What is Agoraphobia?

This phobia is defined as ‘fear of being of an embarrassing situation’, according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary. However, this is fairly known as fear of public places where the embarrassing situation might happen. In the US alone, there is about 1 per cent of the whole population but in the UK, about 4 per cent has it. Thus, such is developed from panic attacks which then advance into full-blown agoraphobia.

What are the Symptoms?

Agoraphobia does not sound as familiar as other phobias, however, it is actually common. The symptoms are also fairly common, sometimes these are portrayed in movies. Perhaps, after hearing the symptoms, you would identify the phobia.

Some common symptoms include the fear of crowds and of public transport. Then, there is social withdrawal or isolation. The person tends to ‘hide’ from people, this even includes fear in their own neighborhoods. For some milder agoraphobics, they are still able to go out, but they would require being with another person. Lastly, a panic attack which is originally the usual cause of agoraphobia becomes a symptom.

What the Treatment Options are available?

There are many treatment options available for agoraphobia. These treatment options can range from some simple remedies up to therapies. One of the simplest ways of ‘treating’ agoraphobia is by controlling panic attacks. This is said to be the most important since this is the main reason why they do not like to go out. Simply put, if there are no panic attacks, then there is less likely to have any fearful embarrassing situations.

Another available option is a CBT or a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. This psychotherapeutic approach works by keeping the anxiety level at a minimum. This helps by changing the person’s view of the fearful events they anticipate. One other approach is EFT or the Emotional Freedom Technique. This works by tapping the body’s points to change the negative emotional stresses. There is also the NLP or Neuro-Linguistic Programming which is commonly to place a ‘good’ pattern of behavior to follow.

There are also some alternative non-medical approaches like hypnosis and stress management. Hypnosis which uses the mind’s deep state to calm the person and then change the perspective of the fearful events is one treatment option. Stress management, on the other hand, identifies the stressors then provides a more viable option on handling the stress. In turn, when the stress is overcome then, it would be easier to remove all other fears.

Conclusion

In conclusion we hope this article has highlighted the numerous ways you can help yourself, and possibly also help somebody else who has agoraphobia.

We would recommend that you stick with natural therapies over drugs, drug’s only ever mask the symptoms and rarely ever deal with them head on.

Don’t get us wrong, drug’s do have a place and can help put a sufferers symptoms aside so they can attemtp to deal with the real issues with behavioural therapy or other methods. But they should never be relied on 100% as the sole cure.

Whoever said that a stone massage should only be done in a spa or massage center probably has never heard of a home hot stone massage therapy. With the proper massage supplies such as hot stones and essential oils, you can give or have a hot stone massage right inside the comfort of your home.

If you plan on engaging in a massage business or if you want to give your spouse a personal hot stone massage for his birthday, here is a list of basic step-by-step directions on how to give a hot stone massage.

Step 1: Prepare the basic hot stone massage therapy equipment that you’ll need such as a massage table, linen or sheet for the table, massage oils, massage stones like basalt stones (you may need 40-50 pieces of stones), and a heating device for these stones.

Step 2: Before the client arrives, prepare the massage room by draping the massage table with clean linens and by setting up a tranquil ambiance through pleasurable aromas, low lighting and soothing music.

Step 3: Heat up the stones that you will be using.

Step 4: Once the client arrives, give him or her ample time to relax before the session. Be sure to explain the process of hot stone massage therapy.

Step 5: Ask the client to lie down on the table. Place the stones on each side of the spine without coming in actual contact with the spine.

Step 6: Begin by massaging the face lightly with a coating of oil. Place four stones on the face. Put the first stone underneath the lips, the second and third stones on each cheek and the fourth stone on the center of the forehead.

Step 7: Massage some oil on the right leg. Rub the hot stone on each side of the leg and then place small stones between each of your client’s toes on his right foot. Repeat the process with the left leg and left foot.

Step 8: Go to your client’s arm, and use the effleurage stroke to coat it with oil. Massage the arm area by using medium-sized flat stones. After that, put a warm stone on your client’s palm. Do the same thing with the other arm.

Step 9: Now, it’s time to ask your client to turn over. Remove the stones you’ve placed on the face, hands and toes.

Step 10: Massage the back area using various stones to apply pressure on key acupressure points. After massaging this area, lay one stone on each shoulder, one on each scapular area and one on the client’s lower back.

Step 11: Go to the back of your client’s legs and place a medium-sized warm stone underneath the buttocks, on the backs of the knees and on the calf.

Step 12: Massage the scalp of the client down to the neck and shoulder area.

Step 13: Remove the stones you’ve placed on the client’s body.

Step 14: For the finale, use effleurage strokes on the client’s back and leg area using the tips of your fingers.

Step 15: Give your client some time to cool down or take a short nap after the session.

With these simple guidelines, tender and gentle touch, and a determination to give the best kind of massage, your spouse or clients will surely be asking or coming back for more.

Have you ever wondered what vitamin is the best for your body? Among all the different ones emerges a very familiar name, B12. It has many health benefits, although it is most commonly used for a boost of energy or to support chronic fatigue. But what happens when your body does not have enough? Lets just say it may be extremely dangerous or even fatal. Vitamin B12 is needed to prevent pernicious anemia, a condition in which the body can’t make enough healthy red blood cells. It also plays a vital role for your body’s production of DNA, the genetic material in all cells. Deficiencies in B12 are known to cause conditions such as nerve damage relating to memory loss, abnormal sensations and poor concentration. In most cases, this very essential vitamin will often get overlooked by health conscious consumers.

It is important to make wise decisions for your body now to prevent any future diseases. Benjamin Franklin, the oldest of our Founding Fathers was right when he stated “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Like many things in life, prevention is easier than fixing an extreme problem at its worse. We recommend a healthy diet as well as finding the necessary vitamins for your body. That’s where vitamin B12 comes in and plays a huge role. Some researchers discovered that with the right levels of this will release “Melatonin” faster from the body to improve sleeping patterns and generate restful sleep. It can be found in many foods, however, the only dependable source comes from meat, dairy products and eggs. Many researchers have analyzed the possibility of plant food as a reliable source of B12. However, they concluded that plants do not contain a substantial amount necessary for the human body.

Did you know that Vitamin B12 often can be stored in small amounts by your body?! Your body has the potential to store anywhere from 2-5 milligrams with 80% of it stored in the liver. People with low B12 in their diets or may develop a deficiency disease in as little as 3 years! It is known to be water soluble and is involved in the normal functioning of the brain and nervous system. Consuming large amounts of alcohol in a two week period can decrease absorption of it from the gastrointestinal tract. It is good to know that your body stores several years’ worth of this vitamin, so deficiencies of this vitamin are severely rare. Hydrochloric acid which is found in the stomach releases B12 from protein during digestion. After being released, B12 integrates with a substance called intrinsic factor before it is absorbed into the bloodstream.

After careful research, it is clear that this vitamin has a significant role in many areas of the body. The absorption of it is crucial in the formation of red blood cells that transfer oxygen throughout the body. It is a very important vitamin to have in your body; however it is a rare occurrence to see people with deficiencies. To prevent any harm to your body eat foods high in B12 or invest in an inexpensive health supplement called B12 Strips by Essential Source! They are dissolvable and easy to take!