Fighting the Silent Monster: Natural Ways to Get Rid of Anxiety

They say that worry is a down payment on a problem you may never have: it doesn’t empty tomorrow of its sorrows, just empties today of its strength. While we’re aware that anxiety is our silent undoing, we seem to be incapable of standing up to it most of the time. And this increasing frustration turns into yet another thing we have to deal with. We find ourselves wondering what it would be like if we weren’t burdened with fear and concern all the time.

We’re more than ready to say goodbye to heart palpitations, chest pain, and nausea. But are there any natural ways to deal with our anxiety? Read on to learn how to get rid of this silent monster and finally feel happy in your skin.

What Are the Best Ways to Fight the Symptoms of Anxiety?

Keeping a Journal

The solution to our uneasiness may lie in getting rid of overwhelming thoughts. If you’ve ever felt relief after confiding in your friends and family, your journal can help you, too. That’s because expressing our feelings out loud or writing them down enables us to process them and move on. Whenever we’re sad or upset, we can lock our thoughts in our journal before they get to us.

Another option is to practice PAJ (positive affect journaling). This time, instead of focusing on the negative emotions, we need to stress the positive ones. For example, try writing down something nice about yourself every day. After a while, your mind will switch to thinking more positively and being more open to good things.

Meditating

Another way to treat anxiety without relying on external medications is practicing mindfulness. By attempting to be mindful, we open our eyes to the reality around us. That’s how we become more aware of our surroundings and our relationship with the physical world. We also focus on the present moment and accept all our thoughts and feelings.

We can practice meditation to reduce any upcoming feelings of uneasiness or worry. Meditating can also help us lower stress and fight off our panic attacks. There’s even a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program that seems to help with most types of anxiety disorders. Still, experts suggest practicing mindfulness and meditation while undergoing true anxiety treatment.

Exercising

Another solution for anxiety symptoms might be keeping ourselves active. That’s because physical activity is much more than a key to a healthy body. Being physically active can have a positive effect on our minds as well. Regular exercise can help us feel more relaxed and divert our thoughts from worries.

Besides, when our heart rate increases, it seems to change our brain chemistry. There turns out to be more room for anti-anxiety neurochemicals. The compounds like serotonin, GABA, and endocannabinoids make us more calm and relaxed. In turn, we put all our worries behind us and end up feeling more secure.

Drinking Tea

It doesn’t come as a surprise that certain herbs can calm us down and reduce our stress levels. After all, the plant enterprise has been our haven for thousands of years. To fight off anxious feelings, we can opt for herbal teas that have a calming effect. For example, we can try out drinking chamomile tea that is well-known for reducing the symptoms of GAD.

Another option can be to rely on the magical effects of lemon balm tea. This stress-reducing herb is mint’s next of kin. Apart from helping us with anxiety, it can reduce our sleeplessness and depression. Lemon balm seems to boost GABA, a neurotransmitter responsible for reducing stress.

Taking Herbal Supplements

Another way to kill the silent monster is opting for other herb-based products. For example, we can derive anxiety medications from roots, leaves, oils, or seeds of some plants. The only thing to know beforehand is whether these herbals are safe and if we can combine them with other drugs. What’s so great about herbal supplements is that we can use them both internally and externally.

To address anxiety issues in particular, we can try out valerian. People have been fighting the symptoms of anxiety and insomnia for ages using this herb. The root of this plant can even help with soothing physical pain like menstrual cramps. But this plant’s calming effects may not go well with antidepressants.

Taking CBD

When it comes to the magical world of cannabinoid goods, we might be reluctant to enter it. The question of the legality and safety of CBD products might be too overwhelming for us. Still, we shouldn’t jump to any conclusions just yet. Take a look at what your state laws have to say on this matter. But you should know that hemp-derived CBD goods containing low (<0.3) levels of THC are federally legal.

CBD can help us reduce stress without getting us high. It does this by working together with our ECS system and boosting the neurotransmitters that lower physical and mental pain. And the best thing is, there are many types of CBD products we can try out. For example, we can opt for CBD terpenes, vapes, gummies, or other edibles.

Trying Aromatherapy

Yet another natural way to treat anxiety symptoms is giving aromatherapy a chance. This type of treatment has been around for thousands of years. As it turns out, humans rely on essential oils to secure physical and mental well-being. With natural plant extracts, we can boost our mood, reduce blood and heart rate, and ultimately relax.

This holistic healing treatment focusing on certain oils can be the best solution to treat anxiety disorders. The anxiety-focused essential oils include lavender, bergamot, grapefruit, and others. Some theories suggest that they work by stimulating the smell receptors in our noses. They, in turn, send messages to our nervous system that ultimately help us calm down.

Trying Homeopathy

The practice of treating an illness with its very cause has been around for more than two centuries. But thanks to its controversial status, homeopathy remains an alternative approach to diseases. This practice bases its methods on the idea that the causes of an illness can also be its cures. We usually get homeopathic remedies by diluting certain substances in water.

When it comes to anxiety-based homeopathic medications, we’ve got many to choose from. For example, aconite seems to help with intense feelings of fear and sudden panic attacks. Argentum nitricum appears to address hypochondria, claustrophobia, and everyday fear. Some homeopathic remedies can even target the fear of darkness and loneliness.

Other Solutions

If none of these remedies seem to help with our anxiety, we need to resort to other treatment plans. In most cases, people with anxiety decide to visit a psychologist or a psychiatrist. They usually suggest combining psychoanalysis with formal medicine. This way, we may end up with regular therapy sessions and prescription drugs like Xanax.

Still, there are other ways to relieve stress and anxiety. We can try out cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) or join support groups. But the most important thing to do will be to change our bad habits first. In other words, we should limit our caffeine and alcohol intake and smoking.

Final Thoughts on Natural Ways to Fight Anxiety

The constant feeling of uneasiness and fear might be wearing us down day after day. And without doing anything to treat our anxiety symptoms, we soon won’t be able to lead a normal life. That’s why coming up with a treatment plan is crucial for our physical and mental well-being.

One way to go about it is to be physically active, meditate, and change our bad habits. We can also choose natural remedies like aromatherapy, herbal supplements, teas, or CBD. Another idea is to try homeopathy or start a journal to filter our negative emotions. If nothing helps, we may resort to prescription drugs and book a few therapy appointments.