What Is a Good Way to Relieve Anxiety?

Anxiety is a normal feeling for most. For others that have been diagnosed with an Anxiety Disorder, those "normal" feelings don't end, even for typical life events such as getting married or getting a promotion. In these cases, a diagnosed patient can have a tough time relaxing and relieving stress. Yet there are techniques and tips that can help them in relieving anxiety, as well as others who have not been diagnosed with this disorder.

Anxiety Symptoms

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder is a medical condition in which a person's anxiety interferes with normal life activities. Normal anxiety, for example, would be expected if a person was expecting a promotion in two days. Abnormal anxiety might include weeks of insomnia, nervousness, inability to control anxious thoughts, and irrational fears such as losing the job minutes after getting promoted because of irrational fears. These feelings could even extend beyond receiving the promotion. They are a few that are listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM IV-TR) --- mental health professionals use this to diagnose patients.

Medications

• Patients are sometimes prescribed medications to help combat anxiety disorders. Some people do not feel comfortable taking them because of the possible side effects, but benefits from some of those medications sometimes outweigh them. For example, some anxiety patients experience high levels of physical stress, to include ulcers, nausea and constantly tense muscles. Benzodiazepines like Xanax or Valium can provide muscle relaxation and calm down the tension, allowing the patient to sleep better and think a little clearer. If prescribed these medications, patients should stick to the plan and definitely not try to wean themselves off of them without a doctor's consultation.

Self-Talk

• Some aspects of anxiety treatment include talk therapy. Regardless of the approach a psychotherapist takes, it doesn't hurt to do a little personal cognitive behavioral modification. Positive self-talk would be an example. If a patient finds himself getting anxiety before driving to work, positive reassurance can help relax the nerves. Phrases like, "I can do this because I do it every day," and, "I'll be safe just like I have been for the last x months," can help the mind focus on the task and not the nervousness around it.

Exercise

• General exercise is a proven stress-reliever for patients and non-patients alike. Exercise can help promote the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps create positive mood in the brain. Positive mood can lead to positive thought. And good exercise can give the muscles and body a place to release physical tension. A "Science Daily" web site study showed that high-intensity exercises are the best way to relieve anxiety in diagnosed patients.

Online Socialization

• Socialization can sometimes be the root of anxiety in a patient, especially those specifically diagnosed with Social Anxiety Disorder. However, thanks to technology, socialization can take place online on a patient's terms and not necessarily society's rules. This can provide the patient with a mental outlet to share feelings and thoughts with less worry about physical appearance or physical traits. If a patient had a hobby that he stopped because of anxiety, he could possibly start discussing it again in an online forum and promote those good feelings associated with it.

Herbs Might Help

• Some herbs have been studied to assess their effectiveness to help relieve anxiety disorder. At the top of the list is kava kava (Piper methysticum), a plant originating in the Pacific islands that has been used for centuries to relieve nervousness and anxiety. Be sure to check with your doctor before trying any herbs and do not mix them with other medications or alcohol.