Natural Ways to Help with Anxiety

Natural Ways to Help with Anxiety

Natural Ways to Help with Anxiety

There are those of us who have had bad experiences taking drugs to treat anxiety or panic. And those of us who would rather not subject our bodies to some nasty side effects of such psychotropic drugs.Of course there are natural ways to help anxiety which have risks, such as if we happen to have an allergy to one, or the natural means may not have the speed or power to calm that some drug might. But long term, natural methods may be healthier, and perhaps even more effective with a little discipline and patience.There are of course quite a number of possibilities, the most effective of which may vary with the individual and with the specific causes of anxiety. Some natural ways are more commonly helpful, though. Some possibilities follow. They assume the anxious person will consult a supervising physician, if any, before trying of any of them, especially if there are any additional health conditions or diseases, or if the person is already using drugs used to treat anxiety, panic, depression or phobias.I. Breathing ExercisesOver breathing or hyperventilation is common among those who have anxiety, and more so for people enduring a panic attack. Hyperventilation actually serves to heighten anxiety. Slow, nasal breathing from the diaphragm both reduces some anxiety feelings and calms the mind. Regular nasal and diaphragm breathing exercises over a period of weeks and months helps make calming and healthy breathing practice second nature once again.II. Regular Physical ExercisePhysical exercise is of course helpful for many health related things, and elevating mood is one of them. There are more beneficial methods of exercising than others, although generally something less effective is better than nothing, and something regular is better than the occasional or seasonal. Generally too, the older a person gets, proportionately the more muscle-building the exercises must be to maintain endurance for aerobic exercise.III. Nutritional SupplementsDiet is also important even for mood. B vitamins is a common example. Physical exercise is less effective if one eats sugars or carbohydrates within a couple of hours after exercise. Anxious people should avoid caffeine, which may be hidden in soft drinks not to mention coffee.But there are also nutritional supplements which, depending on the individual, can have a calming and sedative effect. The amino acid GABA is one, made more effective when one also supplements with B vitamins niacinamide and inositol. Tryptophan, the amino acid in Turkey meat that makes you feel drowsy, is another. Some find magnesium helpful, commonly found in supplements in balance with calcium. Note that some magnesium and calcium supplements are more bio-available than others, and hence effectiveness can vary.IV. Calming HerbsThere are herbs long used for their calming effects. Particular care should be taken with herbs and some nutritional supplements in consultation with an attending physician if the person is already on drugs to treat anxiety.Kava Kava, Lemon Balm, Valerian, Hops, Holy Basil, Chamomile, and Passionflower are among those so used traditionally.V. Use Your HeadOur emotions can run ahead of our rational thinking. One way to discipline the mind and help the rational part catch up to the anxious emotions is to write things down, especially in a private journal of feelings and possible reasons for anxiety. When crystallized into writing, the rational part can argue back, providing positive affirmations which can be recited and repeated when feeling anxious.Often anxiety may be expressed in the form of "What if ... " statements. What if my partner or parent rejects me, what if I cannot perform as well as expected, what if I am embarrassed, what if I lose something, what if I am hurt? Or morbid thoughts come about the way bad things might feel. The rational mind can counteract with statements like "I can because I have," "It will be fine," "I am accepted" or other positive affirmations.Of course by our positive affirmations we cannot change what others will do, and sometimes bad things do happen to us. Positive affirmations do not inoculate us from bad things. But they may help change the way we react to them. They may help us live up to our full potential. They may help keep us from self-sabotage and anxiety.In principle, the more lines of attack against anxiety one can muster, the better. If there are no natural ways to cure anxiety--and but sometimes there are nonetheless--there is a bevy of helps to make coping and overcoming possible.

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