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How Can I Cure My Anxiety

How People Get Tricked

How I Cured My Anxiety Without Medication | AmyCrouton

People’s natural instincts to protect themselves are what lead them to get tricked. See if you recognize your responses in these examples below.

A person with Panic Disorder gets tricked into holding her breath and fleeing the store , rather than shifting to Belly Breathing. and staying there until the feelings pass.

A person with Generalized Anxiety Disorder gets tricked into trying to stop the unwanted “what if?” thoughts, rather than accepting them and taking care of present business as thoughts come and go.

A person with Social Phobia gets tricked into avoiding the party, or hiding in the corner if he attends, rather than say hello to a stranger and see what happens.

A person with OCD gets tricked into repeatedly washing his hands, or returning home to check the stove, rather than accepting the intrusive thoughts of contamination and fire and returning his energies to the present activities at hand.

A person with a dog phobia gets tricked into avoiding the feelings by avoiding all dogs, rather than spending time with a dog until the feelings pass.

How Can I Treat Anxiety

Anxiety can be treated in a variety of ways. One common treatment option is cognitive behavioral therapy , which helps provide people with tools to cope with anxiety when it occurs.

There are also certain medications, like antidepressants and sedatives, that work to balance brain chemistry and prevent episodes of anxiety. They may even ward off the most severe symptoms.If youre looking to go a more natural route, though, there are little and big ways you can help combat anxiety.

You can make adjustments to habits, like exercise, sleep, and diet. You can also try something totally new, like aromatherapy or meditation. No matter what your lifestyle demands, theres a natural way to help reduce anxiety for everyone.

How Can I Best Cope With An Anxiety Disorder

There are several steps you can take to cope with anxiety disorder symptoms. These strategies can also make your treatment more effective:

  • Explore stress management: Learn ways to manage stress, such as through meditation.
  • Join support groups: These groups are available in-person and online. They encourage people with anxiety disorders to share their experiences and coping strategies.
  • Get educated: Learn about the specific type of anxiety disorder you have so you feel more in control. Help friends and loved ones understand the disorder as well so they can support you.
  • Limit or avoid caffeine: Many people with anxiety disorder find that caffeine can worsen their symptoms.
  • Talk to your healthcare provider: Your provider is your partner in your care. If you feel like treatment isnt working or have questions about your medication, contact your provider. Together, you can figure out how to best move forward.

Also Check: How To Cope With Health Anxiety

Who Is At Risk For Anxiety Disorders

A mix of genetic and environmental factors can raise a persons risk for developing anxiety disorders. You may be at higher risk if you have or had:

  • Certain personality traits, such as shyness or behavioral inhibition feeling uncomfortable with, and avoiding, unfamiliar people, situations or environments.
  • Stressful or traumatic events in early childhood or adulthood.
  • Family history of anxiety or other mental health conditions.
  • Certain physical conditions, including thyroid problems and heart arrhythmias .

Anxiety disorders occur more often in women. Researchers are still studying why that happens. It may come from womens hormones, especially those that fluctuate throughout the month. The hormone testosterone may play a role, too men have more, and it may ease anxiety. Its also possible that women are less likely to seek treatment, so the anxiety worsens.

Learning To Be Assertive

How I Cured My Anxiety and How You Can Too?

Being assertive means communicating your needs, wants, feelings, beliefs and opinions to others in a direct and honest manner without intentionally hurting anyones feelings. A person with an anxiety disorder may have trouble being assertive because they are afraid of conflict or believe they have no right to speak up. However, relating passively to others lowers self-confidence and reinforces anxiety. Learning to behave assertively is central to developing a stronger self-esteem.

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Break Up With Caffeine

A cup of coffee, chocolate, or an ice-cold Coke might help you feel better. But if caffeine is your go-to drug of choice, your anxiety could worsen.

Caffeine gives the nervous system a jolt, which can boost energy levels. But when under pressure, this nervous energy can induce an anxiety attack. Now, the idea of giving up your favorite caffeinated beverage might raise your heart rate and induce anxiety as you read this, but you dont have to stop cold turkey or give up caffeine completely. Its all about moderation.

Rather than four cups of coffee a day, scale back to one or two normal-sized cups a day normal as in 8 ounces, not 16 or 32 ounces. Give it a test run and see how you feel. As you wean yourself, slowly introduce other beverages into your diet such as decaffeinated herbal tea, which can calm your mind and nerves.

What Else Should I Ask My Healthcare Provider

If you have an anxiety disorder, ask your provider:

  • Whats the best treatment for me?
  • Do I need medication? What type?
  • How long should I take medication?
  • What type of psychotherapy will work best?
  • What else can I do to manage my symptoms?
  • What other conditions am I at risk for?

A note from Cleveland Clinic

An anxiety disorder can make it difficult to get through your day. Anxiety disorder symptoms include feelings of nervousness, panic and fear. You may also have physical symptoms such as sweating and a rapid heartbeat. But you dont need to live like this. Several effective anxiety disorder treatments are available. Talk to your healthcare provider to figure out your diagnosis and the best treatment plan. Often, treatment combines medications and therapy. Anti-anxiety medications and antidepressants, together with CBT, can help you feel your best.

Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 12/17/2020.

References

Recommended Reading: How To Manage High Functioning Anxiety

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors

In most cases, the first medication you’ll be offered will be a type of antidepressant called a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor .

This type of medication works by increasing the level of a chemical called serotonin in your brain.

Examples of SSRIs you may be prescribed include:

  • difficulty achieving orgasm during sex or masturbation
  • in men, difficulty obtaining or maintaining an erection

These side effects should improve over time, although some such as sexual problems can persist.

If your medication isn’t helping after about 2 months of treatment or it’s causing unpleasant side effects, your GP may prescribe an alternative SSRI.

When you and your GP decide it’s appropriate for you to stop taking your medication, you’ll normally have your dose slowly reduced over the course of a few weeks to reduce the risk of withdrawal effects.

Never stop taking your medication unless your GP specifically advises you to.

A Lack Of Play Should Be Treated Like Malnutrition: Its A Health Risk To Your Body And Mind Stuart Brown

How I cured my anxiety with meditation.

The real problem was my state of mind.Id become increasingly adept at rejecting any form of non-productivity. I couldnt allow any form of play if it didnt contribute to earning money or doing something meaningful.

Even when I was with friends or doing something that was supposed to be fun, I couldnt stop thinking about all the time I was wasting. I wasnt being productive I was losing valuable time. I had to get backto work!

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How To Calm Anxiety: 8 Natural Ways

Occasional anxiety is a normal human experience. Mild anxiety can occur before interviewing for a new job. A higher level of anxiety can occur from barely avoiding a car crash. And an even higher level may come with the loss of a loved one. There are also those people who experience anxiety persistently. However, learning how to calm anxiety is essential for your quality of life. Its also important to know what causes anxiety to determine the best way to alleviate it.

How Does Medication Treat Anxiety Disorders

Medications cant cure an anxiety disorder. But they can improve symptoms and help you function better. Medications for anxiety disorders often include:

  • Anti-anxiety medications, such as benzodiazepines, may decrease your anxiety, panic and worry. They work quickly, but you can build up a tolerance to them. That makes them less effective over time. Your healthcare provider may prescribe an anti-anxiety medication for the short-term, then taper you off or the provider may add an antidepressant to the mix.
  • Antidepressants can also help with anxiety disorders. They tweak how your brain uses certain chemicals to improve mood and reduce stress. Antidepressants may take some time to work, so be patient. If you feel like youre ready to stop taking antidepressants, talk to your provider first.
  • Beta-blockers, usually used for high blood pressure, can help reduce some of the physical symptoms of anxiety disorders. They can relieve rapid heartbeat, shaking and trembling.

Your healthcare provider will work with you to find the right medication combination and dosage. Dont change the dose without consulting your provider. Theyll monitor you to make sure the medicines are working without causing negative side effects.

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Diy Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

CBT is the most common thing therapists do when you have anxious thoughts. It lets you analyze recurring thoughts you have that bother you, check if theyre realistic and if not change them in your mind to a more realistic perspective. You can pay a therapist a lot of money to explain this to you, but Id say do-it-yourself.

For example, youre super scared to lose your job and it keeps you up all night. CBT would ask is there any evidence you will lose your job?, if there is none it means thats an unrealistic thought and everytime you think it, think the realistic thought there is no evidence I will lose my job at this moment.

If there is evidence you DO might lose your job then you should think is losing your job really that bad to be anxious about?, cant you get another job? If you can then its not really something to lay awake at night over! This is typical doom scenario thinking and its quite fixable by repeatedly doing this.

You can also keep a journal, whenever a repetitive thought comes in to your mind, write it down in your notes on your phone, then in the next paragraph write a more realistic perspective on it, for example if youre a freelancer you could write this:

Is Anxiety In Your Genes

HOW I " CURED"  MY ANXIETY

At the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute in Queensland, PhD candidate Jackson Thorp an expert in psychiatric genetics has spent years hunting for a needle in a haystack.

At the Institute’s Translational Neurogenomics Lab, Thorp is using a global database of 400,000 people to identify gene variants more common in anxiety sufferers.

Using statistical analysis software to cross-check the 20,000-25,000 genes in the human genome, Thorps work aims to identify gene changes more common in people with anxiety disorders.

And just last year Thorp and his colleagues hit the jackpot.

“We found 611 genes that were linked to anxiety and many of these are also linked to depression,” he says.

“This tells us genetic risk for anxiety does not come from one or two genes but hundreds. Probably even thousands of genes are responsible for increasing the risk of developing anxiety.”

Research like this is so new, so pioneering, that a full picture is yet to emerge about which genes are most significant and precisely how they influence anxietys development.

The next step is to understand their role in predisposing someone to anxiety or whether specific genetic mutations could even predict it.

One of the most interesting is a gene known as DRD2, responsible for coding a dopamine receptor in the brain. This neurotransmitter is released when we associate particular activities with pleasure and is related to mental health outcomes.

Read Also: Are There Over The Counter Medications For Anxiety

Give Yourself A Bedtime

With your busy schedule, theres no time for sleep, right? Some workaholics brag about only needing three or four hours of sleep a night, as if to say, Im more determined and committed than everyone else. But no matter what you might tell yourself, youre not a robot. Humans need sleep to function properly, so unless you beamed in from some nearby planet, this also applies to you.

Whether you deal with insomnia, purposely limit your amount of sleep, or youre a self-professed night owl, chronic sleep deprivation makes you susceptible to anxiety. Do yourself a favor and get eight to nine hours of sleep every night. Develop a bedtime routine to read a book or do something relaxing before bed. The better prepared you are to get a good nights sleep, the better quality of sleep youll have, which leads to a better morning as well.

Play Is What We All Love To Do

Play is where our subconscious naturally guides us.

Play is the state where we are truly ourselves, once we let go of our egos and fear of looking stupid.

Play immerses us in the moment, where we effortlessly slip into flow.

Play allows us to imagine, to create, to bond with and understand each other.

Play is what creates our strongest social circles.

Play gets you around other humans, face-to-face, and allows you to form a real connection with them.

Play allows you to stop taking your life so damn seriously, so you can start living again.

Life was never supposed to feel so serious or scary in the first place!

The people who try to convince you that it has to be that way just arent very good at playing. Theyve forgotten what its like.

So have a laugh, remind them, then go find better playmates.

Everyone is looking for someone to have fun with.

Go out, create your own games, then get others to join in.

Read Also: How To Work Through Anxiety

Treating Anxiety Without Medication

If you suffer from anxiety, the constant, nagging feelings of worry can be troubling and hard to control. These feelings are usually intense and out of proportion to the actual troubles and dangers in your everyday life. They can make it hard to function at home, at work, or in social situations.

Anxiety can be treated with medication, but several mind-body approaches may also be effective.

Hypnosis is sometimes used along with cognitive behavioral therapy to treat anxiety. It can help people focus their attention, rethink problems, relax, and respond to helpful suggestions. Hypnosis relies mainly on your ability to concentrate and on the trust you have in the therapist. If you are interested in hypnosis, discuss it first with your psychiatrist or psychologist. She or he can help you find a qualified practitioner.

Biofeedback measures specific body functions, such as heartbeat or breathing, and feeds this information back to you in the form of sounds or lights. This can help you become aware of your body’s responses and learn to control them using relaxation and cognitive techniques. You can practice different relaxation techniques while attached to biofeedback equipment and get immediate sensory input about which techniques produce the desired results, such as slowing the heart rate or relaxing tense muscles. The hope is that this extra feedback helps people find and refine techniques that can calm the body and reduce anxiety.

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