How to Tame Anxiety Without Reaching for Medication
Just uttering the word “anxiety” can often be enough to make people anxious. It’s the most common mental health condition, and the top reason why anyone goes to see a doctor. Then, if you’re told you have an anxiety disorder, what often happens? Yep, you feel more anxious. It’s not a secret that anxiety is the source of cycles and spirals. Fortunately, there are proven ways to address all of the above.
Best of all, taming anxiety does not automatically mean you’ll be asked to take medication. Between therapy, self-help, and lifestyle changes, there are countless natural methods to tamp down the stress and find a place of deeper calmness.
How to Tame Anxiety Without Reaching for Medication
Let’s Start With Our Phones
Our devices can be anxiety factories. Non-stop notifications, fear of missing out, comparing ourselves to others (and fakes), and that’s just a start. Smartphone and social media culture exploded so quickly that none of us has fully adjusted yet. Fear not, though; no one is asking you to give up your phone. Rather, some giant steps toward taming anxiety are:
Taking tech breaks throughout the day
Setting a curfew to power down at a certain time each night to leave at least an hour before bedtime
Disengaging from the websites and profiles online that do nothing but make your life more stressful
Self-Care Basics
Create and stick to regular sleep patterns in which you go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. This will provide the clarity and resilience you need when anxiety triggers rear their ugly heads.
Commit to daily exercise and physical activity. The benefits go beyond fitness and physical health. Movement has a positive impact on the human brain and is a proven anxiety fighter.
Closely monitor what you eat and drink, and when you eat and drink. Make healthy choices, every single time. That doesn't mean not indulging, but it does mean not overdoing.
Relaxation Techniques
Obviously, each of us must decide what relaxes us. But if some methods have proven successful for centuries, you might want to take a look. Two good examples are meditation and breathing exercises. People, since the beginning of recorded history, have used these tactics to calm their nerves and sharpen their discernment. An experienced therapist can be an excellent guide for such coping mechanisms.
Be More Playful
Play like a child plays. Find activities that exist for their own sake. It’s not about winning or competing. Rather, your goals are laughter and smiles. This can range from watching funny cat videos to joining a book club. The possibilities are endless, but make sure you’re engaging in an activity for the purposes of play and fun. We all have enough competition and comparison in our lives.
Aromatherapy
We all have scents that we appreciate. Perhaps they remind us of good memories and thus, they have the power to relax. On top of that, studies have found particular smells to actively reduce anxiety. An excellent example is lavender. Whatever scent you use, the idea is to expose yourself to its calming powers in small doses. You can combine aromatherapy with some of the ideas above, e.g., use scents when meditating or right before going to bed.
A Therapist Is the Ideal Guide on This Journey
In a therapy setting, you can learn more about the most common mental health concern on the planet. You can also learn about taming anxiety without medication. Anxiety therapy is proven to rewire your brain to more accurately recognize when you’re actually at risk. As you begin to relate your stress responses, you can be more present in your life. I’d love to help you take powerful steps like this. Let’s talk soon.