What is anxiety disorder?

Anxiety disorder is a condition that puts a person in a constant state of alertness and fear. Anxiety is otherwise a normal reaction to stress that people commonly experience at various points in their lives. Generally speaking, anxiety helps people to cope with difficult situations until they are resolved (tense situations at work, harder studying for an exam, focusing on an important speech…).

However, for about one in every twelve people anxiety is so persistent and severe that it creates serious problems. Anxious feelings may be so uncomfortable that result in avoiding everyday activities and can escalate into anxiety and panic disorders such as panic attacks.

Panic attacks are episodes of intense fear or anxiety that comes without warning and without any obvious reason. They are far more intense than just having a feeling of being stressed out which most people experience. Panic attack happens suddenly and can be particularly debilitating because they can occur at any time, even during sleep. Many people (about one-third) who suffer from panic disorder often become agoraphobic.

Agoraphobia is the abnormal fear of being in a situation where one might experience anxiety or panic attack. People suffering from agoraphobia may experience severe panic attacks in situations where they feel trapped, out of control, or too far from their personal comfort zone or an area where they have control of their environment. Agoraphobia is a debilitating condition that can bring fear, shame and isolation to those who suffer from it.

Symptoms of anxiety and panic attacks?

Symptoms of anxiety and panic attacks can include pounding heart, a sense of suffocation, nausea, dizziness, sweating, disorganized thinking, migraine headaches, hyperventilation, breathing difficulties, tightening throat, chest pain, shaking and trembling, depersonalisation, fear of losing control, fear of dying and many more. Beyond anxiety and panic attacks themselves, a key symptom is also the persistent fear of having future panic attacks.

Panic attacks are usually brief, lasting less than ten minutes. Although the exact causes of these disorders are not fully known, studies have shown that a combination of biological and environmental factors may be involved. In many people, the symptoms develop in association with major life changes (like getting married, having a child, starting a new job, etc.) and major lifestyle stressors.

Why so many people today suffer from anxiety and panic attacks is also partially due to our high-stress modern society.

Stress Relief Through Music Therapy xghealth

We’re told that in the western world today the majority of people suffer from some degree of stress or other. If this is so, no wonder finding solutions to stress is a growth industry. Thankfully, many of these solutions are highly effective, and none more so than music therapy. Stress relief in both adults and children – even in some pets! – has been greatly enhanced by music therapy.

This is nothing new, the healing powers of music are well documented. We can read about it in the Ancient Greek myths, and there’s a story in the Bible of the king’s depressive state being helped by David’s harp music.

Tell Me More About Music Therapy!

There are different types of music therapy. Some involve playing music, but we’ll focus on the type that involves listening to music for the purpose of helping the listener to relax and be calm, and so gain anxiety and stress relief.

This goes hand in hand with meditation, and involves such techniques as deep breathing and mental imagery. It’s known that music works on many levels of the brain and significantly changes moods and hormone functions.

What Makes Music Work In This Way?

In the months before birth, a baby is surrounded by warmth and security in the mother’s womb. The most reassuring sound is the mother’s heart beat. Medical experts now claim that when we’re in a relaxed state the regular beat or rhythm of music rekindles feelings first experienced before birth.

The slow, rhythmic pulse of relaxing music may reflect the feelings first enjoyed when our lives were stress and anxiety-free. Thus we can withdraw for a while from the causes of our stress and anxiety to an imaginary place of refuge and safety.

When choosing music as therapy, either for yourself or others, you must choose carefully. Music can be a great stress reliever or a great stress producer! Avoid the tendency to pick music just because you like it. This can have a value, but for deep relaxation and stress relief you need to be more discriminating. And picking ‘relaxing’ music you hate because you think it will be good for you can have the opposite effectK

Fortunately, professional music therapists can guide us here. They recommend music that has a rhythm of less than 72 beats per minute – that’s slower than the heart beat. If the music goes in cycles or repeating segments, so much the better.

Some of the most effective genres of music are known to be:

* Classical pieces

* Celtic

* Native American rhythms

* New Age music

Bear in mind that different styles of music can affect the mind differently:

Sad country music won’t make you feel better if you’re already feeling down!

When your brain is in overdrive and your energy depleted, listening to hard rock may not be the best prescription! But if you’ve been bored out your mind at work and have lots of pent-up energy, it could be just what the doctor ordered.

When you’ve to do something on your own and it threatens you, music from your childhood or teenage years can be highly reassuring.

Natural ‘music’ – such as the sound of rippling water, birds chirping or children at play – can promote relaxation, as can the sounds of bass drums and flutes.

The Best Way To Enjoy Music Therapy

These tips will help you get the most from your music therapy:

* Set aside a minimum of 20 minutes in a place where you won’t be bothered by others

* Relax, either sitting or lying down

* Alternatively, go for a walk in a quiet, relaxing spot and listen to your music through you iPod or portable CD player. Here you can practice regular breathing and enjoy some exercise

* Remember to choose music that suits your particular requirements; you may like to consider music with guided meditations on themes such as self-motivation, stress relief, decision making

* Daily sessions are best, but if this not possible do them as often as you can

Better health, improved relationships, enhanced moods, stress relief: these are only some of the benefits of music therapy. Just watch you don’t become addicted!