If you suffer with anxiety which natural treatments have helped you?

[losenotloose]

I'm really not keen on taking medication but need to do something. What has helped you?

Meditation really helps. So does excersize and cutting out caffeine, but meditation is the best.

A lovely counsellor.

Walking.

Multi-vitamins and minerals.

Eating fewer carbs (esp crap sugar) and filling up more with vegetables and protein (cheese, eggs).

Running. I'd say a good half of members at my running club are there to keep their mental health in order. And that's the ones who talk about it

Eft
It really works

You tap on points connected by meridians to glands that release feel good chemicals

I taught my school phobic grandson it on Thursday and he tested at 93 per cent worried about school

After 5 rounds of taps and dowsing in between we got it down to 13 per cent and he said I really want to go to school

I also use a dowsing technique to clear out negative energy

Breathing exercises.

Running. 100%. Finished c2k5 over summer and my mental health is so improved.
I'm also a big fan of an occasional massage..... I justify this because it helps with the running :)

Mindfulness helps me and exercise (used to be running but now I cycle to work, avoiding car parking costs makes me do it, having a destination makes me not give up halfway). I also take magnesium and b-vitamins.

That usually helps fend it off and control the not-so-rough days, when I'm feeling really anxious I do all the above plus take Kalms and stay away from the internet for a bit.

Exercise. But imo and ime exercise only works once I have used medication to really sort out the serotonin and cortisol. When I'm in crisis I could be awake and active for 3 days straight with no relief.

If you need medicine take it, even for a short time.

Cannabis

Thanks for these replies. How often and for how long do you meditate?

Is exercise in general helpful for anxiety or just running?

Cannabis, ha! My dm suggested that as well.

I'm not just an old stoner:o
I also run, lift weights, bike, walk, swim etc
Running and swimming have the best euphoric effects ime
ymmv

Bachs rescue remedy - helped with exam anxiety no end.

Walking has helped immensely. Mindfulness, baths with some nice bubble bath, fidget cubes.

Cold showers..awful to get used to but work brilliantly. If you can't face full shower just get cold water on your head. They think it shocks your brain chemicals into resetting.
Also agree EFT is great and another simple technique called Cortices from Body talk system.

CBD oil has saved my sanity completely! And almost rid me of psoriasis to boot. I was the most sceptical a person could be until I tried it. Game changer.

Walking.
Lavender oil in baths.

Lemon balm tea or capsules

Pampering myself (e.g. bath, face mask and doing my nails), baking and yoga.

I've recently found out in pregnant and have had to come off my meds so shall be following this thread for more tips (think I'll have to leave the cannabis option though lol)

Good luck OP x

Oh and peppermint tea and agree about trying to cut out sugar too (sugar sends me into a spiral)

Agree with PP re running.
Also yoga.
And, I was on ADs for a year. To get me back to an even keel. I look on the exercise as 'maintenance'

Exercise
Mindfulness Meditation

But the biggest thing by far seems to have been from sorting out my gut. I have been working in the tropics on and off for 20 years and have had various parasites and infections requiring harsh antibiotics and other drugs and was fairly convinced that I had something akin to "Leaky gut syndrome".

I took it upon myself to eat more fibrous food or take prebiotic supplements and as far as reasonable avoid sugar and alcohol (but without being puritanical).

Bimuno really helped as did starting on inulin and psyllium daily, my overall health has improved anyway (gall bladder issues were in the mix as well) but I also one day realised that the constant nagging anxiety that I used to have has all but disappeared.

I still get anxious, but now it seems to be more of an appropriate response to circumstances iyswim? When I look back, my anxiety very much was centred on my body rather than my head of that makes sense?!??

Also, if it does come back, I find it quite easy to correct by getting my diet on track. The Michael Mosley book adds quite a lot of weight to this.

Magnesium.
Avoiding sugar, caffeine and alcohol like the plague.

L-theanine is very good for a quick calming effect but it triggers my migraines and can have a depressive affect in some people.

Also if you did want to try medication but not anti-depressants, beta blockers are excellent for the physical symptoms including that awful feeling in the chest.

Thought of something else that's good when in the middle of a bad attack. Hot/warm shower aimed at the chest muscles and as a Pp said cold water on the back of head. Also eat something heavy in protein like a chunk of cheese.

Giving up alcohol