Interesting Alternative Treatments For Anxiety Disorder
There are many alternative treatments for anxiety disorder as there are many reasons to have anxiety. Having anxiety can create a whole host of issues in your life. Anxiety isn’t just about feeling nervous before a big test, it’s a lifestyle. If you always feel fatigued or physically tense, the culprit might be anxiety. Here are a few symptoms of anxiety:
- feeling restless or on edge
- being irritable
- getting tired easily
- having difficulty concentrating or feeling your mind goes blank
- having difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep
- having tense muscles
You might be looking for alternative treatments for anxiety disorder because of the following reasons:
- financial limitations to afford traditional talk therapy
- being too anxious to commit to getting help
- hearing from peers their adverse reactions to traditional medications
- fear of bad advice from a traditional therapist
Anxiety means we overthink every possible outcome until it’s blue in the face. So of course, your mind will wonder to the other possibilities within alternative treatments for anxiety disorder. Let’s talk about it.
The Warp Of Instant Gratification And Medicine
Our perception of medicine has been warped by our need for instant gratification. We want to take a pill and magically feel fine again. But alternative treatments have a holistic view of healing. Holistic means healing the body as a whole. This tells us that one pill, supplement, or treatment won’t be a fix all. We need all of it, in order to fix ourselves.
Holistic – relating to or concerned with wholes or with complete systems rather than with the analysis of, treatment of, or dissection into parts
Good rule of thumb: The healthier your lifestyle is, the less anxious you’ll be. Imagine if you meditated, exercised, ate healthy, got fresh air, worked on your passions, etc. You wouldn’t have the time to feel anxious. On other hand, some habits can make your anxiety worse. So how do we know? This post will explain.
There are many options when it comes to finding alternative treatments for anxiety disorder. A combination of traditional and alternative therapies can also be beneficial. Here is a list of mainly alternative therapies:
- Talk Therapies/ Traditional Therapies
- Supplements
- Medicines
- Facing Fears/ Exposure therapy
- Diet/ Nutrition/Vitamins
- Exercise, fresh air, outside time
- Meditation/Socializing
- Mental Exercises
- Bibliotherapy
You are probably looking at this and feeling really overwhelmed. In order to tackle all of these different alternative therapies for anxiety disorder, start small.
Alternative Treatments That Have Been Proven By Case Studies To Reduce Anxiety Disorder:
- Kava
- Exposure Therapy
- Exercise
- Mental Exercises
- Nutrition
Kava
Kava is a part of the pepper family. It has been shown to have a calming effect, working very closely with the neurotransmitters in your brain. Although there has been more evidence recently stating that it could be dangerous. So do your research.
Exposure Therapy
Exposure Therapy is everything like it sounds. Exposing yourself to the thing that gives you anxiety. Such as performing on stage or socializing with potential new friends. As always, seek professional help to guide you through this therapy. But personally, this sounds like an exciting side journey to embark on.
Get comfortable with being uncomfortable – Jillian Michaels
This type of therapy can open up more neural pathways in your brain, giving you more flexibility to handle adverse situations.
Exercise
Exercise is a wonderful way to reduce anxiety. Not only does it mentally reduce stress but it gives you more confidence in yourself, it’s a win-win. At home exercises are just as beneficial as going to the gym. Also, a way to make a small step in the right direction.
Mental Exercises
Mental Exercises have been proven to help patients with Alzheimer’s stay sharp in the mind. The same can go for those with anxiety in my opinion. There are not many studies done on this yet but from what I have read I believe this to be a good way to reduce anxiety. Doing a crossword puzzle or playing a game of cards can keep your mind occupied. A tickle for the brain will feel good.
Nutrition
Nutrition has been proven to help reduce stress and anxiety. I have been learning a lot about how metabolism plays a huge role in our mental well-being from a book called “Brain Energy Theory.” I am so excited to share the book review with you soon. After reading the book, you realize how much our diet effects every part of the way our brain functions. Making nutrition a top priority for reducing anxiety and overall good health.
Reminders On Your Journey To Healing Anxiety:
Start small and be realistic about what you can do.
If you do choose herbal medicines or supplements, be sure to educate yourself on possible side effects. And switch it up! Don’t take them every day, have a balance to what you’re putting in your body.
You must truly believe in your healing and the treatments you are taking.
Don’t compare your journey to others, it feeds into your anxiety. You are where you are. Don’t be so hard on yourself.
Set yourself free mentally.
Have trust in yourself that you know what is right for you. If you start up an alternative treatment, whether by supplement or exposure therapy, review how it is making you feel. Don’t be afraid to try something new if you notice the treatment doesn’t align with you.
When you first start out on the journey of healing anxiety, realize this:
You have nothing to be afraid of. Fear nothing. Your life is your own.
Bonus Therapies (that have no proven benefits by case studies)
Meditation
Anxiety can feel like overthinking something into catastrophe. That’s why meditation is recommended. Meditation requires you to silence your thoughts and sit still with yourself. But for someone just starting out on this journey of healing anxiety, meditation might seem impossible. Remember nothing is impossible for you to accomplish.
Our fearful thoughts are like a sweet poison that we indulge in. We have the power to make these thoughts stop but the familiarity of them keeps us wanting more. Meditation is a practice that gets you in the habit of calming down your thoughts.
Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy acts on one of our five senses and can also be beneficial in a way of grounding yourself. Our olfactory system has many scents that are stored in the brain. Some scents can trigger nostalgia for some or even a negative experience. Scents might play a bigger role than we realize. Although not many studies have been done linking smells and emotional states. As a base line, keeping your house smelling clean can help reduce stress ergo reducing anxiety. Focus on things that collect smells fast: trash can, walls, fridge, bedding, etc.
Bonus Solutions:
- Watch Therapy Videos on YouTube From Certified Psychologists
- Buy Books From Highly Regarded Doctors
- Search For Workbooks Or Workshops Online For Healing Anxiety
- Expose Yourself Little By Little To What Makes You Uncomfortable
Conclusion
Anxiety is an all-consuming and tiresome way of living. Adding different elements of therapies and supplements to healing anxiety is the way to go. Remember, not one single thing will fix this, but many things coming together to lift you up. Be patient and encourage yourself.
