August 2016
Everyone feels nervous, jittery or anxious during times of stress —it might be when a relationship is ending, preparing for a job interview or waiting for the results from recent blood work. That’s normal and most people experience anxiety from time-to-time.
Anxiety becomes a bigger problem when it is constant or at such high levels that it begins to negatively impact one’s life and the ability to function well in everyday situations. Maybe you notice it’s hard to “stop and smell the roses”.
Reducing your anxiety levels “organically” means making changes to your behaviors and thoughts, so anxious thoughts don’t rule your life. No matter the level of anxiety you experience — simple changes can go a long way to reduce feelings of stress.
One common form of anxiety is called Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), women are twice as likely to be affected with GAD as men. GAD negatively impacts 7 million U.S. adults each year.
When a person suffers from GAD, they feel anxious most days and it impacts them in significant areas of their life (work, home, relationships). Generalized Anxiety is diagnosed when the individual has 3+ of the following symptoms for at least 6 months:
• Irritability
• Restlessness or feeling keyed up or on edge
• Fatigue
• Sleep disturbance (difficulty falling or staying asleep, or restless, unsatisfying sleep)
• Difficulty concentrating or mind going blank
• Muscle tension
It’s always a good idea to get a thorough physical and to tell your doctor about your symptoms so that they can rule out any possible medical problems. Medication for anxiety is always an option — your doctor can help you make that decision.
Anxiety is treatable. Making behavioral changes and shifting your thoughts is a way to organically reduce anxious feelings.
5 ORGANIC DE-WEEDING TOOLS FOR ANXIETY
1. Soothe Yourself
Develop short, self-soothing statements that whisper right into the heart of your anxious thoughts/feelings. Some of my favorites are:
- I’m trying something new right now and it’s an experiment. If I don’t do well, I’ll try something else – I can’t fail.
- Other people’s opinions don’t define me.
- Bad decisions from my past don’t define me.
- I am doing the best I can with what I have.
- I can’t control people, places or things.
- One day at a time.
- I’m not perfect and that’s ok.
- No one can make me feel inferior without my consent. (Eleanor Roosevelt)
2. Limit Caffeine and Alcohol Consumption
Caffeine is a stimulant that triggers the fight-flight response (e.g. increase in heart rate, breathing, blood pressure, etc.) which triggers anxious feelings. Alcohol can create a temporary escape from anxiety but can also exacerbate anxiety and cause panic attacks. Be mindful of what happens to your anxiety after you drink alcohol or caffeine.
3. Reduce Social Media
In a recent article, I wrote about FOMO – Feeling Of Missing Out – and the accompanying anxiety. Limit your involvement with social media sites to avoid comparing your insides to other people’s outsides.
4. Curtail Time Spent Watching/Reading the News
Sound radical? The media feeds on sensationalism to provoke excitement, big reactions and fear. Cut back on your news consumption for 30 days and see if it makes a difference for you.
5. Exercise
Physical exercise reduces anxiety and is a great stress management technique. Regular exercise creates a sense of calming, improves sleep, provides stress relief, and increases self-esteem. Even a 20-minute daily walk can be beneficial for anxiety.
OTHER INTERESTING TID-BITS ABOUT ANXIETY*
- Anxiety is the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults (age 18 and older) — that’s almost 20% of the US population. (Original Source: National Institute of Mental health).
- Anxiety is highly treatable. Despite that fact, only one-third of people who suffer from anxiety seek treatment.
- According to a study published in the The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, people with anxiety disorders seek relief for their symptoms often through their medical doctors because the symptoms of anxiety mimic physical illnesses.
- Anxiety disorders develop from a complex set of risk factors, including genetics, brain chemistry, personality, and life events.
- Women are twice as likely to be affected with GAD as men. GAD negatively impacts 7 million U.S. adults each year.
*The source for the information cited above is from the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA)