Statcounter says Number 10 is still Number 1 in the Windows world

Much of the Windows world has yet to adopt Microsoft's latest desktop operating system more than a year after it launched, according to figures for October collated by Statcounter.…

In this article, we are going to learn How to install Screenlets ubuntu-desktop widgets app in Ubuntu. Screenlets is a widgets application for Linux-related operating systems. with help of this application, you can personalize your desktop by placing widgets like clock, weather indicator, currency indicator of different countries, music player, and many more. You can place the widgets anywhere on the desktop by dragging them.

Screenlets desktop widgets app is a nice lightweight application initially developed by Natan Yellin, Rico Pfaus, and Helder Fraga using python programming language and released under GNU GPL license. It’s quite an easy and user-friendly application that anyone can use and configure. In fact, the Screenlets Ubuntu desktop widgets app doesn’t need any configuration.

How To Install Screenlets Ubuntu Desktop Widgets App In Ubuntu

Follow the below steps to install Screenlets Ubuntu Desktop Widgets App in Ubuntu:

Before starting the installation we have to install the official PPA repository for the Screenlets Ubuntu desktop widgets app as it’s not a part of the default repository of Ubuntu. So to install the PPA repository use the below command.

itsmarttricks@ubuntu:~$ sudo add-apt-repository ppa:screenlets/ppa   # Install PPA Repository
 Main repository for stable versions.

You can find latest development versions at https://launchpad.net/~screenlets-dev/+archive/ppa. See also http://www.screenlets.org/index.php/Download.
 More info: https://launchpad.net/~screenlets/+archive/ubuntu/ppa
Press [ENTER] to continue or ctrl-c to cancel adding it

gpg: keyring `/tmp/tmp4v5jm0g8/secring.gpg' created
gpg: keyring `/tmp/tmp4v5jm0g8/pubring.gpg' created
gpg: requesting key A8670E8C from hkp server keyserver.ubuntu.com
gpg: /tmp/tmp4v5jm0g8/trustdb.gpg: trustdb created
gpg: key A8670E8C: public key "Launchpad PPA for Screenlets" imported
gpg: Total number processed: 1
gpg:               imported: 1  (RSA: 1)
OK

After installing the PPA repository let’s update the packages & repositories of Ubuntu using the below command to take effect.

itsmarttricks@ubuntu:~$ sudo apt-get update   # Update Packages & Repositories
Get:1 http://ppa.launchpad.net/screenlets/ppa/ubuntu xenial InRelease [17.5 kB]                               
Get:2 http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-security InRelease [102 kB]                                     
Hit:3 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial InRelease                          
Get:4 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates InRelease [102 kB]                                                         
Get:5 http://ppa.launchpad.net/screenlets/ppa/ubuntu xenial/main amd64 Packages [1,232 B] 
Get:6 http://ppa.launchpad.net/screenlets/ppa/ubuntu xenial/main i386 Packages [1,232 B]                                                    
Get:7 http://ppa.launchpad.net/screenlets/ppa/ubuntu xenial/main Translation-en [1,020 B]                     
Get:8 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-backports InRelease [102 kB]       
Fetched 327 kB in 5s (62.1 kB/s)   
Reading package lists... Done

Also Read – How to Install Unity Tweak Tool in Ubuntu – A Popular Ubuntu Tweak Tool

Now we are ready to install the Screenlets desktop widgets package. So let’s go ahead and install the same using the below command.

itsmarttricks@ubuntu:~$ sudo apt-get install screenlets   # Install Screenlets Ubuntu desktop widgets app
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  javascript-common libboost-program-options1.58.0 libboost-regex1.58.0 libboost-signals1.58.0 libcoin80v5 libfreeimage3 libgl2ps0 libjs-jquery libjs-jquery-ui
  libjs-sphinxdoc libjs-underscore libjxr0 liboce-foundation10 liboce-modeling10 liboce-ocaf-lite10 liboce-ocaf10 liboce-visualization10 libopenjp2-7 libphonon4
  libpyside1.2 libqt4-designer libqt4-help libqt4-opengl libqt4-scripttools libqt4-svg libqt4-test libqtassistantclient4 libqtwebkit4 libshiboken1.2v5 libsoqt4-20
.
.
0 upgraded, 41 newly installed, 0 to remove and 189 not upgraded.
Need to get 14.4 MB of archives.
After this operation, 67.8 MB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] y  ---> Enter 'y' to continue the installation

As you can see above we have successfully installed the Screenlets desktop widgets package. To confirm the same refer to the below command.

itsmarttricks@ubuntu:~$ sudo dpkg -l screenlets   # Confirm the installed Package
Desired=Unknown/Install/Remove/Purge/Hold
| Status=Not/Inst/Conf-files/Unpacked/halF-conf/Half-inst/trig-aWait/Trig-pend
|/ Err?=(none)/Reinst-required (Status,Err: uppercase=bad)
||/ Name                                 Version                 Architecture            Description
+++-====================================-=======================-=======================-=============================================================================
ii  screenlets                           0.1.7                   all                     Widget-like mini-applications for GNOME

Now to open the application just type the command screenlets on the shell prompt. Refer to the command below.

itsmarttricks@ubuntu:~$ screenlets   # Open the Screenlets Application

After opening the application for the first time you will get the below message. The purpose of the below message is it will create a autostart directory for the application which will help to start the Screenlets desktop widgets app to start at startup each time we start the system. So just click on Yes to continue.

After the above step, you will get the screen where all the widgets are available. You just have to double click on any widget to add that on Desktop.

You can also open the Screenlets desktop widgets graphically using the Search your computer box.

How To Uninstall Screenlets Ubuntu Desktop Widgets App On Ubuntu?

To uninstall the Screenlets Ubuntu Desktop Widgets App use the below command.

Note: Before uninstalling the actual package you have to uninstall the dependency packages.

So Here first I uninstalled the screenlets pack basic dependency package.

itsmarttricks@ubuntu:~$ sudo dpkg -r screenlets-pack-basic   # Uninstall Screenlets Ubuntu desktop widgets app
(Reading database ... 214220 files and directories currently installed.)
Removing screenlets-pack-basic (0.1.7.2-xenial) ...
Processing triggers for gnome-menus (3.13.3-6ubuntu3.1) ...
Processing triggers for desktop-file-utils (0.22-1ubuntu5) ...
Processing triggers for bamfdaemon (0.5.3~bzr0+16.04.20160824-0ubuntu1) ...
Rebuilding /usr/share/applications/bamf-2.index...
Processing triggers for mime-support (3.59ubuntu1) ...

Then uninstalled the actual Screenlets Ubuntu desktop widgets app.

itsmarttricks@ubuntu:~$ sudo dpkg -r screenlets
(Reading database ... 212711 files and directories currently installed.)
Removing screenlets (0.1.7) ...
Processing triggers for man-db (2.7.5-1) ...
Processing triggers for hicolor-icon-theme (0.15-0ubuntu1) ...
Processing triggers for gnome-menus (3.13.3-6ubuntu3.1) ...
Processing triggers for desktop-file-utils (0.22-1ubuntu5) ...
Processing triggers for bamfdaemon (0.5.3~bzr0+16.04.20160824-0ubuntu1) ...
Rebuilding /usr/share/applications/bamf-2.index...
Processing triggers for mime-support (3.59ubuntu1) ...
Processing triggers for gconf2 (3.2.6-3ubuntu6) ...

That’s all, In this article, we have explained How To Install Screenlets Ubuntu Desktop Widgets App In Ubuntu. I hope you enjoy this article. If you like this article, then just share it. If you have any questions about this article, please comment.

The post How To Install Screenlets Ubuntu Desktop Widgets App In Ubuntu appeared first on IT SMART TRICKS.

Ever wanted one of those Nespresso machines, but put off by the thought of coughing up for pricey Nespresso pods? Well, there are knock-off versions in the shops, but one man has worked out a really simple hack, so you can sidestep a lot of nonsense, and save yourself a lot of money in the process.

In his video (below), he says: “Found one of these fancy pants coffee makers at the Goodwill – only problem is, you’ve got to decide between buying the pods for it, and putting your kids through college.”

Then, with a Southern flourish, he adds; “This here Nespresso company, they think they got me fooled. But I done broke their system and I’m gon’ show y’all how to do it too.”

So, if you’re at work and haven’t clicked the video (which you should, for his delivery alone), and want to know what the hack is, you’ll be staggered at how easy his solution is.

Russell shows how you can just empty out a pod, and then replace it with fine ground coffee, that you can pick up anywhere. Cover the Nespresso pod with foil and, whoosh, you’re away!

Fat Rascals are a real Yorkshire tradition and are one of the husbeasts favorite baked goods.  Whenever we visit Berry’s Tearooms he always gets a Fat Rascal.  Well, Maxi and I decided that we needed to perfect making our own and guess what, they are easy to make and taste delicious.

A Fat Rascal is a Yorkshire speciality and the best way to describe them is a cross between a scone and a rock bun.  They are pretty simple to make and are wonderful for afternoon tea.  Plus once you have the basic recipe off, then you can adjust it.

We tweaked our basic recipe to add lemon zest, all spice, candied ginger and chocolate chips in this batch!

Ingredients

• 275g Self Raising flour
• 100g of cold butter (we use salted and omit any other salt)
• 100g caster sugar
• 150g mixed dried fruit
• 150ml double cream and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to sour
• 1 egg
• Zest of 1 lemon
• half a teaspoon of mixed spice

How to make Fat Rascals

Preheat your oven to 200 degrees c (fan oven).  Place you flour and spices into a large bowl.

Cut up your butter into small chunks and rub into the flour, until it resembles breadcrumbs.

Add the rest of your dry ingredients and mix well. Add the lemon juice to your cream and mix (the cream will stiffen) add to the beaten egg.

Add the wet mixture to the bowl and mix with either a spatula or wooden spoon to form a thick dough.

Shape into eight balls and place on a greased baking tray.

Make for 22-25 minutes until golden brown.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool.  Fat Rascals are best eaten on the day of baking, split in half and served with butter.  You can store them and perk them up by slightly warming them the next day (that is if you have any left)!

How cool is it that Maxi was busy making these with my best friends four year old!  I love that my kids enjoy making and baking and have the patience to make them with younger kids!

See the recipes for Z is for Zest from the other Cooking with kids team:

Avocado Black Bean Lettuce Wrap with Orange Zest by Sugar Aunts

Orange Cookies by Still Playing School

Print

Yum

How to make Fat Rascals – Cooking with Kids

Ingredients

• 275g Self Raising flour
• 100g of cold butter (we use salted and omit any other salt)
• 100g caster sugar
• 150g mixed dried fruit
• 150ml double cream and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to sour
• 1 egg
• Zest of 1 lemon
• half a teaspoon of mixed spice

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees c (fan oven). Place you flour and spices into a large bowl.
2. Cut up your butter into small chunks and rub into the flour, until it resembles breadcrumbs.
3. Add the rest of your dry ingredients and mix well. Add the lemon juice to your cream and mix (the cream will stiffen) add to the beaten egg.
4. Add the wet mixture to the bowl and mix with either a spatula or wooden spoon to form a thick dough.
5. Shape into eight balls and place on a greased baking tray.
6. Make for 22-25 minutes until golden brown.
7. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
8. Fat Rascals are best eaten on the day of baking, split in half and served with butter. You can store them and perk them up by slightly warming them the next day (that is if you have any left)!

Schema/Recipe SEO Data Markup by Yummly Rich Recipes

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http://www.muminthemadhouse.com/how-to-make-fat-rascals/

See our other A-Z of cooking with kids series here

• A is for Apple muffins
• B is for Banana and chocolate chip muffins
• C is for Carrot cake
• D is for Dough – Pizza recipe
• E is for Eggy bread or french toast
• F is for Flour and M&M cookies
• G is for Grape and yogurt bites
• H is for grilled haloumi and honey mustard salad
• I is for Italian – spaghetti bolognese 
• J is for Jam tarts
• K is for Kiwi smoothie
• L is for Lemon Madeira cake
• M is for Mushroom Mini Pizza Bites
• N is for Nuts, Pistachio ice cream
• O is for Olive damper bread on a stick
• P is for Peppers – Chicken fajitas
• Q is for Quinoa – Apple cinnamon cake 
• R is for Rice – Nasi Goreng 
• S is for Spaghetti – Hairy Hotdogs
• T is for Tomato – Tomato and courgette bruschetta
• U is for Udon Noodles – Lamb Stirfry
• V is for Vegetarian – Basil and tomato baked eggs
• W is for –
• X is for Xmas – Gingerbread Trees
• Y is for Yogurt – Mini yogurt and fruit bites 
• Z is for Zest – Fat Rascals

OK I am going to admit I am not a doner kebab person at all, in fact I don’t think I have ever had one – I have tried a little, but I was veggie for 14 years, but all the men of the house LOVE them.  So i decided to have a go at making our own fakeaway slow cooker doner kebab.  I had seen lots of recipes for slow cooker meatloafs made from beef mince, so knew that it would be pretty OK, what I wasn’t prepared for was just how much the family enjoyed it.

I knew that you could make doner kebab in the slow cooker as Cass from Frugal Family had done it in the past, but me being me I had to adapt it as I didn’t have everything she used in my cupboard!

Fakeaway slow cooker doner kebab

Ingredients 

• 500g lamb mince
• 1.5 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1.5 tsp garlic powder (not garlic salt)
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp mixed herbs
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp salt
• Pitta breads – we use Mortgage Free in 3’s recipe and always have
• Salad

Method for Fakeaway slow cooker doner kebab

Put all your herbs and spices into a pestle and mortar and give them a good pounding.

Place your mince into a large bowl and sprinkle on the herbs and spices.

Mix thoroughly with your hands until all the ingredients are combined. Now you need to shape your meat into a loaf shape.

Really compress the meat hard as you want it to form into a sliceable block.

I placed mine directly on to the bottom of the pan and it was fine, although some people suggest wrapping in tin foil or even placing on onions.

Place in a slow cooker on high for 3-4 hours or low for 7 hours.  Remove and allow to rest for 10-20 minutes before slicing as thinly as possible.  I have heard that you can achieve super thin slices with a vegetable peeler.

As quick as I could slice it, Maxi was pinching it!

Serve in pitta breads with salad.

As you can see they for the Maxi seal of approval!

There was enough meat to make 10 kebabs (we had a friend over for dinner) and Maxi commented that he thought it was nicer than shop bought.  Value for money wise, it is AMAZING and I am happy making it as I am aware just what is in it.

The post Fakeaway slow cooker doner kebab appeared first on Mum In The Madhouse.

DAYU Technology has released DAYU Disk Master 2.5, a major update for its all-in-one hard drive management suite.

The free-for-personal-use build now includes file-based, as well as image backups.

As usual with DAYU, there are plenty of settings and options, and you’re able to configure backup comments, compression, splitting, priority, throttling (set a maximum write speed), pre and post-backup commands, and more.

The commercial builds extend this further with support for encryption and backup scheduling.

DAYU Disk Master Professional 2.5 ($29) gains an archiving tool, while the Server ($129) and Technician builds ($599/ year) now include a file sync module.

There’s also a solid range of tools from the previous edition: image backup and restore (including via a hard-drive based "Pre-OS" environment), a RAM disk, virtual disk creator, SMART reporting module, and more.

Unsurprisingly there are restrictions with the free build (no backup scheduling, no encryption, no GPT/ UEFI boot support), but DAYU Disk Master 2.5 delivers much more than you’ll see with most similar tools. If you need this kind of versatility then give it a try.

Whether you're just starting out learning programming , or you're already developing the next big thing in your dorm room, GitHub is currently giving away thousands of dollars in development tools to students, absolutely free.

Read more...

Grading is a lot easier when it's multiple choice. But essays? Presentations? Projects? When subjectivity gets added into the mix, things can get a lot more complicated. Learning to create a comprehensive rubric for multi-part assignments helps to guide you through the grading process and it it helps your students learn more about the areas in which they need to improve and what their grade actually means. You can choose your grading criteria, assign point values, and use your rubric to make your grading a whole lot easier. See Step 1 for more information.

Steps

Choosing Your Criteria

1. Determine the objective of the assignment. Rubrics are generally used for longer assignments or projects that involve multiple sections or parts that will require a certain amount of subjectivity in the grading. In other words, you wouldn't use a rubric for a multiple-choice test but you might use one to grade an essay or a presentation. Articulating the particular goals of the project to be graded is helpful in coming up with the more specific things you'll look for in evaluating it. Consider the following questions:
   
   
   
   • What is the main purpose of the assignment you're grading?
   • What are the students supposed to have learned by completing the assignment?
   • How will you recognize a successful assignment?
   • What makes a project stand out?
   • What's "good enough"?
2. List all the components of the project to be graded. To start breaking the grade down, distinguish between the parts of the grade that cover the content and the parts of the grade that are morel like completion points. There are typically two main categories of components that you'll need to determine to complete a comprehensive rubric, depending on the assignment you're grading: content and process.^[1]
   
   
   
   • Content components refer to the actual meat of the assignment and the quality of what the student produces. This includes things like:
     • Style
     • Engagement with course themes or objectives
     • Argument or thesis
     • Organization
     • Creativity and voice
   • Process components are the individual steps that a student must complete to perform the assignment. This refers to things like:
     • Title page, name, and date
     • Time or length requirements
     • Formatting
3. Keep it simple. Is it going to be worthwhile to assign a point-value to the student's use of transitional sentences? Their breath-control while giving a speech? The quality of the binder they use? Try and pick a manageable number of criteria to look for and to grade. The less complicated your rubric the better. It should be comprehensive, but not overwhelming, which makes it more frustrating for you to grade and more difficult for the student to understand. Be judicious in choosing the criteria and cut it down to the fewest possible categories.
   
   
   
   • A basic essay rubric, for example, might include five sections, weighted appropriate to their respective values: thesis or argument, organization or paragraphing, intro/conclusion, grammar/usage/spelling, sources/references/citations.
4. Focus the rubric on things you're talking about in class. It wouldn't make much sense to throw a rubric that assigned fifty points for thesis statements if you haven't talked about writing thesis statements in class. You would use the content of your lessons to evaluate the assignment, so use the same content to develop your rubric.^[2]
   • Within the larger or more basic categories on your rubric, you could get more specific if you wanted to. Within "Thesis or argument" you might assign particular point values to topic sentences, the thesis statement, claims and use of evidence, depending on your students' grade level and the particular things you're focusing on in your lesson plans.

Setting Point Values

1. Use round numbers to make it easy on yourself. There are many ways to structure a point system over the course of a semester, but by far the easiest way to do it from assignment-to-assignment is to work on the basic 100 scale. It breaks down easily into letter grades, the math is simple, and students are already familiar with it. Try and assign values to your criteria that add up to a total of 100, in either percentage or total points.
   
   
   
   • Some teachers employ over-complicated point systems as a way of shifting the focus away from more traditional grading distinctions and the stigma associated with them. It's your classroom, but know that this tends to be more confusing than helpful for students, reinforcing the impression that they're being graded subjectively by a never-ending chain of different teachers' whims. Consider sticking with the traditional 100 point scale, flawed as it may be.^[3]
2. Assign point values according to the importance of the individual tasks. Certain parts of the assignment will probably be worth more than other parts, so you should assign values accordingly. This can be the most difficult part of the rubric, which is why it's helpful to do some thinking about the major goals of the assignment and the students' learning. The basic essay rubric might look something like this:
   
   
   
   • Thesis and argument: _/40
     • Thesis statement: _/10
     • Topic sentences: _/10
     • Claims and evidence: _/20
   • Organization and paragraphs: _/30
     • Order of paragraphs: _/10
     • Flow: _/20
   • Introduction and conclusion: _/10
     • Intro previews topic: _/5
     • Conclusion summarizes argument: _/5
   • Proofreading: _/10
     • Punctuation: _/5
     • Grammar: _/5
   • Sources and Citations: _/10
     • Works Cited Page: _/5
     • In-Text Citations: _/5
   • Alternatively, you can equally divide the individual tasks into numerical values for assignments in which all components of the project are weighted equally. This would be less applicable for a written assignment, but might be appropriate for a presentation or other creative project.
3. Assign letter grades according to levels of achievement. It usually helps to have a semester-long cemented grade breakdown to avoid over-complicating the grading progress, so it's usually recommended to keep letter grades on a basic 100 point scale.
   
   
   
   • Alternatively, if you dislike the connotations with traditional letter grades, you can assign terms like "Outstanding" "Satisfactory" and "Unsatisfactory" to the different levels of points to communicate grades differently to your students.
4. Define and describe your letter grades. Write-up detailed descriptions of each level, articulating what a particular grade "means" in terms of its points and how the students should interpret the grade they get. It's sometimes easier to begin with the highest level and then identify aspects that would lower the quality of work for each lower level. Saying what exactly a "C" entails tends to be a lot more difficult than saying what a "A" means. A basic grade breakdown for an essay-style assignment might look like this:
   • A (100-90): The student's work fulfills all criteria of the assignment in an creative and exceptional manner. This work exceeds the criteria of the assignment, showing the student took extra initiative in originally and creatively forming content, organization, and style.
   • B (89-80): The student's work fulfills the basic criteria of the assignment. Work at this level is somewhat successful, but could be improved in organization and style.
   • C (79-70): The student's work fulfills most of the criteria of the assignment. Though the content, organization, and style are somewhat mixed in quality and may require some revision. This work does not suggest a high level of originality and creativity from the student.
   • D (69-60): Work either does not complete the requirements of the assignment, or meets them quite inadequately. Work at this level requires a good deal of revision, and is largely unsuccessful in content, organization, and style.
   • F (Below 60): Work does not complete the requirements of the assignment. In general, students who put forth genuine effort will not receive an F.
5. Organize the grading criteria and point values into a table. Organizing a chart that you can fill in as you work through each assignment will streamline your grading process and give the students something concrete to look at when they get their paper back. It tends to be a lot more helpful in guiding them towards areas for improvement than a big letter grade scrawled in red ink.^[4]
   
   
   
   • Place each objective or task in its own row, making the different possibilities for points at the top of each column. List the expectations for each quality level under each the heading. The headings should be in order from the lowest quality to the highest quality or vice-versa, depending on your preference.

Using Rubrics

1. Share the rubric with your students before they complete the assignment. It's always a good idea to give the students some idea of how they'll be graded and what they'll be graded on. You should probably emphasize the specific assignment sheet, depending on the type of assignment, but it's still helpful for the student to have some sense of the different things you'll be looking for and to be able to use the rubric as a checklist before turning the assignment in.
   
   
   
2. Consider allowing students to have input on the rubric. Brainstorm different values for the grade on the board and let the students come up with the rubric themselves. Typically, they'll weight things exactly as you would, and it gives them some sense that the grading will be fair and that they've got a stake in their own success. This is a highly recommended exercise in getting students to engage with the process of their own learning.
   
   
   
   • You're still the teacher. If students are united in wanting to assign 99 points to grammar, you can end the exercise without completing it. Use it as a teachable moment, though. Pick on students with bad spelling and ask if they'll really want the bulk of their grade to come from sentence-level nitpicking. They'll get the picture.
3. Grade the assignments and stick to the rubric. If you're in the middle of a big batch of essays and you realize it's somewhat unbalanced, maybe weighting too much and giving what you think might be skewed-positive grades, it's not the right time to switch things up and go subjective-rogue on the grading. Stick to the rubric and revise it for next time.
   
   
   
4. Tabulate the grades and show the students the completed rubric. Assign points to each category, tabulate the grade at the end, and share the finished product with the student. Save a copy for your records, and return the table with the individual grade breakdown to each student. Make time to speak with students about their grade if they desire a consultation.
   
   
   

Tips

• The style and appearance of a rubric can change depending upon the type of work being assessed. The rubric you create should be easy and understandable for you to use.
• Search online sites for pre-made rubric templates. Simply enter your information and criteria once you find a template you can use.

Warnings

• Try not to use negative language or descriptions when discussing the criteria for each quality level. Simply state what items were expected and which ones were missing.

Related wikiHows

• How to Grade a Paper
• How to Calculate a Test Grade
• How to Curve a Grade
• How to Teach Guided Reading
• How to Teach
• How to Be a Teacher
• How to Be a Good Teacher
• How to Be a Professional Teacher

Sources and Citations

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Panic attacks are often common when we have a sudden burst of fear and anxiety. This is caused by the body's natural reflex to prepare for a 'fight or flight' situation and this subconsciously triggers a set of physiological reflexes (as well as disturbing and fearful thoughts). One of these physical reflexes include the stimulation of the adrenal hormone by the adrenal glands. The released adrenalin (when triggered appropriately) can ensure survival in a life or death situation. This reaction is usually for a good purpose but sometimes it has the ability to cause trouble (especially when one is know to either have a low 'trigger threshold' for the attacks or a slow recovery from them). When it happens too frequently it can sometimes become difficult to manage or regulate. It may give you a feeling of being completely out of control as these attacks seem to appear out of nowhere and usually leave you confused and fearful of a repeat-performance (not to mention all the thoughts that come about as it is occurring). Attacks can seep into and disrupt many different areas of your life (including social and professional) and are seen as a great nuisance, but with these following tips you'll be able to give these annoying reactions a run for their money.

Steps

Anxiety help

Sample Meditation Techniques

Sample Ways to Manage Stress

Sample Stress Journal Entry

Stopping panic attacks

1. Breathe and relax. Put an end to a panic attack before it starts. When you begin to feel like you are going to have panic attack, relax your muscles by tensing all of your muscles up in one area of your body (e.g. face, left arm, etc) for a few seconds and then relaxing them. Do this with every muscle in your body. Be sure to focus on your breathing.
   
   
   
2. Change the atmosphere. Changing your surrounding or circumstances at the onslaught of a panic attack can sometimes prevent it from happening. When you feel a panic attack coming on, try drinking a cold glass of water, tell yourself a joke, sing your favorite song or whatever it takes to stop the negative thought process that can start the panic attack. When you find something that works, use it next time. This will help prevent the attack before it starts.
   
   
   
3. Remember not to simply avoid places or situations because you believe it may be a trigger. By doing this there is a risk that one particular form of anxiety linked to panic attacks called agoraphobia may be induced. This occurs when (like Pavlov's dog) you get 'conditioned' by experiencing a number of panic attacks at a particular site or situation to experience fear. You then subsequently 'learn' to avoid that place (or situation). For the extreme cases of agoraphobia (and due to the constant panic attacks), some people 'learn' to avoid so many places that they restrict themselves to 'safe' zone(s) (places of comfort). They then become house-bound and fearful of the outside world; sometimes even restricted to a particular room in their house. Frequently recommended is 'exposure' treatment where by taking gradual steps, you go back to the places of fear with newly-found knowledge and self-confidence. Relaxation techniques are a good help for these particular situations (or taking someone you trust with you for moral support). Eventually, and with the help of these other useful tips, you'll start gaining the confidence you require to resume your usual habits with less and less stress.
   • Often nature is a good soother. Take a walk to a park, down a beach or cycle along a waterway, etc. Try to be somewhere that nature is around you, allowing you to connect beyond your psychosocial worries.
4. Make panic attack journals. Make a panic attack journal with strategies that have helped prevent attacks in the past written down. Have one for your home and one for your car. You may even need this same journal at work. Keep phone numbers for your local crisis line or doctor's office with this journal. If you feel yourself starting to have a panic attack, refer to the notebook. If the panic attack is more than you can handle, you may need to use the phone number to call the crisis line. You could also include the phone number for a close friend of family member that has helped in the past.
   
   
   

Managing the stress

1. Use stress management methods when you've determined that your panic attacks are related to excessive tension.
   
   
   
2. Exercise frequently. Allow your body to let out the pent-up energy that may be leading to panic feelings.
   
   
   
3. Sleep better. Get your sleep routine into some formal order and stick to it. The additional sleep may help you to sort out a lot of things that are worrying you, reducing the triggers for panicking. And the best cure for tension is rest.
   
   
   
4. Take more breaks. Take time away from things that stress you, for an hour, a day or even take a few weeks on a vacation. Regular breaks allow your body to rejuvenate, even if you feel worried that stopping will interrupt the flow. Usually a break will restore your mind sufficiently to allow you to tackle the hard stuff with more effectiveness.
   
   
   

Using dietary and/or herbal intervention

1. Adjust your diet. Reduce your intake of caffeine, sugar and foods that are high in fat. Such foods and stimulants can wind you up so much that you feel stressed out, unhealthy and lack the energy needed to cope well with daily routines. A healthy diet is one your body deserves anyway, so give yourself a chance.
   
   
   
2. Consider using herbal remedies. If herbal medication is something you already believe works for you, you might find a herbal solution to panic attacks. Talk to your naturopath or other trained herbal healer to discover what options may be out there. The effectiveness of this approach will depend on the herb used; it's recommended that you do scientific research before over-relying on a herbal treatment in and of itself.
   
   
   

Using therapies

1. Consider using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy/One Move Technique. This therapy is also known as the One Move technique. Panic attacks are caused due to fear and the fear is due to the release of adrenalin. The release of adrenalin is directly linked to the adrenal corticotropic hormone (ACTH) stimulated by the pituitary gland. So that is where you need to control. If you can control the stimulation of ACTH then you can certainly overcome panic attack.
   
   
   
2. Try mindfulness. There are a number of variants of mindfulness, including some that combine CBT and mindfulness. Either talk to a therapist who practices mindfulness teachings or read widely on it.
   
   
   
3. Keep a journal. Write down feelings, emotions, triggers and anything else you need to get out of your system. Journaling is a form of self-therapy that lets you release your inner turmoil onto the page, where it can often get sorted out and worked through. Just the act of writing can allow you to divine patterns of behavior and trigger points, allowing you make concrete choices about what to step away from and where to get additional help. This can help you to tackle panic attacks at their core, by identifying the motivating feelings and the things that set you off.
   
   
   

Seeking prescription remedies

1. Consider trying prescription medications if you don't feel able to cope. Popular classes of medications include tricyclic antidepressants, beta blockers, benzodiazepines, monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI’s). Drugs that have been approved by the FDA for the treatment of panic attacks have been shown in double-blind, placebo controlled studies to significantly lower the likelihood of panic attack episodes.
   
   
   
   • Talk to your health professional in detail before choosing to take medication. All medication has side effects and long-term dependence does not allow you to develop external coping behaviors. Treat prescriptions as a temporary helper to get you over the initial hump, after which you expect to learn to cope without such medical aids.

Trying physical reactions

1. Put your arms straight up in the air. It works for some people.
   
   
   
2. Try hiding. Get under a favorite blanket or quilt. In public, pull down your hat and button up your jacket and slip into the shadows for a while.
   
   
   
3. Watch TV. It can take your mind off the rising panic and substitute other experiences. Just be choosy about what you watch; only view things that help calm you.
   
   
   
4. Try walking around if you can. The repetitive, physical motion can be soothing. Or if you're in a secluded place, you can rock back and forth. It might look a little strange, but it can be really comforting.
   
   
   
5. Stick with someone you trust and feel safe around. Talk about what is bothering you and ask for help.
   
   
   

Video

Tips

• Don’t feel afraid. Remember one thing: Fear increases fear. If you are afraid of panic then it will create more panic and you will face more trouble. So let it go through your body.
• Breathing is the key. Inhale through your nose and exhale a long breath through your mouth. This keeps you calm.
• If you feel panic, then don’t react. Let it through. It will come to an end. Panic attacks are like a roller coaster. It will come to end.
• Panic attacks are like a circle, talk to some one when you feel one come on it some times helps.
• If you let it flow through you, then you will lose your fear of panic. When that happens, you become less scared of panic attacks and more relaxed when you have a panic attack.
• Don’t resist panic attacks. Accept them and let them flow through you. It will come to an end.
• Medication is an option: consult your doctor for specialist advice.

Related wikiHows

• How to Heal Anxiety and Find a Life Worth Living
• How to Cope With Panic Attacks
• How to Survive With Anxiety and Panic Disorder
• How to Help Someone Having a Panic Attack
• How to Cure Anxiety Natural Technique
• How to Stop a Panic Attack Due to Fear of Sickness

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