boys swear and lash back with sarcasm and ridicule. After such explosions the teen-agel' often becomes sulky or engages in behavior annoying to the individual with whom he or she is angry e.g., wllistling under the breath. Male adolescents may kick and throw things, girls cry. Gradually language responses substitut, more direct acts. Studies shO\v that college girls exhibit more fteq verbal responses to anger than do boys, who engage in more rhy combat.
The frequency of anger responses in adolescents is quitl dividual. It is related to such factors as coliege climates, pan restrictions, and in particular the degree of realism present in de, with problem solving. For many people annoyances take over in place of anger with maturity. Jl'alollsl/ often grows out of anger, and envy may take over. This is particularly true with the adolescent gir both jealousy and em'y, the typical adolescent reaction is verbal

6 Steps In Reducing Worry

Steps In Reducing Worry 
It is safe to say that it is impossible to get rid of all worry. As a matter of fact, the solutions to problems often come because of worry. Or observe sometime what you think about when you do not haven worry over a fairly long period of time. It is quite possible you:will raise the
question, "What is or is not a worry?" This leads to a second question, "What is my individual threshold for worry?" Analyzing worry as a process generally allows us to cut down on the frequency of worry and to some extent on the degree of worry. Bearing in mind that the steps given below in relieving worry do not always work, you may still wish to try them. Chances are you will discover that you have been using these steps from time to time, it is important to become aware of what do.;s or does not work well.
First Step
First, set a time to consider the worry. What is the cause? Often worry is yague and without specific cause. Taking time out to analyze it may help find the cause. If there is no cause, this fact may help us get rid of the "ghosts." Putting off looking at worry does not reduce tension.
Second Step
Second, talk the worry out with a good listener. Worries tend to become exaggerated when bottled up inside. An impartial observer can help us go through the stages of

• trying to make our worry more objective by expressing it; 
• being asked questions about the cause; and 
• getting some participation in the worry. 

Third Step
Third, seek reliable information about the area of the worry.
Some worry is unnecessarily generated through ignorance, mis­information, or misconceptions. Sometimes people who seem to oper­ate at a high crisis level, frequently using such words as "urgent" or "demanding," may tend to exaggerate our worry level. By talking the problem over with someone in whom we have confidence we may discover different solutions to try or we may at least find new ways of thinking about the problem. Seeking information in itself is a con· servative exercise that helps to cut down on wheel spinning.
Fourth Step
Fourth, do something active about the source of the worry. For example, low grades may be helped by guidance and efficient study. Social worries may be lessened by some group activity.
Fifth Step
Fifth, realize that some worries have no solution. If the condi­tions are impossible to remedy, turn to other types of behavior to occupy yourself; sports, hobbies, amusements, and work help reduce stress brought on by "no-solution" worry. And we all ha ve these kinds of worry.
Sixth Step
Sixth, counseling centers are good places to go to when profes­sional guidance is necessary. One must remember, however, that most centers are overloaded with work and some prethinking about one's problems can be helpful.
From a personality standpoint some of us are "worry worts," even arranging our worries iIl order of magnitude. If we have no real cause for concern, we tend to fall back upon a lesser feeling of just being uneasy.

Fear and Anxiety

Fear and Anxiety
Fear is a common example of a response to a situation in which the person is unprepared for the interrnption; sudden, intense, unex­pected stimuli catch him unawares. Since fear keeps' us from not doing things that have some element of calculated risk taking, it relates closely to feelings of inferiority. Fear has a specific external cause-the rattle of the snake, the creaking of a door. At a more general level is anxiety, the emotion of dread or uneasiness, a feeling that something is threatening. It involves fear and feelings of depres­sion, and at times it is free-floating. Anxiety is generated within the individual, who is apprehensive but cannot attach his feeling to any specific cause.
Normal and Abnormal Anxiety
Anxiety is by no means the exclusive property of either the student or the neurotic. Anxiety is for all practical purposes a universal problem. Anxiety seems to thrive in a climate of uncertainty, and particularly in situations dominated by hostility. It shows up in such physical symptoms as ulcers and breathing problems associated with such psychological reactions as fear and feelings of depression.
Tne nonspecific aspects of anxiety are interesting to observe in one's own feelings. Said one student as she came out of a counseling session: "I feel like a free-floating anxiety looking for something to tie onto."
Normal anxiety includes, as we all know, those anxious mo­ments before going into an exam. It entails a sense of helplessness when one is unable to find a solution to a demanding problem. Like other emotional tensions, normal anxiety can act as a drive. A person may react with moderate anxiety because his lack of skill in dancing prevents him from taking part. This may motivate him to learn to dance in order to overcome shyness or inconvenience. It may help in fighting that urge to flee.
Abnormql anxiety is manifested in varying degrees. At one end of the scale it involves feelings and behavior which keep the person from functioning efficiently; at the other end it may involve panic. The chronically anxious person is in a state of stress because of some internal conflict which cannot be reduced by defensive behavior. He or she has the usual compiaints of 'headaches, backaches, and upset stomach; cannot think clearly or concentrate;
and feels tired all the time. Further, this person has a feeling of failure and dread without knowing why. These panic states are usually. brief, though their duration is variable and they may last anywhere from minutes to days.
Anxiety and College Success. Most college students seem to be affected by anxiety. Let us look at some studies.
In one study it was found that 90 percent of a group of college sophomores who had been chosen for good health and academic adjustment had psychological problems intense enough to warrant assistance in solving them. In most of these cases anxiety played a major role ..
From several studies comes the conclusion that practically all students suffer from test anxiety. The A student, with strong needs to achieve and to stay at his high level, often has more anxiety about an exam than does the person who is below average. One investigator found that at the lowest and highest levels of academic talent, anxiety has little: effect on academic performance. The lowest-ranking stu­dents do poorly in college regardless of their level of anxiety. Superior students are sufficiently bright to overcome any adverse effects of anxiety. One practical way to hold down anxiety is to keep busy. Hence, bright students learn to cope with their anxiety through hare work and are reinforced by the resulting academic accomplishment. For a few students, the struggle to get ahead seems to be mostly a game of mistakes.
But what about the average student? Research shows that vithin the middle range of intellectual ability, anxiety interferes markedly with successful college performance. Since most college students are average, chances are that some students who could get through a given college· program successfully fail because anxiety gets the better of them. For these students college counseling and guidance programs are most helpful.
Anxiety and Counseling. Investigators put anxious freshmen into a group counseling situation and compared their academic perform­ance at the end of the first year with that of a control group of anxious freshmen who were not counseled.
Other studies show the payoff that comes from attending in­dividual and group sessions in counseling and guidance. So important 's this college service that we shall later devote detailed attention to it.

Normal and Abnormal Anxiety

Normal and Abnormal Anxiety 

Anxiety is by no means the exclusive property of either the student or the neurotic. Anxiety is for all practical purposes a universal problem. Anxiety seems to thrive in a climate of uncertainty, and particularly in situations dominated by hostility. It shows up in such physical symptoms as ulcers and breathing problems associated with such psychological reactions as fear and feelings of depression. 

Tne nonspecific aspects of anxiety are interesting to observe in one's own feelings. Said one student as she came out of a counseling session: "I feel like a free-floating anxiety looking for something to tie onto."
Normal anxiety includes, as we all know, those anxious mo­ments before going into an exam. It entails a sense of helplessness when one is unable to find a solution to a demanding problem. Like other emotional tensions, normal anxiety can act as a drive. A person may react with moderate anxiety because his lack of skill in dancing prevents him from taking part. This may motivate him to learn to dance in order to overcome shyness or inconvenience. It may help in fighting that urge to flee.
Abnormql anxiety is manifested in varying degrees. At one end of the scale it involves feelings and behavior which keep the person from functioning efficiently; at the other end it may involve panic. The chronically anxious person is in a state of stress because of some internal conflict which cannot be reduced by defensive behavior. He or she has the usual compiaints of 'headaches, backaches, and upset stomach; cannot think clearly or concentrate;
and feels tired all the time. Further, this person has a feeling of failure and dread without knowing why. These panic states are usually. brief, though their duration is variable and they may last anywhere from minutes to days.
Anxiety and College Success. Most college students seem to be affected by anxiety. Let us look at some studies.
In one study it was found that 90 percent of a group of college sophomores who had been chosen for good health and academic adjustment had psychological problems intense enough to warrant assistance in solving them. In most of these cases anxiety played a major role ..
From several studies comes the conclusion that practically all students suffer from test anxiety. The A student, with strong needs to achieve and to stay at his high level, often has more anxiety about an exam than does the person who is below average. One investigator found that at the lowest and highest levels of academic talent, anxiety has little: effect on academic performance. The lowest-ranking stu­dents do poorly in college regardless of their level of anxiety. Superior students are sufficiently bright to overcome any adverse effects of anxiety. One practical way to hold down anxiety is to keep busy. Hence, bright students learn to cope with their anxiety through hare work and are reinforced by the resulting academic accomplishment. For a few students, the struggle to get ahead seems to be mostly a game of mistakes.
But what about the average student? Research shows that vithin the middle range of intellectual ability, anxiety interferes markedly with successful college performance. Since most college students are average, chances are that some students who could get through a given college· program successfully fail because anxiety gets the better of them. For these students college counseling and guidance programs are most helpful.
Anxiety and Counseling. Investigators put anxious freshmen into a group counseling situation and compared their academic perform­ance at the end of the first year with that of a control group of anxious freshmen who were not counseled.
Other studies show the payoff that comes from attending in­dividual and group sessions in counseling and guidance. So important 's this college service that we shall later devote detailed attention to it.