My Holistic Approach to Treating Anxiety
I've tried to be really candid about my struggle with anxiety, because honestly, I think not enough people are. Every time I share about a panic attack or feeling anxious, I'm met with others who reach out and share that they deal with the same things. With anxiety affecting upwards of 40 million adults in the United States, it's something we, as a society, need to be more comfortable talking about.
I've chosen not to medicate with anti-anxiety medications and instead find holistic options to help me cope. For me, taking a holistic approach was the best option because of how my body has reacted to other ongoing prescription medications.** I want to share some of the remedies that have proved most helpful with 3 types of anxiety that I've dealt with over the years: General Anxiety, Panic Attacks and Social Anxiety.
General Anxiety
One of the most effective ways of combatting my day-to-day anxiety is through supplements, particularly amino acid blends. L-theanine is an amino acid that helps prevent and treat anxiety and sleep issues, in addition to cognitive loss and attention span. It promotes a calming sense without making you feel drowsy. I've taken this supplement for years, off and on, and I can truly see improvement when I take them consistently as a part of my supplement routine. I notice my thoughts don't run wild, which allows me to focus on my work and be more productive, in addition to helping my imagination of "what could be" stay grounded. I love that it is a completely natural solution with no side effects. Another amino acid blend that's helpful is 5-HTP. This one is also all natural and is especially helpful if you experience anxiety that keeps you from getting restful sleep.
Another holistic remedy has been creating a consistent exercise routine, along with a healthy diet. I know, I know, you've probably heard this before, but I promise you, this has been so beneficial! I started getting serious about exercise when a therapist told me that 20 minutes of exercise, 3 times a week can have the same impact as taking Prozac. WHAT? That was a lofty claim, so I put it to the test. Since then, I've created a consistent routine of 3 days a week lifting weights and I'm so thankful I gave it a try. Additionally, having a structured routine has helped with feeling balanced and in control. For diet, I try not to buy too much processed food or empty calorie foods, and instead try to eat more whole foods. Nothing fancy, but even small changes to your diet can have a huge impact on mental health!
Panic Attacks
If you suffer from panic attacks, you know that they're truly awful. Not only do they leave your heart racing, your lungs out of breath and your vision blurred, they completely exhaust you. Most of my panic attacks I can feel coming on, but sometimes I have no idea why I'm having one. I remember sitting in class during my junior year of college and having a panic attack come on with literally no warning. All of the sudden I was just hyperventilating and crying, like, "no really, I'm fine, I'm so sorry I don't know why this is happening." So frustrating. One fantastic natural remedy that helps in the moment is Bach's Rescue Remedy Spray. This spray is made up of a blend of flower extracts that promote calmness in the body. All you do is put 2 sprays directly into your mouth! It is all natural and won't make you drowsy. This was so helpful in my few seasons of panic anxiety; I used to take it with me wherever I went!
Social Anxiety
I wanted to address social anxiety because 1) It's something I've struggled with and 2) There's a vast misunderstanding of what it is. Social anxiety is NOT being shy or acting "awkward". It's not just being introverted or not being good at making small talk. Social anxiety means feeling so trapped by your own thoughts, to the point where you are literally terrified to go out in public. It means being completely convinced that people are looking at you, talking about you, judging you, hate you, etc. It's being afraid to leave your house because you're so anxious of what might happen when you do.
I dealt with social anxiety during my junior year of college. I had transferred to a new school that was 15x the size of my old school, and I didn't really know anyone. On top of that, my fiancé (now husband) worked many evenings where I was left alone with my thoughts. While I was dealing with general anxiety already, my life began to feel really dark. I started to dread leaving my room. Walking to class felt like an olympic sport. Standing in line for coffee made me feel like I was on display. I would even purposely plan my meals to happen hours after the dinner rush so I wouldn't have to stand in lines, surrounded by people. Eventually, I couldn't function. My grades were slipping and I literally felt like I was going crazy. Because my college offered free counseling (which is amazing!), I was able to meet with a counselor and just talk things through. I can honestly say it helped me take back control of my life.
After I got married and moved to California, I continued to go to therapy for a few months until I started to feel adjusted. I can honestly say, seeing a therapist is one of the best decisions I've ever made! Asking for help is not something to be ashamed of. Seeking professional counsel does not mean you're weak, it means you've had to be strong for too long. I just want to climb on top of a really tall mountain and scream that message because it's so important to not stigmatize mental health!
So there it is. That's the tidbit of wisdom I've acquired on my way through hell and back. Anxiety has been something that has absolutely shaped my life, but it does not control my life. Our bodies are so amazing, but sometimes we need to help them out and there's no shame in doing so.
**I want to add that a holistic approach was the right choice for me personally. There is absolutely nothing wrong with choosing to use anti-anxiety/anti-depressant medications to find healing, as they are very helpful for so many people! I just want to make sure I get this point across, because I have nothing against medicating for mental health, just for my body it was not the right choice.
