AN AGORAPHOBIC SYSTEM IS READY DAILY TO SAVE THEIR LIFE, IT HAS PICKED UP THE SIGNALS OF THREAT !

WE NEED IT TO LOOK AFTER US IN TIMES OF DANGER, BUT WE DON'T WANT IT TO CARE ABOUT US SO MUCH !

THE FUNDAMENTAL THINGS THAT HAPPEN WITH STRESS-THE PHYSICAL ASPECT.
PREVIOUSLY WE READ HOW THE BRAIN CONTROLS AND AFFECTS OUR BODY, RECEIVING MESSAGES, PASSING THEM ON TO THE PITUITARY GLAND AND THEN THE ADRENAL GLAND, WHICH PRODUCES TWO HORMONES THAT FLOW INTO THE BLOOD SYSTEM, CALLED ADRENALIN AND NORADRENALIN. ALL THIS HAPPENS IN A MATTER OF SECONDS. It passes on experiences that have happened to you in the past that have been stored in your memory - agoraphobics have vivid memories. Sympathetic nerves produce the reaction from the adrenal glands.

THE ADRENAL GLAND IS THE "FIGHT OR FLIGHT" GLAND. With almost all the heightened awareness of all the physical symptoms that are experienced in a panic, the body wnats a choice to be made. Fight or run - that is the normal reaction for this gland to do. Agoraphobics should NOT FIGHT or RUN. (SOME CHOICE!!).

ADRENALIN makes you aware of your heart racing because of worry caused by thinking about a panic, or subconsciously worrying. This hormone can also make you feel marvellous or terrific, so all of it's sensations are not negative. A nuisance example is when you buy an article and break it as soon as you arrive home. Adrenalin also makes the brain aware through messages of our memories. Another thing an increase in adrenalin will do, is cause a rapid rise in sugar level, which increases the blood to flow to all organs, - a different awareness of what is going on in your stomach. It can produce a new symptom anywhere in your body. Make sure you have a medical check-up if the physical symptoms persist.

Try to understand that your body is not a machine, that it has a limited capacity to produce adrenalin; therefore that first fear can come only in a wave, and must always die down if you but wait, and calm down. Sensitised nerves heal as naturally as a broken leg.

Adrenalin can cause you to awake from sleep with a start, feeling as if you are going to die immediately. In the more chronic state where you are constantly under stress the NORADRENALIN will produce a change in your sleeping pattern, finding difficulty in getting off to sleep, or waking up with a start? (not a nightmare). This is just a chronic anxiety state. Going off to sleep, waking up, settling again etc. The other pattern is going off to sleep and waking at a crazy hour. These patterns can be caused by anything you are worrying about whether it is your favourite pet that is sick, or a relative in hospital.

AWARENESS OF ADRENALIN IN THE NERVOUS SYSTEM The tension of muscles particularly the chest, makes you become aware of a tight feeling in the chest. Pupils of the eyes dilating, heightened awareness not only of our symptoms but of the surroundings. You notice your scalp is tender, awareness of the tenderness of your shin, numbness, a choking sensation and impending doom. GENERAL RESTLESSNESS!

AWARENESS OF ADRENALIN NORADRENALIN IN THE NERVOUS SYSTEM This produces cramps, especially abdominal cramps and an urgency to empty your bladder. These hormones produce these reactions via the sympathetic nerves, to the nerve endings in the organs concerned.

Increase in adrenalin or noradrenalin can produce headaches, a tight band around the head, (like a collar or vice-like grip) and more awareness of the rate of breathing. Correct breathing can lessen stress symptoms produced by these hormones.

THE HEART The first physical symptom that is usually linked amongst agoraphobics is the frightening fast, thumping palpitations, or irregular heart beats, which is very uncomfortable. NORMALLY WHEN WE ARE AFRAID, WE ACCEPT A RACING HEART, RAPID BREATHING, SPASMS OF FEAR, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT WHEN THE CAUSE OF THE FEAR GOES, THESE REACTIONS ALSO WILL PASS. OUR FEELINGS BECOME CALM BECAUSE WE NO LONGER THINK FEARFULLY. An agoraphobic, especially cured agoraphobics, have to realise that the first fear is normal and is not to be confuse with the second state of fear. Agoraphobics are aware of the heart beating faster than usual, and it seems irregular because of worry and fear, but it is quite capable of coping with that.It is natural in this state for it to thump, but it CANNOT do harm - the heart is a very strong muscle. Did you know that the heart is so strong, that it does the work ((in strength)) all the time of lifting one and a half short tonnes one foot off the ground every hour, even while you are sleeping? It's surely strong and would not let you down. The only reason a heart stops is if there is no oxygen in the blood, and that is when a person is dead. During a panic attack, if you were able to take your own pulse, you would find your heart not beating more than 120 heart beats per minute. YOU CANNOT AND WILL NOT DIE from a racing, thumping and palpitating heart. Even if it continually thumped, it remains a TOTALLY STRONG HEALTHY MUSCLE. AN AGORAPHOBIC CANNOT HAVE A HEART ATTACK THROUGH A PANIC- IT WILL NOT BURST BECAUSE OF PANIC, OR STOP DURING A PANIC - strong palpitations have never caused a heart attack to anyone, anywhere.

THE HARD BEATING OF THE HEART IS MADE AWARE BY "GENERAL ADRENAL". You should not be upset if you are told you have high blood pressure, for the treatment in our enlightened days is so good. High blood pressure does not worsen the symptoms of agoraphobia, however fear of blood pressure can keep the sufferer tense and sensitised. High blood pressure may bring no symptoms. Symptoms thought to be due to high blood pressure are usually due to tension. The heart responds automatically to the needs of the body. When a person swims or skates it is rushing more oxygen to the blood, and there are other examples for how the heart changes its rate of beating to meet particular needs. The heart beats faster when a person is angry, afraid, or excited. It rushes oxygen to the muscles to prepare them for fighting or running - this a normal bodily reaction.

AIR HUNGER -(HYPERVENTILATION) This is a very common problem amongst agoraphobics and is responsible for many unpleasant feelings and distressing experiences. This again is the body reacting to the adrenal gland. Any person hyperventilates or gasps for air, as if to need more oxygen because of breathing out too much carbon-dioxide from the body, in an anxiety situation.

This changes the chemistry of the blood. 1. Level of carbon dioxide falls. 2. Level of oxygen in the blood rises. The symptoms of this are, light-headedness, giddiness, blurred vision, dry mouth, cramps in the muscles, trembling and shaking in legs and arms, palpitations, increase in muscle tension, rising terror, also first you might look red and hot, then pale. If the giddiness continues, a faint or near faint feeling occurs and even collapse. Following this is a feeling of extreme loss of energy. Incorrect breathing pattern will bring on an awareness of legs, hands and skin feeling numb. This means your blood has become slightly alkaline because of reduced carbon dioxide and your body responds to increase alkalinity.

The faint is brought on by fear of loosing control, fear of a heart attack, also of not getting enough air. If you do faint in this situation the breathing pattern automatically returns to a regular rhythm. A person need not be afraid that this will do harm. PANTING (breathing too quickly) occurs when people get anxious. BREATHING TOO DEEPLY, for a long period is not enough for a panic attack but leaves the person anxious and if an emotional shock occurs, increased breathing brings on a panic. If you are breathing too quickly CHANGE TO A SLOWER RATE. You only need to breath 10 or 12 breaths per minute. If you are breathing too deeply, breath through your nose in and out with shallow breaths, extending your stomach (not deeply and not moving your chest and shoulders). Controlled breathing keeps the level of oxygen and carbon dioxide in balance and the blood chemistry returns to normal BY ITSELF.
YOU CAN CONTROL AND STOP PANIC ATTACKS BY CORRECT BREATHING

BLURRED VISION Tension is the main cause here, with adrenalin output, along with too much output of carbon dioxide by irregular breathing. You are very conscious of where you are. There is a small circle around you and you can see that far, but everything else is blurry. You sense and hear everything around you.

LUMP IN THE THROAT. Or a tight restriction in the throat. This beings in the difficulty of swallowing and of a distressing feeling of breathing brought on by over- breathing. It is made worse by tension of throat and neck muscles.

BLADDER AND BOWEL FUNCTION Who hasn't experienced the need to "go to the toilet" ten times before an interview, for an example, or going out to some important event? A person's nervous system and emotions control the bowel and bladder functions. It is the anxiety that causes a person to feel the urgency and this brings on the fear of loosing control of the bladder and bower. This is a symptom of the increase of awareness of a normal body function and for one to eventually get over this, they have to know self-desensitisation. WEAKNESS of muscles follows emotional shock, when adrenalin is released and the blood drains from the rest of your body into muscles and therefore does not circulate properly.

TENSION This is behind giddiness, blurred vision etc. Tension caused by adrenal output, interferes with the balance mechanism receiving the correct messages from the eye, neck and body muscles. The swaying type of giddiness may also accompany low blood pressure or felt when high blood pressure drops quickly, e.g., in hot weather. It is reassuring to know that giddiness follows a fall in blood pressure, rather than in high blood pressure. This can happen by simple gardening, typing, washing your hair, simply rising from a horizontal position quickly. But the body will adjust itself to tension giddiness if you do not add further tension, and practise controlled breathing and relaxation. Tension is naturally great in the body of an agoraphbic because of the long time of fighting and impatience with time, including depression, fatigue. These all add up to increase stress and therefore prolongs recovery. Treat to this with relaxation; the more you panic the more adrenalin is released and you will have a panic attack.

STOP DOING WHAT YOU CAN'T DO FIRST - THIS WILL LESSON TENSION SO YOU CAN REASON WITH YOURSELF!

TRUST YOU R BODY TO HEAL ITSELF. YOUR BODY IS RESPONDING TO THE WAY YOU THINK - YOU ARE SIMPLY STANDING IN ITS WAY. IF YOU HAVE THE ATTITUDE OF THINKING, "I MUST GET OVER THIS" OR "THIS IS NOT TO GET THE BETTER OF ME", THAT IS FIGHTING AND NOT ACCEPTING. THIS KEEPS THE ADRENALIN READY AND WAITING -

TRANQUILLISERS These do help in starting off on a desensitisation programme, only if you wish this, or on the advice of your doctor. It helps the brain's perceptive awareness of bodily functions that disturb you and when the time is right to no longer need tranquillisers. It is wise not to drop all at once, only little by little.

DIET Agoraphobics notice a difference if they miss a meal or if their diet in general is not a healthy one Symptoms are heightened, again making the anxiety state worse, also the lack of appetite or poor eating habits during an illness make you feel aware of giddiness and trembling (lack of sleep can also make you aware of these). Increase of perspiration can be brought on by low blood sugar levels. Everyone should take an interest in their diet. Especially agoraphobics. The key to good nutrition is a varied diet which include every kind of nutrient.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW ABOUT THE ENERGY AND VITAMINS FOODS GIVE TO THE BODY. EACH VITAMIN IS ESSENTIAL FOR GOOD HEALTH - THE BODY CANNOT MANUFACTURE VITAMINS AND MUST DEPEND ON FOOD TO SUPPLY THEM.

Make it your buisneess to find out about your physcial symptoms and the working of your body. Do not hestiate to ask your general practitioner. oon the first signals of agoraphobia will be easiy recogised and your will be able to react in the correct way. You, yourself will be able to give your body rest and your mind shall be resfeshed.

References Dr. Claire Weekes- Checked by medical practitioner and psychologist- All other references from World Book Encyclopaedia- Compiled by S.W.A.G. Aust. Inc. Adelaide, South Australia.

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