Anxiety is something that we all experience sometimes. All of us experience a wide range of emotions, both positive and negative. Negative emotions such as anger, fear, and apprehension are normal human responses to unpleasant or dangerous situations, and are in fact necessary for survival. Sometimes however, these emotions get out of hand and occur without any stimulus, even to the point of disrupting our daily activities and harming our health.
Like many psychological problems, an anxiety disorder is a little difficult to detect, particularly as many of the symptoms are normal human responses. The key difference however is that these responses occur without any stimulus. Sometimes the individual is almost constantly in a state of worry, while others may experience sudden, unprovoked anxiety attacks.
Some of the symptoms of anxiety disorder include:
Unlike a physical disease or medical condition, there are no specific causes of anxiety. A variety of causes can combine to have a negative effect on a person, ultimately resulting in an anxiety disorder. The bodys chemical processes, ones life experiences, and many other factors play a role. There can be specific elements of your life and environment that make you anxious and contribute to the problem of anxiety, such as work pressure, academic expectations, or major illness, or there can be a general existential crisis. Constant worry can cause panic attacks.
Aromatherapy is a good treatment for anxiety, and you can do it on your own. Lavender oil is particularly effective, but you can also use jasmine or sandalwood.
Vitamin Deficiencies: Vitamin B in particular can often cause anxiety. Try taking a daily supplement of a B-complex tablet.
Learn some meditation and yoga techniques to calm yourself. If nothing else, closing your eyes and breathing deeply will do. These techniques can be used whenever you start to get an anxiety attack, and also as part of your daily routine.
A daily workout will help you calm down. The physical exertion itself helps fight anxiety, plus it prompts your body to produce certain chemicals that calm you and make you feel good.
When you feel an anxiety attack coming on, you can have a cold shower or soak in a warm bath, whichever works for you.
When you start to feel stressed out, drink a whole glass of water, or else sit back and sip a cup of tea.
There is no specific diet for anxiety, but certain foods and food habits can certainly make a difference. You can experiment on your own, but ensure that you differentiate between unhealthy comfort food and healthy food that is actually making a difference to your condition. You might be quite happy eating a greasy burger, but a fruit snack instead might make you feel better in the long run.
Some general guidelines for anxiety relief include:
For a severe anxiety disorder, there is no option other than getting professional help. There are two main approaches to anxiety disorder treatment:
This method of treatment basically involves taking the help of a psychiatrist or a professional counselor to identify the behavioral or psychological causes of the anxiety disorder. The psychiatrist or counselor will then help you change these patterns of behavior and thinking, and help you react to situations in a more positive way.
There are a variety of drugs that are used to treat anxiety disorders, including sedatives and antidepressants. These drugs work, but they do have their side effects, including the possibility of dependency. They are therefore to be used only under professional guidance, and only if other measures are found to be ineffective.