Is there a natural way to stop anxiety?

Question

with out drugs i mean! i try doing that deep breathing thing, but sometimes it doesnt help, how do other people make themselves feel better?

Answer 1

I work as a clinical hypnotherapist and NLP practitioner. I have helped many people to deal with anxiety/depression permanently without having to resort to mind bending drug (anti-depressants/anti happiness).

The most important thing here is not to regard it as a fight! You are experiencing something that is totally natural and human, you need to accept that it is there. What you then need to do is let go of the old emotional attachment to the thing that is causing you to feel this way.

If you had a leaking ceiling, would buy lots of buckets to catch the drips or just plug the leak? Easy answer there!

If you are determined to do this yourself without a therapist or drugs (which is entirely possible) try some of the following measures:

Move! You cannot be anxious depressed when you move and have energy. Go for a walk, run on the spot for 10 seconds, dance, cook. Do anything that will not allow you to sit STILL and wallow.

If you catch yourself having anxious thoughts, get up and do something. Interrupt the pattern.

Try doing things the wrong way round, cross your arms the wrong way round. Put the other leg into your trousers first (without falling over!). Eat with your knife and fork in the opposite hands for one meal a day. This will stimulate your brain and give you an understanding that there is always another way.

Listen to music you like, play it loud, listen to music you haven’t always listened to like classical music.

try new foods and learn to smile for no reason. If you carry your self and have the posture of someone who is not down or worried but happy, it has an immediate and enormous effect on your emotional wellbeing.

Most of all, enjoy the fact that you are still breathing, life is gift, and CHOOSE to be happy!

All the best.

Answer 2

You make a conscious decision to take control of it. You decide when you are not feeling that way that you will no longer be pushed around by it. The method I use is when I feel anxiety creeping up my back or making me feel foolish or off-center is I go into the living room and plop down in my recliner and put my feet up and say nope! I refuse to go in this direction. When you cut this out, I will get up and get on with my life. My brain has apparently heard that I am not going to play any more. Because I have not felt anxious for over two years. Just absolutely tell your insides you are not going to participate any more when it comes over you. Just go sit down and wait til it passes. Another thing I did was to cut back how much coffee I drank;. That really helped overnight. Another thing which will help you immensely is to vent. Tell everybody. You will soon find someone who will be kind and listen and help you through it. Don't keep those crazy feelings inside when it is happening to you. I sometimes call a 24/7 hotline just for this purpose. The counselor always tells me to calm down, sit down, consciously slow down my breath and give it fifteen minutes and then make some hot tea and carry on. One last thing: remember this please - many of us have the same problem you do. I certainly do, occasionally. The idea is not to let it push you around any more. You - push back. Tell it NO. And go sit down until it gets the message, which it will. I hope other people offer you really cool ideas which will help you. You will pick and select a few ideas andeventually you will find or create an arsenal of about half a dozen things you can actually do to nail this nuisance and completely neutralize the effect it is having upon you, so you are back in charge again, of you, instead of it. Take good care, now. Sent with good energies from Chris in South Portland, Maine, U.S.A. (I am 63 years old.)

Answer 3

I assume you mean that you have anxiety attacks (panic) on occasion. It's a fear of fear - essentially. You have to face it head on - you basically have to be serious about not letting it affect you. For example - if it makes you uncomfortable to drive sometimes, or be around people, then that's exactly what you should do when you feel anxious - go for a drive or go to the mall. When you fight back - it loses it's power and you gain confidence and control over it. It worked for me - I am panic free.... bring it on, I say! I am off all meds and living peacefully. I am no longer afraid that I will panic - if I starts I know that I can stop it in it's tracks. Mind over matter! So I never even think about the possibility anymore.

There are people who will tell you (as above) that if caffeine jacks you up - stop drinking so much caffeine - but notice she said she still has attacks - I DO NOT. I drink caffeine, I drink alcohol, everything in moderation - panic is not about how much of this or that you change and it will go away. It's about control and your fear of losing it when you have an attack. After you have had attacks, you start to internalize everything ... for instance, you forgot to eat, your blood sugar is low, your body responds by feeling light headed - no big deal - just eat - but you think it's anxiety because everything is anxiety related now that you have had that awful attack. However, it's not anxiety, it's low blood sugar. You are jumping to conclusions because of your fear of an attack. Stop being afraid of panic attacks - you can't die from them so just face it and say bring it on - show me your worst - I am not afraid... do that enough and you will get your life back.

I did meditation, meds, breathing, yoga, St. John's wort, cut caffeine, alcohol, yadda, yadda, yadda... nothing worked. The bottom line is this - I (like maybe you) am predispositioned to panic/anxiety - just like having brown eyes, blonde hair, diabetes or (heaven forbid) cancer. I will have it my whole life and that is a fact. My attitude toward it has changed and that has made the difference - there is no cure - just management. You can do it too - I promise....

Answer 4

Anxiety is just a bad habit you can change. It takes time, but like any bad habit, once you work on it, it's gone. Breathing is very important, but also, you don't automatically "know" to breath better, you have to practice until you're good at it-- like playing the piano or driving a car.
Also: inhaling big deep breaths actually causes anxiety. Breathe in for a count of 3, then exhale for a count of 6.
EXHALE for twice as long.
Drugs are a waste of time because anxiety is just an inappropriate sensation from bad memories- or habit- why take a drug to stop a memory??
Try hypnosis instead of drugs.

Answer 5

Yoga/Pilate's only takes up 30 minutes a day and it gives you simple things you can do throughout the day to reduce anxiety and stress while you're out and about and don't have time for a whole routine. Also not drinking caffeine is a really really good natural way to reduce anxiety.

Answer 6

Actually, it depends on what is bringing on your anxiety attacks. Anxiety can be tricky; people generally think that anxiety attacks only flare up when one is angry or upset. NOT TRUE! You can really have an attack from being overly happy, which in general is a good thing. However, we should only be anxious for the things of GOD. Once I came to realize that, and made every practice of putting Him (God) first, all of my so called anxiety attacks dissipated. I no longer claim to have or experience any symptoms of anxiety.

So, in short: PUSH (Pray Until Something Happens) :-)

Answer 7

You need to release the anxiety.
I find that by doing daily aerobic exercises (I prefer The Step) 1-3 times a day, for 5-15 minutes each time, works wonders!!

Answer 8

I have never been able to stop one once it's started but I have learned a few things that seem to work for me to lessen how often I have them. Do you drink a lot of cola? Because I used to be a caffeine queen, now that I quit drinking soda & caffeine (which my doctor told me to do) I have them about half as often. Also I try to walk everyday and do pilates to relax and not have all that stress built up inside of me. I used to be a very high strung person until I realized all that stress was killing me. Given the choice between having a panic attack and giving birth I would choose labor! Good luck to you!!!!

Answer 9

I have found mediation and yoga the solutions to my anxiety. You say you tried the 'deep breathing thing', it not quite that simple and requires patience and motivation (just like anything worthwhile doing).

The Brahma Kumaris run very good free and
non-religious meditation courses all over the world. Do try them.
www.bkwsu.org

Good luck.

Answer 10

I've found that by doing the very thing that scares you. For me if was standing in front of people at uni and giving presentations. I used to suffer with panic attacks. I began to get such a buzz after i done the talks, that they become easier. I still get worried but not as much as i use to.