Natural Ways to Combat Anxiety

For 30 percent of Americans anxiety is more than a natural fact of life. It becomes so intense as to interfere with daily functioning. The Anxiety Disorder Association of America (ADAA) believes that anxiety disorders are much like diabetes and heart disease, in that they result from a combination of biological and environmental factors. Whether or not you take medication for anxiety, natural methods are also necessary.

Seven Types of Anxiety

• The ADAA recognizes seven types of anxiety.

  Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), characterized by excessive worry and physical symptoms such as nausea, headaches and fatigue, impacts 8 million Americans.

  Simple Phobia is an extreme or unfounded fear of a specific thing, such as spiders or heights, and impacts 19 million Americans.

  People with Panic Disorder experience sudden, intense attacks of terror, often with no obvious cause, that last 30 to 90 minutes. The sufferer often believes that death or calamity is imminent. This disorder impacts 6 million Americans.

  Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a long-lasting emotional response to an extreme trauma. Common triggers are childhood sexual abuse, war, plane crash, rape or fire. PTSD affects 7.7 million Americans.

  Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is characterized by involuntary upsetting thoughts and/or a compulsion to perform certain rituals, like repetitive, unnecessary hand-washing--with the belief that something bad will happen if the ritual is not completed. OCD impacts 2.2 million Americans.

  Social Phobia is characterized by extreme shyness or intense fear of being criticized by others.

  Anxieties tend not to fit neatly into categories, and Atypical Anxiety may be any combination of the other six types.

Natural Remedies

• U.S. Pharmacy School provides a range of natural anxiety treatments. Among their suggestions: Multitasking is overrated--sometimes we need to slow down to be effective. Allow feelings to surface: Whether good or bad, they wash over you like waves on a beach and then recede. Learn to say "No." Ask for a hug or get a massage. Forgive--even if the other person does not think he needs forgiveness, you may need to give it. Write in a journal: sometimes you don't even know what your true feelings are, until they come out through your pen onto paper. Laugh at something. Feel sunshine on your skin. Feed your body healthy foods. Move your body. Sit in a hot tub. Get consistent, adequate sleep. A multivitamin and an omega-3 supplement are good for almost anything. These methods can go a long way to help reduce excessive anxiety, and are recommended with or without professional counseling or a prescribed medication regimen.

Need a Boost?

• Sometimes the anxiety is so severe that the natural remedies are not enough. Even short-term counseling and/or medical help can get you back to a place where the natural remedies are more effective. Anxiety disorders respond well to cognitive-behavioral therapy. Sometimes medications can also be helpful. Please see a licensed professional counselor or your doctor if you find yourself in this situation.