Dealing With Anxiety Naturally

Heart palpitations, insomnia, extreme agitation, intestinal issues, and irrational fear are just a few of the symptoms I've experienced in my dance with anxiety over the past twenty years.

Anxiety is the thief that steals your sense of peace and security by stirring up abnormal fears in the anticipation of doom. It's an unwelcome partner that I've grown accustomed to. I've learned how to deal with my anxiety using natural means, to recognize it as a helpful warning device, and you can too.

The first step in understanding anxiety lies within your body. The sympathetic nervous system, home of our fight or flight response, has been triggered when an anxiety attack occurs. The problem with anxiety is that the danger sensed may not be danger at all, but it still causes a chain of events to unfold. The hypothalamus, which lies in the brain, sends an alarm to the pituitary gland. The pituitary gland sends a message to the adrenal glands, which do their job by releasing the drug epinephrine, aka adrenaline, into the bloodstream. When too much adrenaline is released, fear and anxiety occur. Prolonged stress can actually reset your sympathetic nervous system, keeping you in a hypervigilant state. This makes it virtually impossible to wind down, and enjoy a true sense of relaxation. Exhaustion often follows.

Anxiety attacks can be frightening. It is not uncommon for someone to say they felt like they were going to have a heart attack. Rest assured. An instructor at a conference explained that the increased heart rate that occurs during an anxiety attack is well below the target heart rate desired for aerobic exercise. In his words, "It's not even useful!"

Where do you start?

If you want to get to the bottom of your anxiety it is helpful to understand what triggers it in the first place. Sometimes the answers can be found while examining your belief system. Let's use money as an example. If you were raised to believe that you have to work hard. Money doesn't grow on trees. Life is hard. Nothing comes easy. You might feel boxed in, and tied to responsibilities in a way that is suffocating. Good values instilled with good intentions can smother creativity and leave you feeling paralyzed, as a result, real life financial strain can be enough to trigger anxiety.

Sometimes we need a little help connecting the dots between our triggers and the anxiety they produce. I have found something called, Somatic Experiencing, to be very beneficial. It is a body-awareness approach to overcoming trauma.

I used to believe that the definition of trauma was something truly awful. I came to understand that perception is equally powerful. Here's an example. A little boy is waiting for his mom to pick him up after school. She's late. He's the only one left on the playground. He's frightened. He believes she has forgotten him. The reality is, she had a flat tire on her way to pick him up and was delayed, but he perceived abandonment.

Somatic Experiencing can help you deal with the perception of things happening as much as the actual trauma that may have been experienced. It was an extremely valuable tool in helping me become aware of the physical reaction I had to stress. I was able to identify anxiety as soon as it entered my body. I could feel it in its infancy instead of getting attacked by it unexpectedly. This helped me take some of the control back. I was able to detect when overwhelm was kicking in, heed the warning signs and take steps to bring my anxiety levels back down to a bearable level.

Emotional Freedom Technique is also helpful when dealing with anxiety. It involves tapping acupuncture points to find relief. When anxiety starts to build I've found that simply tapping my chest is enough to disperse pent-up energy.

Exercise is free, and a great way to manage anxiety. It can also help get you back in touch with your body. When stress builds energy gets stuck in the chest and head. We are no longer grounded. Making clear decisions gets harder. Focus is lost. If you want to live in the moment, and leave your fears behind, then get on a stairmaster. You won't be able to think of anything else. I've received moments of great clarity in the gym while burning off excess nervous energy.

Essential oils can help reduce overall anxiety levels. Make sure you choose therapeutic grade oils, not just scented ones. Therapeutic oils have the ability to impact your health due to the fact that they resonate on a certain frequency. That frequency is what can alter your mood, and your health. Some oils to consider are neuroli, lavender, sandlewood, frankincense, orange, ylang ylang, and rose. If you don't know where to apply an oil, simply rub it on your feet, or inhale it. Not all oils should be applied directly to the skin. Some may need to be diluted to prevent burning. Mixing oils can be found in health food stores or ordered online.

Homeopathic remedies can combat an anxiety attack. Helpful remedies include: Lycopodium, which is good for treating worry, fears, and indecision. Arsenicum helps with restlessness, and hypersensitivity, compulsive cleaning, and fear of death. Aconite can bring stability while experiencing mental, emotional, or physical stress. Ignatia treats shock. Anxiety formulas are also available at many health food stores or co-ops. Homeopathy doesn't just mask symptoms, it seeks to cure.

Other treatments include: Bach's Rescue Remedy, Massage, Reiki, Core Synchronism, and Acupuncture.

Relief from anxiety, without the use of prescriptions, can be found. Don't give up. Help is available to you.