Anxiety

See also :

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
• Stress

Causes

• Coffee: Often regarded as a harmless beverage, coffee is actually a highly additive anxiety-inducing drug; it makes people more alert, but it also makes them jittery and nervous. Anyone who suffers from anxiety disorder or any kind of pathological anxiety issues should absolutely avoid coffee. Substitute with herbal teas and you’ll soon feel much more in control.
• Refined Sugars: Likewise with coffee, refined sugars are also quite widespread and very much additive. If you don’t believe it, try spending a week without ingesting any foods that contain refined sugars. Avoiding sugar is a real challenge; not only because it’s omnipresent, but also because you have grown used to having a daily fix…. which makes you feel better on the short term, but soon after induces irritability and anxiety. Just like any other drug.
• Sedentary lifestyle: One of most common patterns among anxiety sufferers is leading a highly sedentary living with little to no physical activity. No surprises there! When you fail to provide an outlet for all the energy and tension coursing through your body, that energy will invariably fuel your feelings of anxiety. You need to get in the habit of tiring your body on a regular basis, because that will directly contribute to soothing and relaxing your mind.
• Negative thinking: Most people who are adepts of negative thinking fail to realize so. This is unfortunate, because the on-going stream of negative thoughts is constantly fueling your feelings of anxiety and inadequacy. How could you possibly not suffer from anxiety, if your mind is constantly racing in negative loops? Try to become aware of your negative thinking, and make a commitment to dismiss those woeful clouds constantly surrounding you.
• Sleep Deprivation: It’s amazing how people underestimate the importance of getting a good night’s sleep, even though they constantly experience the negative effects of sleep deprivation. You must realize that sleep plays a vital role in regulating your physical and emotional states; anything less than 7 hours per night is just not healthy and it will invariably bring you closer to the mental edge every day.
• Stress: In this day and age, people should be taught how to deal with stress from an early age. Because left unmanaged, stress is a negative force that can cause real damage in your life. If you constantly feel as though you’re unable to cope with your responsibilities and if you have a really hard time keeping up with your routine… that could become one of the major sources of anxiety in your life. Find ways to improve your ability to deal with stress, and your peace of mind will soon be reinforced.
• Victim Mindset: It’s very hard not to get caught up in the victim mindset when you have chronic anxiety problems. But when it happens, it will make you feel as though you are just irrevocably stuck with your anxiety issues. Please don’t buy such silly ideas! You are only a victim while you refuse dealing with your problems. And as you may have realized from reading this article, managing anxiety can be done in rather subtle and seemingly indirect ways.

Home remedies

• Adaptogenic herbs do not influence a person’s mood but rather optimize the function of the body during periods of high or chronic stress. Adaptogens regulate the synthesis of stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol.
• California Poppy : Developing research suggests California poppy, in combination with magnesium and hawthorn, might be useful in treating mild-to-moderate anxiety disorders. This combination product, called Sympathyl, is not available in the US.
• Magnesium is a mineral that may be helpful in treating problematic anxiety and stress.
• Orange Essential Oil :Breathing in the scent of orange essential oil may help alleviate anxiety.
• Valerian is sometimes paired with other herbs such as lemon balm or skullcap to help overcome daytime anxiety.
• Spikenard essential oil is often used to alleviate anxiety, stress, and insomnia. A 2009 study from the Indian Journal of Biochemistry & Biophysics, found that spikenard extract helped reduce stress in rats.
• Chamomile
• Ginkgo Biloba : Anxiety impairs your mind’s ability to think clearly and make good decisions about your everyday life. By increasing blood flow to the brain and overall blood circulation throughout the body, gingko biloba helps refresh your state of mind and acts as a natural antidepressant. People anticipating tasks which require a solid focus and concentration are advised to take gingko biloba so as not to anticipate their challenges in an anxious mood.
• Licorice root contains a natural hormone alternative to cortisone, which can help the body handle stressful situations, and can help to normalize blood sugar levels as well as your adrenal glands, providing you with the energy necessary to deal with the stressful situation at hand. Some claim licorice stimulates cranial and cerebrospinal fluid, thereby calming the mind. You can take licorice root as a tea or a tonic.
• Kava kava can lift your spirit and make you happier by inducing a mild state of euphoria and sedation. Kava kava is very effective in the treatment of anxiety, working within a week of taking it daily. In medical applications, the herb is used in the treatment for women with post-menopausal depression. For people with sleep disorders, kava kava is a non-addictive herb which can work as a mild tranquilizer.
• Passionflower works as a non-drowsy, natural sedative that relieves intermittent stress, nervousness, anxiety and panic attacks. It won’t put your worries away by knocking you out or making you sleepy. You can find a certain equilibrium in passion flower by making you feel emotionally balanced. For those with bipolar disorder, it won’t give you a hyper, happy or excited feeling. Instead, passion flower will restrain your emotions from its range of extremes. If you have exaggerated emotions throughout the day (in which you go from being very happy to being very angry or sad), you may find passion flower to be a nice tea to drink after letting it seep in boiling water for 10 minutes.
• Echium amoenum : In traditional Iranian medicine, decoctions of the petals are consumed for the duration that the anxiety or stress symptoms are experienced, suggesting that this herbal medicine may be suitable for more chronicforms of anxiety.
• Ginseng is also known as a “brain food” as it improves concentration, thinking, and memory. It is also a supplement for added physical stamina. All these benefits contribute to its anti-anxiety properties as it revitalizes your body. Ginseng has many benefits and these include stimulant properties to reduce stress and enhance health. It can be used as a relaxant as it has tonic properties and can also help maintain emotional balance. Drink ginseng as a tea or take it in supplement form.
• St. John's wort
• Long Gu settles anxiety and calms the Spirit.
• Anshen Buxin Wan is a traditional Chinese Medicine to calm the spirit.
• Zhu Sha An Shen Wan is a traditional Chinese Medicine to calm the spirit.
• An Shen Wan
• Ziziphus jujuba shows promise in the treatment of anxiety, according to a preliminary study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology in 2000. In tests on mice, the study's authors observed that compounds extracted from Ziziphus jujuba may have sedative effects.
• Virtual Reality Therapy
• Homeopathy : Aconite, Lycopodium, Pulsatilla, Kali arsenicosum, Silica, Arsenicum album, Gelsemium.

Medical Disclaimer

This information is not meant to be substituted for medical advice. Always consult a medical professional regarding any medical problems and before undertaking any treatment or dietary changes.