Effective Natural Anxiety Relief: Tips from a Christian Counselor in California

On any given day, you might find yourself experiencing something that startles you. You might be packing groceries away, and something you stashed away in your cupboards tumbles down, or your child sneaks up on you to give you a scare.

You might be hiking and hear a creature rustling in the bushes. Perhaps you’re driving, and another driver makes a lane change without indicating and cuts you off, or your date shows up 10 minutes early.

Whenever we experience situations like these, we will experience something akin to fear. Whether it’s a serious and life-threatening fright that affects you or your loved ones, or something that gets you briefly on edge, it activates your body’s fight-or-flight response. Feeling anxious is just one of the ways our bodies are programmed to help protect us in the face of potential danger.

Anxiety can thus be a good thing, but there are points at which anxiety can be negative. The good news is that even when anxiety is overwhelming and unhelpful, there are different remedies available to bring anxiety under control. Some of these remedies are natural ones, which can effectively reduce the symptoms of anxiety.

Some Reasons for Natural Anxiety Relief

When you feel anxious, a lot is going on inside your body. Your emotions, like fear and anxiety, are triggered when your brain’s limbic system responds to something that feels threatening. The autonomic nervous system is activated, leading to an increase in your heart rate, blood pressure, and shallow and rapid breathing. Anxiety also increases your sweat gland activity, which is why you can often feel yourself getting sweaty when you’re anxious.

Your body responds to anxiety by releasing neurochemicals such as epinephrine, norepinephrine, and the stress hormone cortisol. These are what get your heart to beat faster, your blood pressure to rise, and your muscles to tense in preparation to deal with whatever threat you’ve perceived. In other words, your body is awash with hormones and neurochemicals that affect you physiologically.

There are several reasons someone might opt for natural remedies for anxiety over prescription medications. Natural remedies will often have fewer and milder side effects when compared to prescription medications that are used to handle the symptoms of anxiety. Some natural remedies afford a more holistic approach, which addresses one’s overall well-being, instead of just symptoms.

Other reasons for pursuing natural remedies over other approaches include the fact that you can combine those natural remedies in ways that you may not be able to with prescription medications because of their interactions. Natural remedies may be able to produce an enhanced overall effect of well-being when combined. Furthermore, natural anxiety relief may be more cost-effective than pharmaceutical interventions.

An individual may also opt for the natural route to address anxiety because of the effects of certain medications. For example, benzodiazepines such as diazepam, alprazolam, and clonazepam can lead to sedation and respiratory distress in the newborn if they are taken in high doses during pregnancy. They can be used in small doses for short periods of time, but higher dosages and longer use can have negative effects.

Some studies have found a link between antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs with various conditions, such as a heightened risk of miscarriage, birth defects, and autism. The risks are small, but real, creating concerns. As such, while medication is necessary for severe cases of anxiety, natural options such as changing your diet, getting better sleep, exercise, and psychotherapy may work as well or better for mild to moderate cases.

As such, a person might lean toward natural anxiety relief and away from prescription medication due to concerns about interactions with other medications, the possibility of addiction or chemical dependency, withdrawal symptoms that may be experienced if you stop taking the medication, the possibility of medication masking underlying issues without addressing root causes, and avoiding possible stigma attached to taking medication.

Effective Natural Remedies for Anxiety Relief

The above should not be taken to mean that there is no place for prescription medication in handling anxiety. In fact, there are situations in which prescription medication is a necessary part of a person’s anxiety treatment plan. That typically is the case when a person has an anxiety disorder, which is when their anxiety is overwhelming and affects their daily functioning and ability to enjoy life.

Several effective means of natural anxiety relief are available. These can be highly effective in cases of mild to moderate anxiety, and they can be an important aspect of dealing with severe anxiety as well.

Anxiety affects how your body responds to stimuli, and some of these means of natural anxiety relief help your body to adjust its own response as well as to calm you in those moments. They include the following:

Exercise and physical activity. Getting regular exercise can help not only reduce stress levels and boost your mood, but also give your body a constructive outlet for any nervous energy you might have. Focusing on movement can also take your mind off whatever is causing anxiety, giving you a brief respite from anxious thoughts.

Mindfulness and meditation. Anxiety gets your mind into overdrive, and you can find yourself worrying over the future or ruminating about things past and present. Being mindful can help you become more grounded in the present moment, and using Christian meditation techniques can help you become more aware of anxious thoughts and their roots.

Herbal supplements and aromatherapy. There are some clinical trials that indicate that some herbal supplements, such as passionflower, lemon balm, valerian, chamomile, and lavender, can help to lessen the symptoms of anxiety when used in the short term. It’s important to remember that the Food and Drug Administration doesn’t monitor herbal supplements with the same level of scrutiny as medicines.

Dietary changes. Some foods can heighten anxiety, which you should avoid. Caffeine and sugary drinks can trigger anxiety, and alcohol can also stimulate anxiety. Instead of consuming processed foods, which can add to feelings of sadness, it’s better by far to consume omega-3-rich foods like nuts and seeds as well as fatty fish such as salmon and mackerel; complex carbohydrates; and fresh fruit and vegetables.

Use relaxation techniques. Apart from exercise, you can also use relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and visualization, to help yourself calm your anxiety down. These techniques can also help you prior to anxiety setting in.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT is a form of talk therapy that can help you by making you more aware of unhealthy patterns of thought that might trigger or worsen anxiety. Beyond merely identifying these patterns, CBT helps you to learn new, constructive, and healthy ways of thinking and behaving that will help to reduce anxiety.

Other therapies that could be helpful include exposure therapy, where your counselor gradually exposes you to the things that make you anxious, helping you to reduce how triggering those things are, and providing you with opportunities to exercise techniques to cope with and overcome the feelings of anxiety.

Social support and community. If you’re feeling anxious, something as simple as having a hand to hold can make a world of difference. We need people around us and having a social support network and community around us that you are connected to can help you deal effectively with feelings of anxiety.

Important Considerations Concerning Natural Anxiety Relief

If you decide to go the route of natural anxiety relief, there are a few important considerations you need to make. If you are already on medication for anxiety, be sure to consult with your doctor before you stop taking that medication. You should talk to a healthcare professional before you start taking any supplements or medication.

Often, the best way to use natural anxiety relief will be to combine it with professional guidance. Don’t fight anxiety alone, but seek the help of a trained and licensed health professional. The healthcare professional can also help you to monitor progress and adjust the approach you use as needed.

Lastly, it’s also important to note that some methods of natural anxiety relief may not be suitable when dealing with severe anxiety or when one is in a crisis. Instead of resorting to self-help, reach out and speak with a doctor or a mental health professional, like a licensed counselor.

If your anxiety is limiting your ability to function well, reach out and speak with a counselor who will come alongside you to help you deal with your anxiety. One of our representatives can connect you with a counselor near you. Call our office today.