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January 2016 | Read this issue and more at www.healthandwellnessmagazine.net |
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INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE
Mindfulness for Anxiety & Depression
By John A.
Patterson MD,
MSPH, FAAFP,
Mind Body Studio
Although anxiety
and depression can be temporary
experiences associated with life’s
stresses and losses, they can also
become major and tragic burdens
for individuals, families and the
overall economy.
Anxiety is characterized by intrusive, worried, fearful and recurring
thoughts. These thoughts may be
precipitated by external events or
they may be internally generated
without a clear external trigger.
Symptoms of anxiety include palpitations (with or without an actual
increase in heart rate), elevated
blood pressure, sweating, trembling, dizziness and avoidance of
certain situations, events, places
and people out of fear of worsening
symptoms.
While short-term anxiety can be
a normal reaction to life stress, clinical anxiety disorders can be associated with intense, recurrent worry,
fear and avoidance of everyday
situations. Panic attacks are a type
of anxiety that can occur suddenly,
with or without any apparent cause,
characterized by sudden intense
fear that triggers a severe physical
reaction and con