How to Manage Anxiety Without Medication

The terms anxiety attack and panic attack are often used interchangeably, however there are differences between the two. An anxiety attack usually stems from a person worrying about something and generally worsens over time. A panic attack is sudden, intense, and generally subsides after ten to fifteen minutes.

Anxiety and panic attacks can vary in intensity and if you've experienced either one the symptoms can be so bad that you think you are having a heart attack. Of course, worrying that you are having a heart attack doesn't help to calm you down at all, so it can be a vicious cycle. You start to have anxiety about anxiety.

My panic attacks were so severe at one point that I used to black out. It was a frightening feeling to suddenly have your world go black and then come to, a fraction of second later. I never completely collapsed as I regained consciousness before I fell over. It all seemed to happen within a split second and I didn't know I had blacked out until after it happened. Read more about panic attacks.

I have used a variety of methods to help with both my panic attacks and anxiety attacks with much success. I suspect that I will always have to use stress management techniques because of my PTSD, but I feel like I am more in control of my anxiety now.

Keeping ourselves mentally healthy in today's stressful world is challenging. As a trauma survivor I had very few healthy coping skills to deal with the stressors in my life. I had to learn about self care and how to keep myself mentally healthy. I used a combination of counselling, self-help books, and courses to educate myself about healthy coping. I tried prescription medication but wanted to use natural remedies to cure my anxiety. Read on further to see the different things I've tried.

If you are interested in learning more about me, my struggle with anxiety, PTSD, childhood sexual abuse, and the video I produced about my journey visit My Name is Sandra, I'm a Survivor.

When the anxiety hits I hit the trails. Heading out and getting your heart pumping is one of the best ways to take your mind off the anxiety. Exercise provides a way to channel all that keyed up nervousness. Who knew that being an anxious person would help me embrace a healthier lifestyle?

Though strenuous activity is by far the most helpful, even just incorporating a daily walk into my life has made a big difference to my anxiety. While I'm walking I focus my mind on my surroundings. Focusing on the surroundings gets me out of my brain and stops the worrying thoughts. It gives my brain something else to do rather than worrying.

Anxiety happens because we are worrying about the future or the past. Mindfulness is the practice of living in the moment. It teaches us that we can't change our pasts and we can't predict our futures. Having all those scenarios of doom and gloom about what "might" happen to us is really a waste of time.

Mindfulness is effective for anxiety disorders because much of our anxiety comes from worrying about things that haven't happened yet. Mindfulness teaches us how to be present in the moment rather than becoming anxious about the future.

Practicing mindfulness in my life has proved to be the most beneficial thing I have learned in managing my anxiety. The best thing about mindfulness is that it's so easy to incorporate into your life.

I'm not much of a yoga person, but I still do it. I don't attend a regular yoga class but I use yoga for relaxation on those nights when I have difficulty sleeping. My mind is in a constant state of worry and anticipation, so when I can't fall asleep I get up and do some yoga. While the rest of the family is catching their zzzz's I'm out in the living room, in the dark, doing yoga.

What I find helpful about doing yoga when I'm having difficulty sleeping is that it makes your body feel so nice. Yoga stretches those tight muscles and after doing it, even for a short period, your body feels wonderful! All those aches and pains disappear and is replaced by a nice warm, relaxed feeling.

I took a course called Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction that consisted of yoga, meditation, and mindfulness. The course was eight weeks long and I went into it very skeptical because, quite frankly, I thought meditation was stupid. There was no way I was going to sit in the corner with my legs crossed chanting "ohmmm". Little did I know how life changing learning about meditation was going to be for me.

Surprisingly I learned many different ways to meditate. You don't have to sit to do it. You can meditate when you are walking, sitting, and lying down. There are so many options that it's easy to incorporate meditation just about anywhere and any time in your life. I use it when I'm walking and even when I'm standing in line waiting to pay for my groceries.

For those who are new to meditation a guided healing meditation is the place to start. By guided, I mean a CD or MP3 that has a person talking you through the steps and giving you directions. I find a guided meditation works better than trying to meditate on your own because it helps keep you focused. When your mind starts to wander their voice brings you back to the practice. Watch out when purchasing meditation CD's or MP3's that they say "guided meditation" because many of them are just calming music.

I've had many people tell me they could never meditate because their brains are so busy thinking, planning, and mulling over stuff. That's what meditation is about, learning how our brains wander off all the time. It's normal for our minds to be busy. Meditation teaches us just how busy our brains are, and it's this busyness that is often at the root of our anxiety, so learning how to to manage our busy brains goes a long way in calming our anxiety.

Everyone worries to some degree. Some people are born worriers while others just shrug off life's ups and downs as minor inconveniences. Worry becomes a problem when it goes on for months. If you are experiencing problems sleeping, and the worry is disrupting your work, family, or social life then it's become an anxiety disorder and it's time to find help.

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