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Anxiety Relief Without Medication

Some people with anxiety symptoms have difficulty taking medications. Anti-depressants, often prescribed to anxiety patients, can sometimes cause manic symptoms because of an overproduction of certain neurotransmitters. Although prescription medications often help more than they hurt, there are other techniques. Physical activity, talk therapy and relaxation techniques are some of the strategic ways for anxiety relief without medication.

  1. Talk Therapy

    • One of the strategies for reducing anxiety is talk therapy, whether in a group setting or one-on-one with a professional counselor. Counselors can give you cognitive behavioral techniques that help you improve the emotional and mental aspects of anxious thoughts and activities. For example, they may teach you how to stop Automatic Negative Thoughts (ANTs), which trigger anxiety symptoms. Counselors and groups can also show you positive self-talk that can train your mind how to fill it with positive thoughts that push away the ANTs. Group therapy with equally anxious people can give you the feeling that you are not alone. They may also provide you with success stories, boosting your confidence to overcome the anxious triggers.

    Physical Activity

    • Serotonin is the neurotransmitter that is responsible for creating a positive and balanced mood. Anxiety can indicate lower levels of serotonin and higher levels of stress neurotransmitters. Physical activity is proven to raise serotonin levels in the brain. However, not just any activity will do. It is better to pick activities that require concentration like basketball or tennis. Activity that is monotonous like long runs might cause even more thinking over the anxious triggers.

    Relaxation and Distraction

    • Relaxation is also a beneficial anxiety reliever if done properly. Reading books, taking long walks and watching movies could prove to be a healthy distraction and get your mind to step away from the anxious thoughts. However, those distractions shouldn't remind you of those very triggers. If you have had anxiety symptoms over taking a test, watching movies about law school students trying to pass the bar may not help. If you are anxious over passing a physical test, watching episodes of "Wipeout" might not get rid of the anxiety. If you take a long walk, consider involving activities like playing with dogs or going for a nature walk.

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