NAPLES NEWS: There are many measures that may alleviate or treat anxiety, a pervasive problem of society today. Prevention is the first step. Some individuals are more prone to anxiety than others. This is due in part to heredity, as well as personality type and effects of child rearing.
Individuals may have exposed in childhood to harsh disciplinary practices or abuse, which predispose some to a tendency toward anxiety. In a sense, they always feel ready, “for the other shoe to drop.” Some people seem to be born worriers. If you recognize that you may be prone to anxiety, preventive measures are helpful.
If you worry a lot, or experience anxiety or panic attacks, you may be able to completely prevent or at least partially control them. How? A cardinal rule is to avoid stimulants. Do not drink anything that contains caffeine. Eliminating caffeine may alone produce a dramatic reduction in anxiety levels. Stimulants increase norepinephrine, the chemical that makes us fight or flee when in danger. In fact, some types of anxiety are due to emotional or neurological false alarms that trigger large amounts of norepinephrine.