Soothing Extreme Anxiety: 4 Effective Techniques

Coping with an anxiety disorder is no easy feat. And these disorders are on the rise with approximately 30% of all US adults experiencing some form of it, including: panic disorder, phobias, Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), and social anxiety. While anxiety can be helpful in certain situations, if we are experiencing it on a constant basis it can become debilitating. Here are a few approaches that can help to ease anxiety so you can cultivate a happier, more serene life. 

Pharmaceuticals or Herbal Support 

Pharmaceuticals can help us to control or reduce symptoms related to an anxiety disorder. But they often take time to reach peak effectiveness. If the idea of using pharmaceuticals makes you uncomfortable, you may want to consider herbal support instead. Today, cannabis is exceedingly popular for promoting relaxation. If a full strength product is not appealing to you, providers like baysmokes.com offer lower strength alternatives. It's important to note that any form of pharmaceutical or herbal support is more effective when used in a combination with other treatments, including the following:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

When we incorporate CBT into our lives, it is the way to retrain our brain to think and feel better despite external situations. CBT addresses the thoughts and behavior patterns at the root of anxiety.  Rather than eliminating the symptoms, it focuses on treating the underlying cause. For example, if someone is experiencing negative thoughts about a certain situation, they can retrain their brain to think more positively and control their reactions to the situation. CBT is incredibly effective and there are many resources online to get you started like moodgym.com. 

Exposure Therapy 

With exposure therapy, a person is exposed to the same physical sensations that they would experience during a panic attack or anxiety attack in a controlled environment. The idea behind it is that by repeating things that may cause anxiety, the triggers will lose their power. This therapy is effective over time as we gradually learn not to be overwhelmed by the stimulus associated with a panic or anxiety attack.  

Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)

A  combination of acupuncture, NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming), and Thought Field Therapy (TFT), Emotional Freedom Technique is based on tapping specific meridian points while also repeating a phrase to ease anxiety, such as:

Even though I am experiencing [the symptom] I deeply and completely accept myself. 

EFT has helped individuals with PTSD and many other psychological disorders. The meridian points are tapped in this order: 

• Side of the hand

• Top of the head

• Eyebrows

• Side of the eyes 

• Under the eye

• Under the nose

• Chin

• Collarbone

• Under the arm

While the technique is still in its infancy and requires more research, it has proven to be effective for those who struggle with anxiety. You can learn more and receive a free guidebook at eftinternational.org.

  

We may feel anxiety is preventing us from being confident and self-assured and living life fully, but it is important to keep in mind that a wide-variety of people from a range of backgrounds experience anxiety and panic disorders. It is extremely common, so you are in good company. Thankfully there are many tools and techniques that are available which can help you to heal. It will take a bit of time but the eventual peace of mind is priceless. 

7 Questions To Ask Yourself The Next Time You Feel Intense Anxiety

(MindBodyGreen)

By Megan Bruneau

Anxiety is often caused by unhealthy thought patterns, worries, and stress. However, sometimes that uncomfortable, distressful, and at times panic-inducing experience has little to do with what we're thinking, and more to do our biochemistry or what we just ate. Sometimes, it doesn't matter how much we "talk it out" because our anxiety has little to do with what our thoughts and more to do with these other culprits.

Everything Doesn't Happen For A Reason

By Tim Lawrence

(The Adversity Within) I emerge from this conversation dumbfounded. I've seen this a million times before, but it still gets me every time. 

I’m listening to a man tell a story. A woman he knows was in a devastating car accident; her life shattered in an instant. She now lives in a state of near-permanent pain; a paraplegic; many of her hopes stolen.

He tells of how she had been a mess before the accident, but that the tragedy had engendered positive changes in her life. That she was, as a result of this devastation, living a wonderful life.

And then he utters the words. The words that are responsible for nothing less than emotional, spiritual and psychological violence:

Everything happens for a reason. That this was something that had to happen in order for her to grow.

That's the kind of bullshit that destroys lives.

And it is categorically untrue.

Calm Anxiety and Lighten the Heart with Motherwort Herb

Whether grappling with Frankenstorms, a major life transition or the day-to-day grind, we could all use a little anxiety relief now and then. Motherwort is an excellent herb for soothing the nervous system and heart—helping to regulate palpitations and high blood pressure while easing stress. It has many other benefits too. Symptoms of PMS, menopause, multiple sclerosis and chronic fatigue are reduced as well. Known as a longevity herb in China, motherwort has a broad range of useful applications.

10 Questions To Ask Yourself When You Feel Like Crap

(MindBodyGreen) When life feels overwhelming, it can be easy to fall into a rut. The next time you feel low, here are 10 questions you can ask to gain a fresh perspective and get moving in a more positive direction. They can be applied to any area of your life when you feel down, angry, fearful, sad, or confused.

How Stress Is Making You Lose Your Mind

 By Jenny C. Evans

(Huffington Post) Stress is affecting your brain much more than you think. Sure, you've experienced the distraction, forgetfulness, negativity or anxiety that comes from stressful situations, but did you know it's also shrinking your brain? Hormones released in response to stress not only affect brain function, they also change the physical structure of your brain.

The stress hormone cortisol can kill, shrink, and stop the generation of new neurons in a portion of the brain called the hippocampus. (1)

Overheated this summer? Cool anger, anxiety, stress and more with chrysanthemum tea

Long revered by traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), chrysanthemum tea balances the system in a variety of ways. Especially useful during the spring and summer months, it cools the body and clears the liver. The tea also supports immunity, reduces high blood pressure, relaxes the nervous system and curbs aging. Cultivated by the Chinese for over 3,000 years and readily prescribed by TCM practitioners, this trusted herb can heal a multitude of health complaints.

Nectar of poets, tisane of the common man

Chinese poetry reflects the exceptional respect paid to the humble chrysanthemum flower in its ability to heal an imbalanced body and mind. The Chinese poet Tao Yuanming (CE 365-427) writes in Drinking, "While picking chrysanthemums beneath the easter fence, my gaze uptown the southern mountain rest," indicating a serene retreat away from the bustling world. Likewise, TCM utilizes the herb to quiet anxiety and balance the nerves. Since chrysanthemum supports a healthy liver, "wind" ailments such as anger, stress, headache and dizziness are eased as well. Greer's Health & Wellness affirms the herb is used to "sharpen the vision and hearing, calm the nerves and clear the brain."

How to Stop Overthinking Everything: 9 Simple Habits

(The Positivity Blog) What is holding people back from the life that they truly want to live?

I’d say that one very common and destructive thing is that they think too much.

They overthink every little problem until it becomes bigger and scarier and it actually is. Overthink positive things until they don’t look so positive anymore.

Or overanalyze and deconstruct things and so the happiness that comes from just enjoying something in the moment disappears.

Now, thinking things through can be a great thing of course. But being an overthinker can result in becoming someone who stands still in life. In becoming someone who self-sabotages the good things that happen in life.

Forget Prozac - try probiotics to ease anxiety, curb depression and elevate mood

Could eating yogurt be a replacement for antidepressants? A group of scientists believe so. Groundbreaking research has shown that a common strain of probiotic can create GABA within the gut while also enhancing brain receptors for this neurotransmitter. Naturally produced GABA is a safe alternative to dangerous psychiatric drugs -- it calms the nervous system, promotes tranquil sleep, minimizes anxiety and alleviates depression. This is good news for over 50 million people around the world who use antidepressants.

Perils of a "Prozac Nation"

With a 400 percent increase of antidepressant use from 1994-2008, it looks as though the United States certainly is a Prozac Nation. An astounding 1 in 5 women between the ages of 40-59 use Prozac while nearly 4 percent of adolescents are on antidepressants. Second only to cholesterol drugs, prescriptions for antidepressants rose to an incredible 255 million in 2010 alone. World-wide, the sale of antidepressants totals over 20 billion dollars a year. This industry does not come without serious health risks.

Not just another pretty face -- Boost immunity, soothe anxiety and calm distressed skin with cornflower herb

As a powerful medicinal plant, cornflower offers a wealth of benefit. Muscle and joint pain, eye complaints, anxiety, skin irritations and digestive upset all respond well to this edible flower. Cornflower also helps to increase immunity -- a welcome tonic during the cold and flu season. Easy to grow, these brilliant blooms are as versatile as they are beautiful.

Sometimes known as 'bachelor's button', cornflower (Centaurea cyanus) grows wild throughout Europe and certain parts of North America. Bearing rich blue flowers, the plant can reach up to three feet high. Native to Greece and Turkey, cornflower has a long history of healing use.