Hot Stone Therapy Relieves Panic Disorder

It is normal for a person to be afraid of something. It is our instant reaction to such fearful situation. But prolong feeling of fear is not healthy. It may be one of the episodes of a panic disorder.

During a panic attack, the sufferer feels like pulling and caving by a black hole. It is as if a big rock is rolling towards you; a tall building is falling to your side and your bed will suddenly break when you lay down.

The sound of vehicles nearby make you jumpy and restless. You can't sleep at night, afraid you will not be able to wake up the next day. Your mind is wandering somewhere. You even fear to face strangers especially in the crowd. You hate to go out, for fear of the sudden tremble you might experience when you are walking alone. You fear to be alone - for you are sometimes kind of suicidal. You need to talk to someone to let them feel how it makes you sick feeling it.

You might even fear to ride in a vehicle. It makes you feel like jumping out the window, fear to have an accident. There is something closing in your mind – panic rises within you – afraid you might lose grip of things. Your heart is pounding fast and hard, your mouth is dry, your breathing is quick and shallow. There is a feel of an overwhelming sense of tightness in the throat.

Anxiety is a normal response to actual danger or threat. However, if the anxiety is intense, persistent, and affects work and relationships, then it has reached the abnormal proportions and has become a psychiatric disorder that needs medication and psychotherapy. A panic attack is often manifested by physical symptoms such as palpitation, sweating, tremor, shortness of breath, chest discomforts, abdominal discomfort, light headedness or dizziness and body weakness. Because of these overwhelming symptoms, a person may fear of dying or going crazy.

A panic attack is not a sudden condition of sickness, in which a person can recover quickly. It is the end-point of a long-term stress wherein one's energies have been drained and the coping mechanisms failed.

The brain is made up of billions of cells called neurons. These neurons communicate with each other through brain chemicals known as neurotransmitters. The brain is able to send and receive message from different areas of the body. The most important neurons that regulate a person's emotion are dopamine and serotonin. When these neurotransmitters change, there will be a change in emotional state of an individual. In a normally-functioning brain, the neurotransmitters adjust to produce the emotion for a certain situation.

The “chemical imbalance in the brain” occurs when the neurotransmitters do not adjust as they should be, thus producing inappropriate emotions such as depression. This chemical imbalance is triggered by stressful life events, illnesses, alcohol use and hormone levels. For some, the imbalance is caused by genetics or hereditary.

A hot stone massage can relieve panic attack!

The chemical imbalance is often due to poor circulation since the nerves are the channels to distribute messages to the body from the brain. The energy key points are often blocked, thereby causing an imbalance of emotional state. The heated stones that are placed on the energy key points of the body allow the blood to flow freely.

It loosen up tight muscles which create discomfort to the body. Through these hot stones, the massage therapist can deeply penetrate to the deep tissues and allow the blood to circulate around the body.

One may feel a sense of deep relaxation once you focus your mind to the stationary hot stones on your body and the moving ones as the therapist glides them smoothly. A private vacation of oneself from the stressful events can revitalize the mind, emotion, and body. It calms your nerves as well as soothes your weary mind.

It pacifies your mind as you are feeling the panic in every situation that may not require too much worrying. An experience of hot stone massage will enlighten your spirit – brings you to a sense of tranquility – and relaxes your anxious emotional state. A stone massage can be a holistic retreat from a pressured life.