Everyone experiences anxiety when confronted with new or stressful situations — job interviews, first date, public speaking engagements — but situational anxiety fades quickly. As explained on Midss.org, if your feelings of dread, fear, or worry do not go away or worsen over time, you may be suffering from an anxiety disorder.
The good news is that you don’t have to feel this way forever. Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental illnesses in the United States but are also among the most treatable. Even better, many people respond favorably to anxiety treatment without medication. They discover that lifestyle changes, holistic therapies, and CBD vape pens can often completely or partially fight anxiety. In this article, we’ll look at some strategies you can try on your own to alleviate anxiety without taking drugs.
What are The Symptoms of Anxiety?
It is natural to feel anxious from time to time. People with anxiety disorders, on the other hand, frequently experience intense, excessive, and persistent worry and fear about everyday situations.
Among the most common anxiety symptoms are:
- Feeling nervous, agitated, or tense
- Fast heart rate
- Feeling of impending danger, panic, or doom
- Sweating
- Feeling tired or weak
- Trembling
- Having difficulty concentrating
- Having difficulty sleeping
- Having difficulty controlling your anxiety
- Having gastrointestinal (GI) issues
5 Ways for Managing Anxiety without Medication at Home
Here are some natural remedies that can help ease anxiety:
1. Do Regular Exercise
Any form of exercise will help with stress management, and you’ll get all of the other added health benefits along with it. Exercise such as aerobic exercise is most likely the last thing you want to do when your mind is scrambling. You might be concerned about post-workout soreness and being unable to walk or sit for two days. Or your thoughts may wander to the worst-case scenario, in which you fear overexerting yourself and suffering a heart attack. However, exercise is one of the most effective natural anti-anxiety treatments.
Endorphins and serotonin levels are increased by physical activity, which helps you feel better emotionally. When this happens, try a deep breath and other breathing techniques to reduce anxiety. And when you feel better on the inside, it affects your entire outlook. Exercise can also take your mind off your problems because your brain cannot focus on two things at the same time. Aim for 30 minutes of physical activity three to five times per week.
2. Avoid Caffeine
You might feel better after a cup of coffee, chocolate, or an ice-cold Coke. However, if caffeine is your go-to drug, your anxiety may worsen. Caffeine consumption stimulates the nervous system, which can increase energy levels. However, when under stress, this nervous energy can cause heightened anxiety. As you read this, the thought of giving up your favorite caffeinated beverage may raise your heart rate and induce anxiety, but you don’t have to stop cold turkey or give up caffeine intake completely. It all comes down to moderation.
Instead of four cups of coffee per day, limit yourself to one or two normal-sized cups per day — normal as in 8 ounces, not 16 or 32 ounces. Give it a try and see how you like it. Slowly introduce other beverages into your diet as you wean yourself, such as decaffeinated herbal tea.
3. Get Enough Rest and Sleep
You probably have no time for sleep with your hectic schedule. Some workaholics boast about requiring only three or four hours of sleep per night, as if to say, “I’m more determined and committed than everyone else.” But, regardless of what you tell yourself, you are not a robot. Humans require sleep and mindfulness practices to function properly, so unless you’ve been beaming in from another planet, this also applies to you.
Whether you suffer from insomnia, intentionally limit your sleep, or are a self-professed night owl, chronic sleep deprivation makes you vulnerable to anxiety. Get eight to nine hours of sleep every night for yourself (and everyone else). Do some deep breathing techniques before you sleep. Create a bedtime routine that includes reading a book or doing something relaxing before going to bed. The better you are prepared for a good night’s sleep, the better the quality of sleep you will have, resulting in a better morning.
4. Avoid Skipping Meals
This is the easiest way to prevent anxiety. If anxiety causes nausea, the prospect of eating food is as appealing as the prospect of eating dirt. However, skipping meals can exacerbate anxiety. When you don’t eat, your blood sugar drops, causing the stress hormone cortisol to be released. Cortisol can improve your performance under pressure, but it can also make you feel worse if you’re already anxious.
The fact that you need to eat does not justify putting anything in your mouth, so don’t use this as an excuse to binge on sugar and junk food. Although sugar does not cause anxiety, it can cause physical symptoms of anxiety, such as nervousness. And if you start obsessing over a sugar reaction, you might have panic attacks.
5. Try Using CBD Vape Pen
CBD vape pens are anxiety relief products. It can aid with anxiety. CBD vapes like are a quick and effective way to get CBD into the bloodstream and relieve anxiety. There is scientific evidence that CBD may have a beneficial effect on people who suffer from anxiety. CBD is absorbed into the bloodstream most quickly through vaping. If you need a valuable suggestion on which CBD vape pens to buy, https://www.midss.org/health/best-cbd-vape-pen is a good option.
These natural ways are good options if you feel increased anxiety symptoms or have mild obsessive thoughts.
The Final Word
These strategies may be sufficient to manage your symptoms of mild to moderate anxiety. Still, it’s a good idea to discuss your efforts with your primary care physician or join a support group, which can make more tailored recommendations to treat anxiety without medication that is good for your mental health.
If these strategies do not work, or if your anxiety is severe or worsening, consult your doctor right away. He or she will want to check you for any underlying medical conditions that may be causing your generalized anxiety.