How to Reduce Debilitating Anxiety Without Medication
Do you suffer from anxiety? If you do, you are certainly not alone, and there are various forms of it. We are all unique individuals, and for some, anxiety is difficult to deal with on a daily basis. It is true that medication is one method for relief, but it can carry side effects. Research has shown that you can manage debilitating anxiety without medication, and there are several ways to do this. Our behavioral experts have wonderful recommendations to consider.
Omega-3
Much research has been done on countries where people eat a lot of fish, and the information discovered was that there was less depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders in these nations.
Fish oil happens to contain omega-3 fatty acids, and this is a vitamin supplement that is widely available and inexpensive.
In one clinical trial, omega-3 supplements helped decrease inflammation and anxiety in medical students during exams. According to research, omega-3s travel through the brain cell membrane easily and interact with mood-related molecules inside the brain, and are considered a natural treatment for anxiety and other mood disorders.
Lavender Essential Oil
Lorazepam is a well-known anti-anxiety drug, but there is something else that can reduce anxiety, and it’s a popular essential oil.
Lavender flowers were used in a German study about anxiety. The essential oil from these flowers was made into a pill form called Silexan, and it was as effective as taking Lorazepam.
Lavender oil can be used in multiple ways. You can spray it around your rooms, apply it to your wrists or spritz some on your pillow for restful sleep.
Hemp-Derived Cannabinoids
Cannabinoid-infused products have become extremely popular these days and are considered natural alternatives for helping people reach their personal wellness goals.
The hemp plant is an amazing botanical with so much versatility containing 120-plus cannabinoids.
HHC, scientifically known as hexahydrocannabinol, has been shown to have relaxing properties and is an excellent, natural solution for anxiety. This incredible cannabinoid can be used in convenient HHC carts.
Physical Exercise
Here is another natural method for trying to manage debilitating anxiety, and this may not work for every individual, but it’s worth pursuing.
Physical exercise releases those feel-good chemicals known as endorphins. Princeton University researchers found that by doing exercise, you change the way your brain views the world and can actually help the brain better cope with stress.
Behavioral experts believe that even five minutes of working out, walking, weight-lifting or bicycling, etc. is enough for the anti-anxiety effects to kick in. Choose an exercise or activity you enjoy, and start moving your body. Try for 30 minutes three to five times a week.
Mindfulness-Meditation
The things that might go wrong, right?
That’s where debilitating anxiety can take you as you worry about the future, but mindfulness, a form of meditation, teaches you how to stay in the present, and it has been studied for some time now with encouraging results.
When you practice mindfulness, you sit comfortably in a quiet place, and you are not judging or analyzing yourself. What you learn to focus on is being acutely aware of what you are feeling and sensing at the moment. You begin to engage with the world around you. It’s not daydreaming, planning, problem-solving, etc.
Mindfulness exercises feature such forms of meditation as breathing methods, guided imagery, and other practices that relax the body and mind and help reduce stress and anxiety.
Just starting with 10 minutes daily of mindfulness can gradually deliver measurable physical changes in the body and brain.
Warm-Fuzzy Feeling
Another way to reduce anxiety is through warmth, and you can get this by spending time in the sun, sitting in the sauna, snuggling up with a heat pack in bed, sitting by the fire. There are tons of options that bring on a warm-fuzzy feeling, and studies show that warmth can control mood, including those happy-feeling, serotonin circuits.
Let’s be honest. It isn’t easy dealing with debilitating anxiety, and there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. Many people experience anxiety daily, and there are more studies being held to find better solutions. Our experts believe that these methods may help manage anxiety without medication. Take care.
