For a lot of people, anxiety is a catch twenty-two. They can either live with the circumstances that their anxiety provides them with or they can take medication that comes with its own set of side-effects. In my opinion, it doesn’t seem like there is a winning side from any angle. However, what if anxiety could be treated completely naturally?
Guess what, it is possible and Psychology Today has some great tips to give a try. Check out their article.
Relief From Anxiety Is Possible
We are a society obsessed with quick fixes. It’s natural to want to feel better and less anxious but an increasing number of people are seeking escape in the form of a pill.
To be clear – I believe that medicine can play a role in the comprehensive treatment of many chronic illnesses. But society is way too focused on pills right now. We need to refocus on the emotional, spiritual, behavioral, and familial issues that ultimately impact our wellness.
In fact, more people are now dying from drugs than from traffic accidents, according to new data from the CDC. The death toll from misuse of drugs, particularly pain and anxiety drugs, has doubled in the last decade and is one of the only causes of preventable death that isn’t declining.
Prescription drug abuse is like a Category 1 storm raging through America and women are in the eye of it – especially with regard to anxiety medications. Women are more likely to be prescribed anxiety drugs by health care professionals and are also more likely to get prescription drugs from well-meaning family or friends. Women are also juggling more than ever during these challenging economic times.
But the good news is that you can take simple steps right now to manage anxiety in a healthy way. Here are 5 tips to beat anxiety without popping a pill:
The Tips
Find a support group (online if you can’t get to one in person):
Many of the women who we see in treatment for addiction have become so incredibly isolated. Addiction is isolating as is anxiety. People sometimes are so overwhelmed at the thought of adding “another thing” to an already full schedule. Find something that works for you. Taking a few minutes every other day to log-in to a supportive online community or finding a group near where you live or work can really boost your spirit and keep anxiety at bay.
Keep an eye on nutrition:
What you’re eating and when can impact your anxiety levels. The more stressed we are the more likely we are to eat what’s “quick.” What we put into our body hugely impacts our brain chemicals as well as the rest of our body. The more refined the carbohydrate the greater the spike and dip in blood sugar. This causes stress on the system. Reduce caffeine and sugar because both are really powerful and cause only cravings for more and also disturbed sleep patterns. It’s easier said than done but can have great payoffs.
Image Credit: theconversation
To see the rest of the tips, Psychology Today
