Anxiety happens as a part of our normal lives. We feel anxious during stressful moments, during big events and can even feel anxiety because of underlying health conditions. Anxiety can even save us by triggering the flight or fight response. However, some people suffer from persistent anxiety and sleep loss that can affect every aspect of their lives. Fortunately, you can learn how to beat anxiety naturally and end the constant battle for peace in your life.
Medical Approach
The traditional medical community’s typical response to patients suffering from debilitating anxiety is medication. These include:
- Antidepressants such as Prozac or Paxil;
- Anti-anxiety medications known as Buspirone;
- Or sedatives like Xanax or Valium.
These pharmaceuticals do work to mask the symptoms but many have side effects of their own. Additionally, these drugs can’t help you get rid of the underlying cause of your anxiety whether it’s general worry and concern, more specific post-traumatic stress disorder, or obsessive compulsive disorder.
Natural Treatments
While these drugs do work, you may want to choose a different approach to overcoming your anxiety. There are several natural ways to beat anxiety that work just as effectively as psycho pharmaceuticals without the side effects and with more long term benefits.
Meditation, Relaxation and Deep Breathing
Think about how you feel when you get anxious. Chances are, you begin taking short, shallow breaths, almost like hyperventilating. This type of breathing lowers the amount of oxygen in your blood so your body doesn’t work as efficiently. Then, your mind begins to race in a million different directions.
Studies have shown that spending time each day practicing meditation or relaxation and deep breathing can help beat anxiety. Mindful meditation and purposeful relaxation bring your mind into the moment, helping you become aware of your thoughts or help you focus on one particular thought at a time. At the same time, these practices require deep breathing so you fill your body with life giving oxygen and allow your organs and systems
to run at full capacity. Yoga
Practicing yoga as a natural way to beat anxiety has a lot in common with practicing mindful meditation and relaxation. Yoga also brings your body into the practice. Through yoga, you create a powerful mind body connection as you progress through the movements.
A recent article from Harvard reviewed several studies linking yoga to anxiety treatment and found that yoga helps moderate the stress responses, can improve your overall mood and teach controlled breathing techniques. Yoga also shows a lot of promise for specifically treating anxiety related to post-traumatic stress disorder.
Therapy
Many people associate therapy with drugs; a more traditional approach to treating anxiety. But many therapists choose not to use drugs. Therapy without drugs can beat anxiety naturally. Cognitive behavioral therapy is a very useful form of treating anxiety, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
This form of therapy helps you to change the way you think — or your thinking patterns — that lead to anxiety; thus, changing your behavior and the way you react to anxiety. Cognitive behavioral therapy provides a safe environment to talk about your fears and what leads to anxiety, truly allowing you to confront the issues that have kept you from leading a full life.
You can beat anxiety naturally, without drugs and on your own terms. Anxiety and the many drugs to mask the symptoms don’t have to run your life anymore.
*The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only. Never substitute, disregard, or delay seeking professional medical advice and assistance for any health or mental issue(s) you have or are concerned about because of something you have read.