Are you tired of the way anxiety hurts your self-esteem, lowers you confidence, and affects the things most precious to you including your family, friends and work? I know you want a normal family and social life, and repair the damage in your life. This article will help you better understand anxiety and choose treatment options that are best for you.
Anxiety Disorders: There is an anxiety treatment without medications for these disorders.
Panic Disorder; Social Phobia; Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Agoraphobia, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Social Anxiety Disorder, Specific Phobia
What is anxiety?
Anxiety is a normal human emotion, but sometimes with the appropriate trigger (a frightening event), the anxiety begins to have a life of its own and gets out of hand.
Although Generalized anxiety (excessive worry about evertyhing) is probably the most common anxiety disorder, the most familiar form of anxiety talked about is the panic attack. I’m sure you are familiar with anxiety symptoms. The following are too familiar to you:
1. Feeling short of breath, you throat squeezing, and feeling like you are about to die.
2. Feeling like you are having a heart attack, but told by your doctor there is nothing medically wrong.
3. Feeling trapped in places where you can’t easily escape, like public speaking, at the store, or at a social gathering.
4. Feeling depressed being unable to enjoy getting out and around others
5. Worried you anxiety is going to come on suddenly in the most embarrassing places
6. Frightened to go into traffic or approach that bridge
7. Worried to go shopping or to be around crowds of people.
8. Thoughts in your head that scare you that just won’t stop
9. Thinking you may pass out and faint while feeling light headed
10. Feeling you may lose control and do something harmful, embarrassing, or dangerous.
11. Feeling disconnected from others and reality.
12. Feeling worried you well live afraid for the rest of your life.
What Are The Causes of Anxiety?
Many people who suffer from anxiety have grown up in homes where there is a lot of anxiety. Perhaps their mother was very nervous, expressing worry over ever scrape, bruise, and event. Maybe one parent was missing from the home and you as a child were never sure what was going to happen next. Think back to when you were younger and see which events and circumstances in you life helped to set the stage for anxiety.
People with generalized anxiety may have continued this worry from childhood and it became a habit to worry which later “generalized” to everything. For many, there is some triggering event that worsens the anxiety. Rape in women in a common cause. Being in a combat situation where you don’t know how much longer you are going to live is another. Others suffered a traumatic car accident, or even the experiencing of a painful surgery.
To begin to cure your anxiety you need to identify all the above factors in your life and your personal situation. You will need to begin making a list of all things in you life that set off the anxiety and rank them in order from the least anxiety provoking to the most anxiety provoking. Next, you will want to look at ways of dealing with these anxious situations. You need to decide the way you want to approach dealing with anxiety based on your situation.
The Best Treatments for Anxiety
First, there is an option for anxiety treatment without medications and without having to go to a therapist. If you are ready to address you anxiety, this is how. If you feel you need someone to help you personally, you can seek a professional counselor, but be prepared to spend a lot of money and time with a therapist.
I realize we are talking about non-prescription approaches to anxiety, but I should say there is a place for medications. Some people will benefit from a SHORT course of benzodiazepines such as Xanax or Valium. These medications stop anxiety almost immediately and can bring needed relief. The problem is when people get hooked on theses medications and rely on them to treat their anxiety. For most people, using them more than a few weeks to a month is counterproductive and dangerous. It also does not cure the root of the problem, which is dealing with the anxiety in your head.
1. Therapy: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT); individual therapy: These approaches are very important. Studies have shown that therapy along or therapy with medication does better in the long run than just therapy alone. That means, medications only work short term. If you want a long lasting treatment or even possibly a cure, you are going to want this approach.
2. Aerobic Exercise: Probably the least utilized and one of the most beneficial treatments for anxiety is aerobic exercise. It does not have to be much: 30 min 5 times per week. This type of exercise has proven benefits to reducing panic attacks and general anxiety. It will also improve your figure, self confidence, and energy level.
3. Relaxation and Meditation: Tai Chi is very good. Learning deep breathing exercises and doing then through the day is helpful. Learning how to meditate with visual imagery can be helpful. Thinking about a place, such as on a beach and having a nice relaxing time. Progressive relaxation is another popular technique. One final way with to get a biofeedback machine. These help you learn how to relax.
4. Massage: There is nothing like a good massage. It releases the tension built up in muscles, especially those in the back and neck that can lead to headaches. A good massage therapist can zero-in on you tense muscles an it is simply amazing how much better one can feel after. If you have never had one, an inexpensive way to begin to to look-up a local massage school. They usually charge 1/3 the amount of a therapist in practice.
5. Herbal Remedies: Used by many as an alternative to prescription medications, doctors, and therapist. Many claim they work well and the Chinese have used them for thousands of years.
In conclusion:
Anxiety is a very treatable condition. You can find an anxiety treatment without medications that will work for you. Remember, people are different. If one method doesn’t work for you, keep trying!
Make sure you are doing the simple things to treat your anxiety like getting aerobic exercise and learning how to relax. These don’t have to be difficult or time consuming and they can really help.
Unlike prescription medications, behavioral (therapy) interventions provide longer effects, and even a cure. Herbal remedies are certainly an option, but they should be used in conjunction with the above.