10 min read
How Do I Overcome Anxiety Naturally?
10 Things you can do to Beat Anxiety Disorders Without Medication
In my previous blog, I wrote about Grounding and Earthing. I said that the words can really be used interchangeably to talk about getting outdoors, proponents of earthing, or grounding, promote walking barefoot because they believe the ground can neutralize electrical potential, and therefore, potentially have some health benefits. If you haven’t read it, click here to find what you need to know about this great topic, as well as tips on how to make grounding aka earthing part of your life.
Do you want to prevent panic attacks naturally and defeat anxiety disorders without drugs or medication? Great! Then you are in the right place! 2 out of 10 Americans suffer from an anxiety disorder although being anxious can also protect us in threatening situations. But if it becomes a constant companion, it can also be a threat itself and lead to regular panic attacks, social phobias, or obsessive-compulsive disorder. As you are reading this blog, there is bound to be one thing that you are particularly anxious about. Perhaps the anxiety also affects your partner, your best friend or even your way of living. If that’s the case, I assume that you are yearning to conquer this anxiety disorder.
In this blog, I will give you 10 extremely effective tips and exercises to treat, control and overcome anxiety disorders and panic attacks naturally. Without any medication - just with today’s knowledge of human psychology.
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The earth is a kind of battery. That's probably not how many of us think about earth, but it does contain a natural electrical charge that it imparts on us.It is said that when we connect with grass, earth, or sand, we soak up the negative charge of the earth, which reduces inflammation and carries other health benefits. Nowadays this is also better known as “Grounding” or “Earthing”.
Here is a brief overview of the 10 tips and exercises to help you beat anxiety naturally:
- Apply the director's cut technique
- Do breathing exercises
- Answer relevant questions
- Focus on perceived environmental stimuli
- Adopt an open posture
- Redirect your thoughts
- Allow fear and don't suppress it
- Eat healthy
- Use calming home remedies
- Relax your muscles
Please note, I am not a doctor and do not make any medical or health promises of healing. If you have severe anxiety or suffer from depression, be sure to consult your family doctor or psychotherapist. This post is based solely on the experience of others and sharing how other people have been able to treat and beat their anxiety and panic attacks naturally.
What are panic attacks?
Those who suffer from frequent panic attacks experience a sudden, brief period of extreme anxiety accompanied by physical and/or emotional symptoms such as shortness of breath, sweating, pain, tremors, nausea, palpitations, or numbness. These recurring anxiety disorders can, for example, be the result of special life events, increased stress, or existing mental illnesses. Panic attacks often occur in situations where you fear you won't get out of it fast enough. They are also increasingly occurring in places where people assume that they will have to wait too long for a doctor.
Ultimately, this creates an extreme fear of suffering from such an anxiety attack again in the future. It's kind of a fear of fear.
When you suffer from anxiety disorder and/or frequent panic attacks - what can you do? Here are my 10 tips to control your anxiety naturally, without drugs or medication.
Medications may combat pain and other symptoms and provide temporary relief. But the fear – and with it the original problem or its cause – remains. Undesirable side effects that increase the tension may even follow. So, there has to be a way to combat anxiety without pills!
The following natural tips and exercises will help you along the way, both as immediate help and as a long-term remedy for anxiety disorders. I firmly believe that they will help you control and target your anxiety and to avoid panic attacks.
1. Apply the director's cut technique
A very successful yet effective method to fight anxiety and panic attacks naturally first! Effective - because it doesn't suppress your reaction in certain situations, but permanently changes it! It's called "Director's Cut" and refers to the fact that you are figuratively the director of a movie in which you're the lead and your nemesis is your fear. Here is how it works:
Imagine and define your fear: Where does your fear come from, what does it look like? What color is it? What are other features? Describe it in as much detail as possible and above all give it a name. (e.g., a hairy, large four-eyed spider named Aragog, for those who are Harry Potter fans)
Controlling Anxiety Symptoms: When was the last time you had an anxiety or panic attack? Immerse yourself in the situation to scare yourself and focus on the fear image. As soon as you feel the fear, let go of the image and take a deep breath.
Manipulating Fear Image: Now imagine that you are fighting your nemesis. As the director, you can now change the scary character so that you (in the lead role) win. (e.g., change Aragog into a harmless, pink, smiling spider named Thomas, with two bright eyes)
Transform fear: Get into your fear situation again and change the picture to the harmless variant from step 3 until the fear disappears. Practice this process several times and learn to call it up faster and faster in order to get rid of feelings of anxiety in everyday situations as quickly as possible.
This is how you learn to control fear instead of being controlled by it. This visualization exercise works to expand your ability to beat your fear (anxiety) and relax by focusing your mind on more calming and serene images. Your relaxing thoughts and images will then replace your disturbing, anxiety causing thoughts, allowing your brain to calm itself. While it’s not a cure, it is a relaxation strategy that makes it much easier for you to cope with your anxiety symptoms.
2. Do breathing exercises
A panic attack is imminent, and you want to stop it immediately? Then breathing exercises – preferably together with your partner – are the key. When we feel stressed, our breathing rate and pattern changes as part of the ‘fight-or-flight response’. Therefore, holding your breath or breathing quickly and shallowly usually makes the attack worse by not only prolonging your feelings of anxiety but also making the physical symptoms of stress worse.
Controlling your breathing can help to improve some of these symptoms. Hence, it is recommended to breathe as deeply as possible and then let the air out slowly to control the panic attack naturally.
Try to realize the feeling of fear, then focus on to its place of origin and exhale. With each breath, allow any tension in your body to slip away.
3. Answer relevant questions
If you want to treat and beat your anxiety and panic attacks naturally, then ask yourself the following questions: What is happening right now? Where am I right now? And am I safe here right now? The answers to this usually help you quickly to take a deep breath and nip the “fear of the future” and the looming panic attack in the bud.
4. Focus on perceived environmental stimuli
Look around, name three things you see and three things you hear. Then move three body parts - for example toes, hands, and neck. Focusing on this will help you take your mind off your fear. This makes this exercise a useful and instant measure for panic attacks.
Besides, it is also sensible to set up your everyday life in such a way that it gives you a feeling of comfort and security. Above all basic needs, this could also include a stable partnership, a supportive circle of friends as well as secure working and living conditions.
5. Adopt an open posture
By stooping or bending down, you are suggesting to your body that the fear is justified and that your body needs protection at this moment. If you want to beat your anxiety disorder without drugs and medication, it's best to stand up straight and adopt an open posture. Show your body that there is no danger and that you are in control of the situation.
6. Redirect your thoughts
When someone tells you “Don’t think about a pink elephant" - what do you think of? Probably a pink elephant. What I'm trying to say is that if you tell yourself, "Don't think about your fear right now," then you're still thinking about your fear. When you're about to have an anxiety or panic attack, it's better to focus your attention on more beautiful and calming things. For example, think about where you will go on your next vacation, what you would still like to do today or simply look at a more soothing and calming picture. Hey, how about checking out the photos on your mobile phone from your last trip?
Going for a jog or playing a game, sports or otherwise, are also incredibly powerful distractions that give you time for emotional breaks and help you naturally control panic and anxiety attacks in acute situations.
My Tip: Maybe plogging is something for you too! You go jogging and clean up at the same time. Sounds crazy? Plogging is the new Swedish fitness trend that combines jogging and picking up trash. It's getting popular now, and for a good reason. There is nothing crazy about doing something for your own health and the environment at the same time 🙂
7. Allow fear and don't suppress it
Immediate help is good, long-term control and overcoming fear is better. In order for the latter to work, it is essential not to suppress your fear, but to allow it. Because the more you defend yourself against your fear, the more difficult it becomes to control your anxiety or panic attacks. And the more often you realize that nothing happens to you during these moments of fear, the weaker they become. Until they are finally completely defeated.
8. Eating healthy
If you want to treat anxiety and panic attacks naturally, you should also pay attention to your diet. A study has shown that high sugar consumption can further increase panic and anxiety attacks. It is therefore recommended to eat protein-rich foods, plenty of fruits and vegetables and staying hydrated to control anxiety disorders. Caffeine, nicotine, and psychoactive drugs should also be avoided.
My Tip: In my 30-day sugar-free challenge, I learned how many foods contain sugar and the effects it has on your body. Feel free to use my experience from the challenge to put this tip against anxiety and panic attacks into practice. Click here to request a copy of my script.
9. Use calming home remedies
Certain plants have an incredibly calming, relaxing effect. For example, you can use the following plants and substances to avoid panic attacks or to calm down after any recurring anxieties.
- Valerian
- Lavender
- Lemon balm
- Orange blossom
- Herbal currant
- CBD Oil
You can enjoy the effects of these plants, for example, in pill or liquid form, as an extract, in tea, or while burning a scented candle.
10. Relax your muscles
If you want to treat your anxiety and panic attacks naturally, muscle relaxation can also help. Immediately before or during an anxiety or panic attack, many people cramp up. But the tightening of hands, buttocks, face, and neck muscles only reinforces this moment. Instead, it's better to focus specifically on the tense parts of your body and consciously try to relax them. Myofascial release (rolling), stretching or certain yoga moves can be helpful.
I hope that this post will help you to better control your panic attacks and overcome your anxiety without drugs or medication. Be sure to talk to your doctor for any anxiety disorder or if you suffer from frequent panic attacks. Not only because a trained physician can give you crucial medical advice and treatment for your specific situation - but also because the feeling of being in safe and professional hands can be incredibly reassuring.
Do you have any questions, suggestions, or personal experiences with anxiety disorders that you would like to share? Let me know in the comments below or on my Facebook Group “The Living Well Community”! As always, I am curious.
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For now, as always, I wish you every success in boosting your body's natural energies by keeping your life in check!
Enjoy your day!
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