One month ago, reading an article titled “10 Tips to Overcome Anxiety Without Medication” would have been useful for many of us. Today, with the spread of COVID-19, social distancing, and the uncertainty of the future, this article is likely to be useful for every one of us.
The reasons for anxiety are many and varied. In addition to COVID-19, these may include work and finances, relationships and family, and/or the stress of the daily grind. It could also be that you were an anxious child who has grown into an anxious adult. Whatever the reason, anxiety is often crippling. It affects our ability to eat, sleep, work, socialize, travel, and overall, to live our best lives.
Tips for Overcoming Anxiety Without Medication
Regardless of whether there is a global health concern or not, if you are experiencing anxiety on a daily basis there are some things you can do to overcome it. Here are ten self-care tips and practical tools to work into your daily routine to overcome anxiety without using medication. These tips are from a professional therapist focusing on anxiety treatment in Roseville, California. If the anxiety persists or becomes overwhelming, it may be a good idea to talk to a professional therapist about next treatment steps.
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Accept the anxiety. This may not be what you want to hear, but trying to push past anxious thoughts or pretend they aren’t happening will only make them worse. The first step to working through anxiety is to accept the way you are feeling.
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Get moving. Movement is an essential part of overall wellness and one of the best ways to get out of your head and into your body. Exercise causes our endorphin and serotonin levels to rise, making us feel better almost instantly. A walk in the park, dancing around the house, or a yoga class are all great examples of activities that simultaneously get us moving and calm us down.
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Change your perception. Anxiety is often caused by the way we see the world and what we choose to believe. When this is the case, retraining your brain to question what you are thinking and to create a new belief is often helpful in alleviating fear and stress. For example, the thought, “I’m going to bomb my work presentation tomorrow”, can be questioned and replaced with the thought, “I am ready for my presentation tomorrow. I know I will do the best I can”.
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Make sleep a priority. Sleep is essential for us humans; we need eight to nine hours of good quality sleep in order for our brains and bodies to function probably. And, when we are suffering from anxiety or feeling stressed, we need more sleep than normal, not less. To increase the quality and quantity of your sleep, develop a nighttime routine. Turn off devices at least an hour before bed, ideally two, keep the temperature in your bedroom cool at night, and look into getting a red light for evening use.
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Monitor what goes into your body. Caffeine, sugar, and alcohol are all substances that feel really good when we consume them, but that can affect our moods and emotions a significant amount. Chances are, if you are feeling anxious, cutting out caffeine will make you feel calmer; cutting down on sugar will result in fewer emotional highs and lows; and consuming less alcohol will help you feel more positive in the long-run. Remember, caffeine is an “upper” and alcohol is a “downer”. Both by themselves and together they can increase depression and anxiety and may also trigger panic attacks.
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Eat a balanced diet. In line with what was said above, good food is essential to good health and well-being. Skip the sugar, the junk food, and the carbohydrates, and instead prioritize fruits and vegetables, healthy proteins and fats, whole grains, legumes, herbal teas, and home-cooked meals. Although anxiety can cause a decrease in appetite, eating regularly is essential to feeling calm and grounded so prioritize small, healthy meals at regular intervals throughout the day.
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Do some breath work. Breath is one of the best and most readily available tools we have. When we focus on our breath, our minds calm and we return to our bodies. Long, slow inhales and exhales bring us into the present moment and signal to our brains that everything is ok. The best part, this tool can be utilized at home, in the car, or office and is absolutely free.
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Release through noise. If it all just becomes too much, release pent-up anxiety by screaming or making loud noises. We hold emotions and energy in our bodies and sometimes we need to give ourselves permission to be wild and crazy and let it all go. Find some time and space to be alone – in your car, bedroom, or out in nature – and just let it out. Chances are, you’ll feel pretty amazing afterwards.
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Practice mindfulness. Anxiety happens when we time travel into the future and start worrying about problems that haven’t actually happened yet. One way to counteract this is to stay as present as possible, as often as possible. We can’t control what will happen, but we can learn to practice mindfulness and to not worry about problems until they actually arrive.
Talk to someone. For many, working with a therapist for anxiety treatment is helpful in getting to the root cause of the feeling. Anxiety counselors are trained to help individuals identify, understand, and resolve the core issues that are causing anxiety in the first place.
Begin Anxiety Treatment with The Relationship Therapy Center
If you are ready to take the next step in your mental health journey, we encourage you to reach out to the Relationship Therapy Center in California to learn more about our online therapy options. To get started seeing an online therapist in California, please follow these steps:
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Reach out to the relationship therapy clinic and schedule a free 20-minute video consultation to learn more about online therapy
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Meet with one of our compassionate online therapists
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Begin online therapy and find relief from the symptoms of anxiety and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Other Services offered at The Relationship Therapy Center in California:
In addition to online therapy, Our Sacramento area counseling clinics located in Roseville and Fair Oaks, CA are pleased to offer a variety of mental health services. Our couples services include: Couples Counseling, Counseling after infidelity, sex therapy, co-parent counseling, family therapy, divorce counseling, intensive couples retreats, and premarital counseling. Our individual therapy services include anxiety treatment, therapy for children, teen therapy, depression treatment, codependency counseling and individual relationship counseling. Our therapists offer online counseling in California to treat a variety of mental health concerns. Please reach out to our Sacramento area therapy office to learn more about the many ways we can help you or your loved ones.