Wellness and Health

Alternate Treatments For Anxiety

Because a lot of people today do not like taking medications for their disorders, they often opt for alternate medication for their anxiety.  This includes aromatherapy, acupuncture, herbal supplements and meditation.  These will work well if the anxiety is not severe and there is no severe underlying depression that is causing the anxiety.

We all get anxious once in a while - we wouldn’t be human if we did not have some anxiety in our lives.  But some people have extreme anxiety while others have mild anxiety.  The difference would be someone who suffered frequent anxiety attacks caused by an underlying condition such as obsessive compulsive disorder or panic disorder.  These conditions cannot be mixed with those who suffer from anxiety over taking a math test.  

In cases where the anxiety is not as severe to the point where it is stopping someone from doing their every day business, they may try alternate means of treatment before they resort to medications.  Some of the alternate means of treatment include:

Herbal supplements

Kava , St. John’s Wort, Valerian and Sam-e are all herbal remedies that have been known to quell minor anxiety and depression.  Kava has a very calming effect and can be taken a few days a week to help with minor anxiety.  St. John’s Wort is better in treating depression, that often accompanies anxiety.  Valerian and Sam-e of the newest herbal supplements that have shown promise in helping with anxiety attacks.  However, you should not take these supplements along with prescription remedies and if you find that they are not helping you, you  should talk to your doctor about another option.  These herbal supplements are made for those with mild to moderate anxiety and depression and not for those with severe disorders.  

Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is the anxiety healing art of inhaling infused oils that will get into your bloodstream and cure whatever ails you.  Aromatherapy can also be used when mixed with other oils as a massage oil. Many people swear by this type of treatment in that it does them wonders.  Again, this type of alternative therapy is made for those who have mild to moderate forms of anxiety or depression.  

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is a way that some people use to rid themselves of all sorts of problems, including anxiety and depression.  Acupuncture has been around for thousands of years and can help heal aches, pains and even headaches.  Some people who suffer from depression or anxiety swear by this healing method which has its roots in ancient China.  

Meditation

Meditation is yet another way that you can help yourself overcome your anxiety attacks.  Meditation is something that has been around for thousands of years and is often associated with Hinduism or Buddhism.  But it is also very good for finding peace of mind when you are trying to relax.  You can take a class in meditation or you can watch a DVD to learn how to master this ancient eastern practice.

Diet For Anxiety

You have most likely heard that you are what you eat.  This is true when it comes to controlling your anxiety and depression.   A good many people who are depressed feel this way because of the diet that they consume.  If you are eating foods laden with fat, sugar and other non nutritious substances, stop and start eating healthier.  You may notice a change in your mood just by eating the right foods. 

One of the problems that many people today face is that they do not eat healthy foods.  They tend to eat foods that are high in sugars and fats.  While sugar will give you a mood boost, it offers no nutritional value whatsoever and hangs around to become fat.  You are better off to eat a diet that is filled with vitamins and nutrients.  Especially the B Vitamins. 

The B Vitamins are a family of vitamins that are good for you in many different ways, especially when you are watching your mental health.  Vitamin B-12 is one of the best vitamins that you can take when you are trying to stave off anxiety and depression.  This vitamin is found in a variety of different vegetables.  Zinc and potassium are other nutrients that many people who suffer from depression are lacking. 

The first thing that you should do when you are trying to come up with a diet to help you with anxiety and depression is to get rid of the simple carbohydrates.  These do not offer you proper nutrients and are considered wasted calories.  Sure, it is okay to eat a candy or cake once in a while, but not all of the time.  These will only end up sticking around in all the wrong places and rob your body of the really needed nutrients. 

Start eating proteins and foods that are rich in the B vitamins.  This includes vegetables and fruits.  Whole grains and nuts can be included in your diet as well.  You need these fibers as a way to stay fit.  Drink plenty of water each day as well and eliminate the soda or other sweetened drinks.   These are just liquid candy and do nothing to help you fight depression and anxiety.  As a matter of fact, they work against it.  By drinking 8 to 10 glasses of water each day, you are actually keeping your body cleansed and will give yourself the natural energy that you need. 

You really are what you eat.  By eating junk food all of the time, like fast food, you are bound to start feeling bad about yourself.  These foods contain fats and processed chemicals that are just not good for you.  If you start staying away from processed foods and eating foods that are good for you, such as fish, vegetables, fruits and whole grains, your body will react in same.  Start treating your body well by providing it with the right fuel and you will get a healthy body - as well as a healthy mind, in return.

Different Types of  Anxiety Disorders

Everyone feels anxious once in a while.  We may feel anxious about taking a test, going to the doctor or any other situation in which we feel uncomfortable.  For some people, however, they are unable to control their anxiety, and they wind up having a full blown anxiety attack.  This can often land someone in the ER of the hospital because they feel as though they are having a heart attack.

When you are diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, you have to have several anxiety attacks over at least 6 months.  This is chronic anxiety and most doctors will then evaluate you for these conditions.  While anti-anxiety medications such as Xanax and Klonopin can help take the edge off of an anxiety attack, they are not the cure.  Most doctors will refer you to a counselor or a psychiatrist who will then diagnose you with one of the types of anxiety disorders that are common and treatable. 

General Anxiety Disorder

This is an anxiety disorder in which no known cause for the anxiety exists.  A person who suffers from this type of anxiety disorder will often have anxiety attacks, triggered by an unknown source.  It can be something in their head that sets them off.  Doctors will give anti-depressant medication coupled with anti-anxiety medication so that it balances the chemicals in the brain and allows the person to function regularly. 

Panic Disorder

Someone who suffers from panic disorder gets frequent anxiety attacks and often winds up in the ER of the hospital thinking that they are having a heart attack.  This can be a very disabling anxiety disorder and is the one that is the most pronounced.  Like general anxiety disorder, this has no known cause.  Again, it is treated with anti-anxiety medication as well as anti-depressants. 

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Those who suffer from this anxiety disorder have undergone some sort of  life threatening stress in their lives that keeps them from functioning at full capacity.  While is it often associated with veterans who come home from war, anyone can suffer from this disorder who has been through a great deal of stress or life threatening situation.  In this case, the source of anxiety is well known and therapy is often used to alleviate this type of anxiety disorder.

Social Anxiety Disorder

Social anxiety disorder is one where you  may have an anxiety attack when you are around crowds of people.  The person who experiences this type of social anxiety disorder will feel cold and clammy, may feel heart palpitations and even fainting when they are around crowds of people.  Anti-Anxiety medications can help someone overcome social anxiety disorder. 

Anxiety disorders are best diagnosed by a professional.  If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms regarding anxiety, you should seek out a medical opinion and not suffer in silence.  There are many types of anxiety disorders and only a medical professional can give you the proper diagnosis. 

Different Types of Therapy To Look For In Treating Anxiety Attacks

If you suffer from anxiety attacks, you may be tempted to just take medication as a way to alleviate the attack.  While medications for treating anxiety have come a long way in recent years, you might want to consider some sort of therapy to help you overcome this somewhat disabling condition. 

Many people today are still hesitant about going into therapy.  The stigma of “seeing someone” about a mental disorder has not left society, although this is getting better.  An estimated 30 percent of people in the United States have sought counseling at one time or another.  It is nothing to be ashamed of - in fact, you should welcome the opportunity to be proactive about your mental health. 

You have a choice today when it comes to choosing the type of therapy to treat your anxiety attacks.  Here are a few choices that you have:

Counseling

Counselors will treat those with mild to moderate anxiety attacks.  They usually work with the person by giving them exercises as well as allowing them to talk about their feelings.  At the end of the session, the counselor will normally reiterate everything that the patient said so that they can understand what they can do to make things better for themselves.  Counseling is usually available in a number of different avenues, include some free counselors who work with townships and other municipalities.  Even if you do not have insurance or are below poverty level, you can find a counselor who can help you with your problems. 

Therapists

Therapists usually follow a treatment plan.  They will give you exercises that you should do and will teach you how you can cope with your anxiety or depression.  They are a good choice when you are suffering from severe anxiety or depression.  Your problems will not be alleviated in one session, but will usually take more time to solve.  Expect to see a therapist for a while so that they can get to the bottom of your problems. 

Psychologists

The psychologist is usually what you think of when you are considering counseling.  They have the reputation of making you lay on the couch while they listen to you and take notes.  They will want to get to the bottom of the problem that you are having,  including things that happened in your childhood.  They usually have more extensive training than counselors and therapists, but also come at a higher price tag.  Your sessions with the psychologist will last longer than with a therapist or a counselor, but you can get some pretty good results. 

Psychiatrists

A psychiatrist is a medical doctor.  Most psychiatrists work for hospitals and with those who are seriously mentally ill.  You might be referred to a psychiatrist for medication, but chances are that you will see a therapist or psychologist for your therapy.  For anxiety and depression, unless you are hospitalized for this condition, you will most likely not be referred to a psychiatrist.  However, this doctor has the most experience and can make an accurate diagnosis of your condition.

Exercise To Treat Anxiety

Exercise is one of the best ways that you can help your anxiety naturally, without pills and other medications.  Exercise is the “cure all” for just about everything.  The reason exercise works so well is that it releases endorphins to the brain and gives your mind a boost of serotonin.  This is the same way that many SSRIs work.  Not only that, but exercise puts you in control of your body and is a proactive approach in treating your health.

Most anxiety disorders all have one component in common - control.  People who are worried about losing control are often those who are the most anxious.  While most people accept the fact that control is not necessarily in their hands at all times, those with anxiety cannot accept this fact.  They feel that they need control in order to function.  The loss of control can send them into a tailspin that launches a full anxiety attack. 

While we cannot control everything that happens in our lives, we do have control when it comes to our bodies.  And we can exercise.  Exercise is the wonder cure.  It helps alleviate anxiety by working out the stress that you are feeling as well as raising endorphins that send messages to your brain.  What can be better than that?

In the morning, you can perform cardiovascular exercises.  This includes running, jogging, stair climbing and even elliptical workouts.  Whatever you can do to get the old ticker working will do just fine when you are exercising to treat anxiety.  This will not only help you mentally, but physically as well.  It will burn off calories and keep your heart in good shape.  But do not do cardiovascular exercises before you go to bed or else you may have a difficult time falling asleep. 

Prior to going to bed, you may incorporate some Pilates exercises or even some Yoga.  These are stretching exercises that will relax you as well as keep you in good shape.  You can be relaxed and feel ready for a good night’s sleep when you are practicing these exercises at night.   You do not have to attend Yoga classes to learn the moves and you do not have to contort your body into all sorts of impossible shapes.  The main thing is that you learn how to stretch and relax. 

By exercises to treat anxiety and depression, you do not only boost your mood and relax your body, you give yourself something to concentrate on, instead of concentrating on yourself.  An exercises routine will take away the troubles that you have in your mind and give you something else on which to focus.  It truly is the cure all for anxiety and depression.   

Harmful Habits For Anxiety Treatment

If you are having an anxiety attack, you may be so desperate for a quick fix that you are willing to do anything to get rid of the anxious feeling.  Some of the most harmful habits that will only aid on depression and anxiety are as follows:

Cigarette Smoking

Many people say that they smoke because it “calms their nerves.”  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Cigarette smoking will not calm your nerves.  In fact, it will make your nerves worse than they were before you started smoking in the first place.  Cigarette smoking constricts the blood vessels and makes your heart even beat faster.  It does not calm the nerves, but merely exacerbates the anxiety attack. 

Quitting cigarette smoking is very difficult to do.  In fact, it is said that cigarette smoking is akin to heroin addiction.  Some say that quitting heroin is easier than cigarette smoking.  Many people try to quit smoking to no avail.  They try patches and other types of  gimmicks so that they can be smoke free.  The truth of the matter is that you have to make up your mind to quit smoking and stick with it.  Once you go for three days without a cigarette, the nicotine has left your body and the physical addiction is past.  You can then move forward to quitting the psychological addiction. 

Alcohol

Many people, when they have a problem with anxiety, will start drinking alcohol.  Alcohol numbs the mind and makes things seem a bit brighter.  But it is a false cure.  It may make you feel better temporarily, but in the long run it will end up making you feel worse.  And alcohol is a depressant.  If you are not depressed by the time you start drinking, you will be after you are finished.  And alcohol is a drug.  Just like any other drug, it builds up a tolerance in your system.  The more you drink, the less it affects you.   Pretty soon, you are drinking more an more to get the same effect and to drown your sorrows. 

Do not drown your sorrows in booze.  Look for another way out.  While some people contend that alcoholism is a disease unto itself, others disagree and see it as merely a symptom of a disease.  A disease that stems from depression and anxiety.  This is why Alcoholics Anonymous encourages people to control what they can control and recognize the fact that they cannot control everything.  As anxiety and depression all stem from control (or lack of control), one of the reasons that AA works is that it gives this valuable insight to members who feel that most of life is out of their control. 

Street Drugs

Street drugs like marijuana are often used to stop anxiety and make a person feel better.  It has the opposite effect.  While marijuana may not be as addictive and harmful as alcohol, it is still illegal.  And inhaling hot smoke into your lungs is not going to do you any good.  There is also evidence that marijuana kills off brain cells.  Street drugs are not the answer for depression.  While some may say that this drug has medicinal purposes, one of them is not to alleviate depression or anxiety - it merely masks them and doesn’t allow the person taking it to face their own demons. 

If you have a problem with depression or anxiety, do not try to self medicate.   Look for healthier ways to try to get your body and brain chemicals in balance rather than resorting to nicotine, alcohol and street drugs 

Treatments For Anxiety

If you have been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, chances are that you will be give an option of different treatments.  These treatments may include anti-depressants, anti-anxiety medication and therapy.  There are pros and cons to all of these types of anxiety treatments.  Here is a run-down of what to expect with each:

Anti-Depressants

Today, most anti-Depressants are used in combination with anti-anxiety medication.  Anxiety does not often come on its own - it is usually the result of an underlying cause and, in most cases, depression.  Anxiety can be a very disabling illness if not treated.  So can depression.  This is why most doctors will want to treat the cause of the anxiety rather than just  the symptoms. 

Anti-depressants today are a host of SSRI medications.  They include Zoloft, Paxil and Prozac.  They have side effects that include dry mouth, sexual side effects and drowsiness.  When you first start taking the medication, it takes a while to get into your bloodstream.  For most people, it will take about two weeks before you start to feel better. 

The long term side effects of these medications is that you have to monitor your blood work to make sure that they do not impair your liver or kidneys.  For most people, taking the recommended dosage of these medications will help them overcome their anxiety.  The drawback is that they take a while to get into the system and many people give up when they feel that they are not working. Others feel that they are cured from the depression and take themselves off of the medication.  It is not advisable for anyone to withdraw from these medications without the advice and supervision of a doctor. 

Anti-Anxiety Medications

Most anti-anxiety medications today that are very commonly prescribed are Xanax and Klonopin.  They take the place of the less efficient and more addictive anti-anxiety medications of the past that included Valium.  Anti-Anxiety medications are safe to use on a short term basis and should be used when you are having an anxiety attack.  They will help to calm you down and make the anxiety disappear. 

The problem with anti-anxiety medications is that they build up a tolerance in your system and will cause severe withdrawal when you try to stop taking the medication.  If you think the anxiety attack is bad - just wait until you start withdrawal.  Doctors have a way to help you withdraw from anxiety medications without making you feel as though you are losing your mind.  They wean you off the medications with the use of other drugs.  If you take anti-anxiety medications, use them sparingly and do not develop a dependency on them.  If you find that you are taking them more than prescribed, talk to your doctor about a withdrawal program. 

Therapy

Therapy will also help to get to the root of your anxiety.  While someone who is suffering from anxiety will often focus on something insignificant, this is not usually the cause of the anxiety.  Therapy is a great way to get to  the heart of  the matter.  The problem is that it is not the instant cure that everyone these days wants.  But in the long run, therapy can do wonders in helping to relieve your anxiety as well as your depression. 

Chances are that if you have an anxiety attack, you may be prescribed anti-anxiety medication.  If it happens again, you should talk to your doctor about getting anti-depressants to cure the underlying problem as well as get into a therapy class that can help you in the long run.  Anti-anxiety medications work well for the instant cure, but are not the answer for the long term problem. 

Working Your Way Through An Anxiety Attack

One of the secrets to minimizing an anxiety attack is to learn to work your way through the anxiety attack.   Anyone who has ever undergone the panic and suffering that accompanies an anxiety attack knows the feeling of fear that is pretty much indescribable to anyone who has not experienced this sensation.  Follow these tips to help work yourself through the anxiety attack:

Realize that it is anxiety attack

Once you realize that you are having an anxiety attack, you can calm yourself down and think that rationally, this will pass.  Anyone who suffers with anxiety understands the sensation comes and goes.  When you are having an anxiety attack, realize that this is real, it is a panic attack, but it will go away.  Realizing that you are having an anxiety attack is the first step towards working your way through an anxiety attack. 

Do something physical

Exercise, clean, cook or do anything that will get your mind off of the attack.  Some people report that even cleaning their bathroom will help them through an anxiety attack.  Any physical activity releases endorphins and elevates your mood.  It can also help you work through your stress, which is usually the underlying cause of an anxiety attack.  Do not feel helpless, empower yourself by doing something physical, the more productive the better. 

Reach out to your support network

Reach out to friends and family who understand what you are going through.  This is not an effort to look for pity, but a chance for your friends and family to help you when you need it the most.  You would do the same for them, so give them the chance to help you. 

Many people are ashamed that they are feeling anxious and keep this secret from friends and family.  This only makes things worse.  You will not have anyone to talk to when needed.  And when you finally release your secret, you will be surprised to learn how many people actually suffer from the same anxious feelings!  You are far from alone when it comes to anxiety attacks.  As a matter of fact, the majority of people have experienced some sort of anxiety or panic attack at least once in their lives. 

By understanding the anxiety attack, knowing what it feels like and that it will pass, you can help yourself overcome the feelings of a panic attack.  Doing something physical and reaching out to your support network will also help you overcome an anxiety attack.  Use medication as a last resort instead of at once.  You can empower yourself against anxiety attacks and do not have to be held a prisoner of crippling fear of the unknown.