No More Panic

Home for the Holidays: Dating Tips

2011-12-25T00:05:00.000-05:00

Home for the Holidays: Dating Tips
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Kiki_Strickland]Kiki Strickland

There are plenty of opportunities to mix & mingle and reconnect with Potentials (people you might want to date!) during the holidays. Make sure you take advantage of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Eve to maximize your chances of finding that special someone, even if you will be traveling Home for the Holidays!

ATTITUDE
First off, this year, you will have a positive ATTITUDE about the holidays. No matter where you are going for them, your new outlook on the holidays is this is a time to meet new potentials! That cute guy or girl is right around the corner. Positive thinking always helps your outlook on life and the task at hand. You're going to have a great time this year. You are open, lovable, and ready to meet that Special Someone.

TRAVEL
So, you are waiting for your flight (and you usually have TWO hours to waste for that) and you have a new mindset that you are going to do the holidays different this year. What can you do? Hmm..let me think! There are a whole bunch of people going to YOUR DESTINATION that you have at least an hour to waste with! Meet some of them! You don't have to try to meet the opposite sex here. You can make an acquaintance with someone of the SAME SEX and voila! - you have a new friend that can possibly introduce you to a set of people that you don't know in your hometown! TALK to those around you. Exchange business cards. Ask them if there is anything fun happening in the next few days. You could be invited to a party. If you are able to really connect (say on a business level with the person, or if you have something major in common, like a frat or sorority or church/club affiliation) invite them to lunch while you are there.

Use the LOUNGES in the airport if you can. GROUPON (or was it Living Social?) had a deal recently for a low cost to use Delta's Sky Lounge for a few trips. If you want someone who is likely going to be sitting in FIRST or BUSINESS class, get into those fancy lounges and chat them up.

Same thing with however you are traveling (train or bus). Start being friendly! But remember not to try to set up a date right away, just a friendship. You don't want to come off like you are a player. Just keep it friendly.

NOTE: You can also ask people that are waiting for your flight (going to your destination) if they know of any cool spots to hang out or where the happening spots are. There might be new spots that have opened up since you moved away. You want places to go where you can meet some cool people.

Networking is great to expand your social circle and possibly meet The One, so talk!
Talk to the person sitting next to you on the plane if they are open. You never know who you are sitting by and who they know, so ask them a few questions. At least ask if they know of anything fun happening or where the best places to chill are (jazz spots, clubs, etc.).

SHOPPING
So Thanksgiving was great. You're full of food; you've caught up with all the family, the holiday is over. What happens the next day? Yes, that's right! Black Friday! But I don't need anything, you say. Sure you do! You need to meet that special someone! So what do you do? You get up in the morning and head out to the popular stores! But it will be a nightmare, you say. Not for you! It's only a nightmare for those are that really shopping. You are just people watching!

I'm not saying you have to get up at 3AM. But do get up, have some breakfast, and hit the stores. Black Friday is great, as well as just before Christmas.

Ladies, you especially want to hit the stores like Best Buy and Radio Shack or at least go to the electronic section if you are at a discount or department store. That's usually where the men will be.

Men - department stores are good to meet women. But keep in mind that women shop longer than you do, so if you spot a cutie, don't wait until she is done shopping. That could take hours. Start a conversation early.

Do lunch around shopping. People who have shopped are going to get hungry and want to eat. Of course if it is Black Friday they may head home to finish off the Thanksgiving leftovers, but then again, leftovers might be for dinner, so have lunch out and be friendly to who's around.

If it is a town center type place or Mall, you can simply hang out.

Women, if you are hanging out - some guy is going to try to talk to you. It's a given as long as you don't have a scowl on your face. Look pleasant. Say Hello or Happy Holidays! Be open to talking.

Meet at least ONE new person - male or female. People are always chatting in lines with the people around them. Strike up a conversation (don't forget to have something in your basket, even if it is just a CD or DVD. You must buy something).

Take this seriously. You are using this holiday time to really make some connections, so make a real effort.

GATHERINGS
If you meet someone new while you were travelling, shopping or elsewhere, and they tell you about a party, brunch or gathering of some sort - GO! Remember, this is a new you, a new time where you are going to do things differently. This holiday season is about meeting new people and making connections.

Throw your own party if you have the means. Some of you will be at home with parents or family and can't ask others to come over, but some of you can. It doesn't have to be fancy. Invite people over and ask them to bring leftovers from Thanksgiving. Or if you have enough leftovers for everyone, tell them to just bring the drinks, desserts or ice. Ask them to bring a friend you don't know and you've got new connections!

RECONNECT
And that brings me to reconnecting with old friends. This party can be a 'reconnection bash' where you invite people you forgot about or haven't seen in a while.

The internet is spectacular for finding people you lost touch with! Use Facebook! Try Classmates.com or Reunion.com to reconnect with old classmates. See if they will be home for the holidays, too.

Contact people BEFORE you travel home and set something up in advance, even if it is just "coffee catch up."

SEARCH
To meet NEW people, look up singles in the city you will be in on Match.com or whatever dating site you are on, or free sites like Craig's List or Plenty of Fish. Respond to interesting Craig's list ads. Send messages to Match.com members that are located where you will be going and let them know you'll be around for a brief time. Don't forget to follow the safety measures when meeting people online!

Try MEETUP.com to see what activities or parties are happening in the area during the dates you are there and GO to something.

Make the holidays a time to reconnect with old friends, meet new people and have some fun! You never know what can happen!

Happy Dating!!!

For more tips, get the tele-seminar "Holiday Hookups: Dating Strategies for the Holidays" at http://www.kikistrickland.com

Kiki Strickland is a matchmaker and Dating Coach who is passionate about helping smart, successful, singles who have a difficult time finding and keeping love. Her private coaching sessions and dating seminars are all about providing love life solutions to singles who desire to be married. Professionals who have succeeded in their careers are often frustrated by not finding the same success in relationships. Through her "A Diva's Guide to Meeting Mr. Right" Coaching Program and 5-Part Audio Series, as well as her eBook "How Divas Date", Ms. Strickland is helping singles find love and the relationship they have dreamed of.

Kiki Strickland

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Home-for-the-Holidays:-Dating-Tips&id=6729631] Home for the Holidays: Dating Tips

What Is Agoraphobia?

2011-12-12T23:20:00.000-05:00

What is it Agoraphobia? Agoraphobias definition is quite simple but yet, what I hear more is “Do I have Agoraphobia?” The reason for this is the definition is vague and some people find they fit this definition and some people don't. I’ve said on several occasions that people who write me spend more time worrying if they have Agoraphobia rather than why and what's causing it and what to do about it. The definition quite simply is the fear of crowds or public places. This is where it gets confusing because some people say I'm actually a quite sociable person so they will have doubts to whether they have Agoraphobia or not especially newcomers to Agoraphobia.

The definition is actually a generalization of Agoraphobia and a better definition would be Agoraphobia is a fear of having a panic attack while in a crowded public setting therefore the person will avoid public places to avoid embarrassments associated with having a panic attack while in public. People with Agoraphobia often avoid being outside the home alone being in a crowd or standing in a line. It is important not to confuse Agoraphobia with Social Phobia which is the avoidance of social situations for fear of embarrassment. Agoraphobia is much broader and isn’t limited to or by social situations but this isn't where the definition stops as it is with most programs or websites you may run across it is possible to have Agoraphobia and not have panic disorder as it is commonly linked to.

I got an e-mail from a man once who had multiple sclerosis for 13 years and spent four years in a wheelchair all this time spent at home and not going out took a toll on him. He had a surgery that enabled him to walk with crutches or a walker but he found himself comfortable staying at home. As he put it in his own words “Over the past two months or so I've become very comfortable in my home to the point where I don't want to leave it. I feel when I leave my house something will go wrong. I may have a car accident I will spend money on something I can’t afford. I just want to stay home all the time. The last two weeks I have left my house two times and that is good with me”.

His question to me is “Do you think I have Agoraphobia?” and the answer would be yes even though panic disorder isn’t present it is still very strongly linked to anxiety and most likely generalized anxiety disorder but the main point is to show that even though this man didn’t have panic disorder his anxiety or his thoughts were keeping him from going outside. This may confuse some who think panic disorder and Agoraphobia go hand-in-hand when in fact anxiety and Agoraphobia go hand-in-hand because like the definition of generalized anxiety disorder which is “a chronic worry of life events” I will cover generalized anxiety later but I did want to point out that there are some other causes for more phobia besides panic disorder but all are almost anxiety related.

Klinefelter's Syndrome in short is a syndrome where a male will have a chromosome makeup of XY and a female with have a chromosome makeup of XX. A person with Klinefelter's syndrome will have two X chromosome and at least one Y chromosome. This affects one out of every thousand males and one out of every five hundred females, although Agoraphobia specifically isn’t a sign or symptom of the syndrome, the anxiety that comes with the syndrome can sometimes cause the persons affected to become antisocial or shy thus in some cases become Agoraphobic. These are a few examples of how other factors besides anxiety can cause anxiety symptoms and thus opening doors to become agoraphobic.

Panic Attacks?

2011-12-10T19:24:00.001-05:00

i have been suffering from panic attacks now for 3 months and really cant learn to deal with them. when one comes on, i automatically think i am going to die ie im having a heart attack, i have a blood clot. its ruining my life. i have had acupunture, tried yoga taken tablets, used bach remedies but nothing. i know i have a fear of death but this is beyond control. i have been checked and i have a healthy heart and healthy lungs. but what are the chest pains i always get?? help someone please :(

Hi Vicky-

A lot of what's going on with panic attacks is that you start to fear the panic attacks themselves, and that makes the whole situation worse. It becomes a whole vicious cycle that's really difficult to control. You need a way to feel (and be) in control of the situation so you're not living in fear of the next attack.

I'm a massage therapist, and I've worked with a lot of people who deal with panic attacks and anxiety. I don't know what's going on in your life, but stress is usually a huge component. You say this has been going on for 3 months. What happened in your life 3 months ago? Was there some traumatic experience? That's just some stuff to look at.

On a practical level, caffeine can contribute to stress and anxiety, so if you drink a lot of coffee or soda, that's something you could cut down on and see if it helps. Also, are you getting enough sleep? When you're already stressed out, sleep deprivation can REALLY mess up your system. Try to get up and go to bed at (reasonably) regular hours. That could help regulate your body clock and system, which in itself could help with your attacks. I'm not saying that just stopping caffeine and getting enough sleep will stop your attacks, but while you have the attacks, it's important to take care of yourself and reduce stress in as many ways as possible.

There's a program I've recommended to a lot of my clients that's helped quite a few of them. You might want to take a look at it. It's called Panic Away, and it does a great job of teaching you how to regain control and stop living in fear of the next attack. You can get a free 5 part email mini-series that lots of people find really helpful all by itself. You can see what other people have to say about it at www.backfaqs.com/panicaway. I couldn't figure out how to make this link clickable, so I also put it in the Sources area.

As far as the chest pain, you didn't really describe it, but chest pain is quite common with panic attacks. Is yours sharp, and does it go away pretty quickly, or is it more like a "catch" that stops or interrupts your breath? Either way, as long as you've been checked out physically as you said, it's nothing to worry (more) about. The pains are caused by the fact that your panic attacks cause really rapid breathing and heartbeats, and that can make the muscles in your chest contract. It's not uncommon for a person's chest to be sore for several days after a panic attack.

Anyway, I hope some of this helps, and feel free to let me know if there's any way I can help.

I wish you the best of luck! I know how awful it is to be in the grip of something you can't control.

Jan

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How to Stop a Panic Attack - Taking Charge Of Your Life

2011-12-10T19:20:00.001-05:00

How to Stop a Panic Attack - Taking Charge Of Your Life

How to Stop a Panic Attack - Taking Charge Of Your Life

By Dean S. Erickson

Are you ashamed of telling someone you have panic attack syndrome? Most people do.

A panic attack may occur suddenly but there are ways on how to stop a panic attack. There are self-help methods, which include changing one's attitude, practicing breathing techniques, and relaxation techniques as well. Learning to handle worries and things that cause anxiety will go a long way towards stopping and preventing panic attacks in some cases. This article outlines the signs and symptoms of a panic attack and how to deal with them.

Some self-help advocates support turning negative feelings and attitudes into positive, healing attitudes. These include asking oneself questions like what one can learn from an episode and accepting that there is no shame in it.

Recognizing Signs And Symptoms

Because hyperventilating is also a symptom, learning to control breathing is another way on how to stop a panic attack. Usually sufferers are advised to practice deep breathing techniques, which can relax them as well.

Controlling Your Reaction is the Key Factor

Before going for medications, one should check first with a physician to determine existing medical conditions that triggers the panic attacks. After a thorough check-up, the doctor can then determine the best approach to stopping and maybe curing the anxiety attacks. Sometimes the treatment will include both psychological and medical considerations.

Panic Disorder Treatments

One such psychological treatment on how to stop panic attacks is the cognitive behavioral therapy. Here, one is thought to recognize the fears in a realistic approach, which will then result in controlling the fears and anxieties. Thought processes and behavior patterns recorded by experts are modified to adapt to the given situation.

Another therapy used is exposure therapy wherein one is exposed to the sense of panic but in a safe and controlled environment. These give the patient more control as well as learn ways of coping with the situation. Gradual exposure to the fear helps to make the panic feeling recede.

Exercise and techniques to manage stress are also used to stop anxiety attacks. Some examples would be doing aerobic exercises or practicing yoga techniques to help control breathing patterns. Medical treatments on the other hand involve using medications such as anti-depressants and benzodiazepines.

Anti-depressants are taken over a certain period as they work only after a few weeks of use. Benzodiazepines on the other hand, act rapidly, often within half an hour of taking them. Thus, they are for use in those situations when an anxiety attack suddenly occurs. However, many of these drugs are addictive which is why care should be taken when resorting to this type of treatment.

It is said that the best treatments are a combination of all these methods. The different methods work hand in hand to control the situations better. Patients are advised to avoid caffeine and smoking as these can act as triggers. What is vital on how to stop panic attacks is to seek professional help, identify the triggers, and learn to cope with these stresses and anxieties.

Practicing and learning breathing and relaxation methods help not just in stopping panic attacks but also towards leading a healthy lifestyle.

Don't allow fear to paralyze you and ruin your life. Take the next step and learn to stop panic attacks.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dean_S._Erickson

http://EzineArticles.com/?How-to-Stop-a-Panic-Attack---Taking-Charge-Of-Your-Life&id=6730106

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How to Stop A Panic Attack

2011-12-10T18:56:00.001-05:00

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