We’ve all felt nervous and stressed out before, such as before a job interview or speaking in front of a crowd. But feeling temporarily anxious isn’t the same as having anxiety that needs to be treated by a mental health provider.
When you’ve been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, it can feel like your mind will never stop racing. While it may seem like your feelings of nervousness and uncertainty are overwhelming, there are options that can help manage your mental health disorder symptoms. But not everyone wants to use treatments that have been man-made or artificial, such as medication. If you’d rather explore natural courses of action for your anxiety treatment, we’re here to help.
Read on to learn about the basics of anxiety, the benefits of treatment and natural treatment options that can treat your anxiety, including therapy.
The basics of anxiety
Let’s start off by talking about the basics of anxiety. There are several types of anxiety disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder and panic disorder. While they have different symptoms and triggers, all anxiety disorders are centered on excessive feelings of worry and stress, often without cause.
Along with overwhelming feelings of fear and uneasiness, anxiety can also cause symptoms including:
- Trouble falling or staying asleep.
- Concentration issues.
- Increased heart rate.
- Gastrointestinal issues
- Sweating and trembling.
If you’ve been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, you’re not alone. In fact, tens of millions of people across the U.S. have experienced anxiety symptoms. Research shows that approximately 19% of the U.S. adult population has an anxiety disorder, which adds up to more than 40 million people.
The importance of treating anxiety
Just like any other mental health disorder, you shouldn’t have to grin and bear the symptoms that interfere with your quality of life. Treating your anxiety means alleviating your symptoms so that they have less of an impact on your day-to-day life, such as your productivity at work or your communication with others.
Treating your anxiety can lead to many benefits, including:
- Healthy relationships and connections with loved ones.
- Decrease in negative emotional and behavioral patterns.
- Improved self-esteem.
- Higher energy and motivation levels.
- Improved focus and concentration.
5 natural treatment options for anxiety
Now that we’ve discussed the importance of treating your anxiety disorders, it’s time to dive into the different treatment options that you can explore. Some people prefer medication but that isn’t the only course of action.
Natural treatments are often self-care options and lifestyle changes that can help alleviate your anxiety symptoms and improve your overall mental health.
Here are five natural treatment options for anxiety:
- Exercise — Even though many people exercise solely for the physical benefits, exercising can benefit your mental health as well. When you work out, your brain is releasing dopamine and serotonin, which are hormones that can encourage positive emotions. While dopamine is associated with feelings of motivation and rewards, serotonin helps boost your overall mood. Exercise can also be a stress-relieving activity.
- Meditation — Anxiety can make you feel like your mind is running a mile a minute. With meditation, you can give yourself time to quiet your thoughts in a deeply relaxed state. There are many types of meditation, but mindfulness meditation can be especially helpful for soothing anxiety symptoms. It’s about being fully present and not feeling overwhelmed by what’s occurring around you.
- Journaling — When your anxiety causes you to have many negative thoughts and emotions going on at once, it can feel like they are getting tangled in your head. By writing them down, you’re able to process your feelings and understand situations by seeing them written out in your own words. It may also help you recognize certain thinking patterns that are contributing to your anxiety, known as cognitive distortions.
- Avoiding stimulants — There are many substances and harmful habits that may be reinforcing your anxiety symptoms without even realizing it. For instance, nicotine and caffeine are both stimulants, which means they are known to cause, and exacerbate, many anxiety symptoms, such as an increased heart rate. By limiting your stimulant intake, or cutting them off altogether, you can reduce the risk of amplifying your anxiety.
- Psychotherapy — One of the pillars of mental health treatment is psychotherapy, also known as talk therapy. For people with anxiety, talking to a mental health professional can help you determine the root of your symptoms and look at your problems from every angle. Therapy is a natural treatment that can also help you develop lifelong skills that will help manage your anxiety, such as problem-solving skills and coping mechanisms.
Active Path can help you naturally treat your anxiety with therapy
While treatment is important for anxiety disorders, there are many approaches that you can take. If you decide to take the route of natural treatment, Active Path Mental Health is here to help. We offer several different treatment options for anxiety and depression, including therapy. We’re here to help you take the first step in your mental health journey, and every step after that.
Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.
