Archive for January, 2009

Panic Attacks — Signs of Vulnerability

Tuesday, January 27th, 2009

Panic attacks do not come from nowhere, though the possibility of them coming out of the blue cannot be discounted. Nonetheless, there is always that something that triggers the occurrence of such attacks. Experts believe that the causes are multi-factorial and pre-disposing factors are many. Included are the following:

Genetics. Panic attacks run in the family. If you great grandfather had it, there is a relative possibility that you might develop the disorder as well. In typical cases, those people who have relatives with panic attacks are twice more likely to experience either acute or chronic but intermittent episodes of panic disorder than normal people. Nonetheless, there are people who have family history of panic attacks that do not develop the disorder.

Medical causes. There are several medical conditions that could allow for the development of panic disorder and panic attacks. Among them are mitral valve prolapse, hypoglycemia, hyperthyroidism, abrupt withdrawal from medication usage, and use of stimulants. Mitral valve prolapse, otherwise known as MVP, is a heart disease that affects the mitral valves, the part of the heart that prevents the backflow of blood. The symptoms of this disease are shortness of breath and chest pain along with others. Not only do these symptoms resemble those of panic attacks but research by the American Heart Association confirmed that there is a direct link between MVP and panic attacks.

Laid Off from Work? Increase Your Chances of Finding a New Job

Friday, January 23rd, 2009

Were you laid off from your job? Whether the layoff occurred two weeks ago or two months ago, you may want to jump right back in. Unemployment benefits are nice, but they likely rarely come close to the paycheck you were bringing home before. Unfortunately, the job outlook isn’t good. All across the country, companies are cutting expenses. Many of the companies who aren’t laying off workers have imposed freezes on hiring. Finding a new job may seem like an impossible task. However, there is work out there. You just need to know how to find it.

Use the internet to look for a new job. If you are 25 years old, you likely use the internet on a daily basis. However, if you are 50 years old, you may be lucky if you touch a computer twice a week. Internet use varies depending on age, computer access, and the time available to surf the web. When looking for a new job, your first thought may be to look in your local newspaper classified section. Do this, but also turn to the internet. There are many job search websites, like Monster.com. Companies also have employment sections, where open positions are listed on their websites, and much more. In the past, you may have only used the internet to communicate with friends, but now use it to find a job.