by Carla Roberson

Created on: April 14, 2009

For years I have been a "secret" victim of anxiety. I have suffered chest pains, hot flashes, shaking uncontrollably and hyperventilation just to name a few of my symptoms; all associated with anxiety disorder, causing severe panic attacks. There are several different disorders classified under anxiety. There are those that suffer from generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), those that suffer from specific phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), panic disorder and social anxiety disorder. Generalized anxiety disorder became a nightmare in my life, causing me to be jittery, nervous and fearful over so many things; eventually I developed hypochondria.

All anxiety sufferers do not have the same exact indications; however, an anxiety attack causes "physical" symptoms thus mimicking various types of physical illnesses and causing concern; it is because of these physical manifestations that generates even more alarm in the mind of the anxiety sufferer.

If you are one of the estimated 40 million adults that suffer from anxiety, just know that you are far from alone. This considerable amount of people makes up approximately 18% of the United States population or one in four people. In my opinion, this figure appears to be on the low side and does not reflect accurate representation of anxiety sufferers; but, instead appears to be those who are willing to admit to this behavioral condition and/or sought help for it.

There are hundreds of celebrities who have admitted to suffering from panic attacks. Because the list is way too exorbitant for me to list all, I have named some of them here: Naomi Campbell, David Bowie, Johnny Depp, Sally Field, Barbra Streisand, Howard Stern, James Garner, Kim Basinger, John Madden, Sissy Spacek, Cher, Aretha Franklin, Joan Rivers, Nicole Kidman, Naomi Judd, Edie Falco and John Cougar Mellancamp.

Not everyone who suffers from anxiety chooses to see a professional and not everyone chooses to take medication. Medication was not a sufficient means for depleting anxiety levels in me; instead it seemed to cause more shakiness and brain fog. I was advised that I should try a different type of medication, as it sometimes can take a few different types in order to find the proper fit. I chose not to; but rather chose to seek a more natural, behavioral interactive approach to counteract my problem. There are several alternate methods to medication which could prove to be just as effective, yet low-cost. The

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