How to Reduce Anxiety Symptoms Naturally

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When dealing with anxiety, doctors tend to prescribe a bunch of powerful drugs which can cause a variety of severe side effects. Here is a list of various herbal remedies/supplements and natural techniques available for those living with anxiety. The natural remedies have fewer side effects and are made with all natural ingredients, and some of them are as powerful or more powerful than many prescription medications.

Catnip

Catnip its herbal anxiety remedy which is part of the mint family that helps in the treatment of various symptoms of anxiety. Symptoms like stomach cramps, spams, and irritations (which are often associated with anxiety). It also helps to minimize some types of headaches caused by insomnia, it improves appetite, and also ease muscle tension and stress in those with severe anxiety.

Where can you buy it?
You can buy it at almost any pet store like Petsmart or Petsupermarket or if you prefer, in Walmart or Publix.


Chamomile

Chamomile is a natural sedative that works best for people who suffer from mild anxiety, both children and adults.. It can calm nervousness, both in the mind and in the stomach plus it can reduce digestive discomforts and improve appetite in those with a great deal of stress. It can also help in reducing headaches and improving liver and lung health. Most experts recommend that chamomile only be used as a temporary treatment, not as a long term solution.

Where can i buy it?u
You can buy several different brands of chamomile tea at most grocery stores or buy the herbal suplement in any pharmacy near you.


Fennel

Fennel is not necessarily a anxiety remedy but it is also helpful when dealing with most common symptoms of anxiety and also digestion, coughing , and asthma (anxiety can exacerbate asthma symptoms). It may also act as an analgesic, diuretic, and antispasmodic – the latter being useful for some types of anxiety.

Where can you buy it?
Buy it online in this link: http://shop.countdown.co.nz/Shop/ProductDetails?Stockcode=365911&name=fresh-produce-fennel-bulb or search it in your nearest supermarket.

Kava Kava

 I can confidently say that amongst all natural remedies for anxiety, Kava Kava is possibly the most effective when dealing with moderate and severe anxiety. It has some positive effect on stress, anxiety, and unlike other herbal anxiety supplements, kava is not only effective for anxiety symptoms – it's effective for anxious thoughts as well. However, kava has been linked to a few health scares, so it's advised to talk to your doctor before taking kava, especially if you drink alcohol, take any other medicines, or have any liver problems.

Where can you buy it?
 Any grocery store as it, don't forget to visit this link:http://buykavadirect.com/ to learn how to make the best buy of kava. 

Hops

For a long time Hops has been useful in various medicinal applications. It's used to fight insomnia, stress, and headaches. It's also beneficial for indigestion, general nervousness, and may help reduce fever. Hops has also been used for lowering uric acid levels in the body, treating infections and skin disorders, and provide some relief from rheumatism, though these are often unrelated to anxiety.

Where can you buy it?
Look for it in homebrew shop or buy it online here in this link:http://www.hopsdirect.com/

Motherwort

Motherwort's primary medicinal use is for treating menstrual discomfort but  pregnant women also take it as a way to manage stress and pregnancy tension and anxiety. It's not recommended for those in the first two trimesters of pregnancy though. It is believed to be effective at stimulating circulation without an increase in pulse rate, lowering blood pressure, fighting heart palpitations, and inducing calmness without any associated fatigue.

Where can you buy it?
buy it online here in this link: http://www.amazon.com/Solaray-Motherwort-100-VegCap/dp/B000GPGHME.

Passionflower

Passionflower is a lot like Kava, except without the side effects. Passionflower is considered best for mild to moderate anxiety, although it may still be valuable for severe anxiety. It works by reducing muscle tension and insomnia, calming the nerves to prevent agitation, mood swings, headaches, and hot flashes from anxiety.

Where can you buy it?
buy it online in this link: http://www.amazon.com/Herb-Pharm-Passionflower-1-Ounces/dp/B0006O2KOO

Skullcap

Skullcap has sedative, tonic, and anti-inflammatory properties. Skullcap may be used to sooth overly twitching muscles, and may help manage both epilepsy and restless leg syndrome (RLS). Many people use the natural sedative properties of skullcap to fight insomnia, restlessness, rapid heartbeat, and even depression. It should be taken as directed, and should not be used by pregnant women.

Where can you buy it?
Buy it online in this link:http://www.oregonswildharvest.com/owh/browse/product/skullcap_herb_cs

St. John's Wort

St. John's Wort is not designed for anxiety specifically, but it is very effective for fighting depression, which is often co morbid with anxiety symptoms. St. John's Wort is also an effective mood lifter. It has also been used for diarrhea, gastroenteritis, viral infections of the chest, lungs, and genitals, and many other valuable medicinal uses.

Where can you buy it?
Buy it online in this link: http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/st-john's-wort/ID=361651-tier3

Valerian Root

Valerian Root is an incredible effective sedative. It's used primarily as a sleep aid, but the sedative qualities of Valerian are effective at soothing muscles and reducing mental and physical tension so that you can easily relax. It may also be used to relieve uterine cramps, persistent coughs, and bronchial spasms. It is not recommended for children under 12, pregnant women, or anyone taking other antidepressants or anti-anxiety drugs.

Where can i buy it?
Buy it online in this link: http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/valerian-root/ID=361645-tier3

Bodywork & Mind/Body Techniques

Massage therapy, shiatsu, and other forms of bodywork are widely used to diminish muscle tension, relieve stress, and improve sleep or you can opt for mind/body breathing exercises, physical exercise, yoga, tai chi, self-hypnosis, meditation, and biofeedback are just some of the stress reduction techniques used for anxiety. Try different techniques and determine which routine you can stick to with a hectic schedules.

sources:

•  web article by Cathy Wong, About.com guide:Natural Remedies for Anxiety, accessed on 9 July 2013
• web article by Calmclinic , Calmclinic.com:Natural & Herbal Anxiety Remedies, accessed on 9 July 2013

Article written by: Cristo Rutazihana

How to Use Natural Remedies to Treat Anxiety

No medicine (natural or otherwise) should be the only treatment for anxiety. The reason herbal medicines are so beneficial is because while you use herbal supplements you can also learn valuable anxiety-coping strategies.
Prescription anxiety medications dull anxiety and the brain too much, and make it much harder to
learn to cope with stress, while herbal and natural remedies keep your mind intact for learning to control anxiety symptoms.
In addition to herbal supplements, there are several breathing exercises, alternate coping strategies,
diets, and physical exercises that are effective for anxiety. Some people also find relief by reducing
their ingestion of stimulants (coffee, soda, etc.) and alcohol. Drinking more water may also be effective.
Finally, remember that non-medicinal strategies are also natural ways to treat anxiety. Desensitization and improving your internal dialogue are both effective anxiety control methods. Before you can treat your anxiety, however, you need to make sure you understand it in full, read my article on social anxiety.

Tips when using Herbal Supplements for Anxiety:

• Avoid mixing herbs with prescription medications or alcohol without consulting a doctor.
• Never abuse herbal remedies (take the recommended dose of the remedy).
• Do not use herbal remedies for an extended period of time without talking to a doctor.
• Check to make sure you are not allergic to an herb before you use it.
• Always combine herbal supplements with healthy lifestyle choices.

Sources:
www.calmclinic.com
www.mayoclinic.com

How to get over social anxiety disorder

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Also known as Social Phobia, this disorder according to mayoclinic.com, consists mainly of feelings of embarrassment, extreme fear, self-consciousness and irrational anxiety on day to day interactions with other people. People who suffer from this disorder may be mistaken by other people as being shy but it’s not their case, I guarantee you that. I've been suffering from this disorder since my early childhood days and at first, I thought I  also that I was shy till as I grew older, I started noticing that my shyness was to extreme and constant even  when I was interacting with people I know.

People who suffer from social anxiety disorder tend to have felling of self doubt “Do I look good?”, “Are they talking about me?”, “Do they think I sound/look stupid?” . Low self esteem is also another problem associated with people suffering from social phobia because of their constant self doubt. Challenging self doubt can be very tiresome as it requires a lot of patience and dedication. 

Social phobia or anxiety tends to make people who suffer from it to scared to leave their comfort zones to face real life social situations.

People who suffer from social anxiety usually have a very low self esteem because they are always thinking negatively about themselves. I used to think that there was no cure for it and therefore I was bound to live with it for the rest of my life but to my amaze I stumbled on some really helpful tips on the web which have been helping me a lot and helping me live a much better life.

1)Practice being relaxed

Not many people think of worrying as self- programming, but it is. When you worry intensely about upcoming social situations, you are repeatedly linking anxiety to the events. Then when you actually go into the social situation itself, you feel anxious – you've programmed yourself to feel

this way. You can start to change this response by taking time to think about the future gathering whilst relaxed – maybe when sitting in a comfortable chair or relaxing in a warm bath. Imagine seeing yourself at the social event, looking relaxed and confident. Do this repeatedly and your body and mind will forge a new and better automatic association to these times.

2) Seek out social situations

Imagine living in a house for thirty years, but always avoiding one room. When you finally ventured into the mysterious room, you might feel a little tense and anxious. Why? The more we avoid something, the more we send the message to the unconscious mind: "I am

avoiding this because it is dangerous." Your mind, trying to be helpful, builds up the fear of what it is you're avoiding even more. In nature, we avoid a clump of trees because it might have lions in it or we avoid cliff edges because falling off means death. We avoid what frightens us and, in return, are frightened by what we avoid. So start actively putting yourself in social situations.

Another way to cultivate outward focus is to ask questions. Social anxiety has us worrying what other people think of us, so focus on other people instead. Be curious. Ask people open-ended questions that require more than just a "yes" or "no" answer. Make a point of remembering what

they say and referring back to it later to demonstrate your interest. Again, this forces your focus of attention to shift outward. It's also nice for other people, meaning you might accidentally make

 friends as a 'by-product' of this strategy.

4) Make a much careful use of your imagination

Your imagination is a wonderful thing. Used constructively, it can be a massive help (see Tip 1

above). But social anxiety often has you using it to scare yourself. This is like using a hammer (a

potentially useful tool) to wash the dishes. Years of public speaking taught me that trying to imagine what people are thinking of you is a big no- no. If you catch yourself 'mind-reading', tell yourself the truth: "Look, I really don't – and can't – know

what these other people are thinking right now!" Ultimately, we can influence what others think of us, but we can never control it. And as you become more socially confident, you'll care less anyway. To change any behavior, your mind needs positive instructions. Don't think: "I hope I don't feel terrified  usual!" – this is like someone asking you directions by telling you where they don't want to end up. Instead, ask yourself: "How do I want to feel in these situations?" And get into the habit of focusing on that. Find your 'target feeling' by looking to times when you are  comfortable with others (say, old friends or trusted family members). Then you can use these situations as templates for preparing your mind to perform the way you want in social situations. To do this, close your eyes and get yourself nice and relaxed. Take time to remember how it feels to be with these familiar people until you get a strong feeling of comfort. Imagine seeing yourself in a formerly less comfortable social situation, but behaving like you do with your trusted friends. This sort of mental rehearsal is extremely powerful and can make a massive difference over time.

5) Be yourself

Part of social anxiety treatment involves teaching people to be relaxed enough to be able to present a less-than-perfect image. That's right; people who are relaxed about sometimes making a 'bit of a fool of themselves' tend to be much more socially confident. There's no need for you to become a party buffoon, but being prepared to show a less- than-perfect side of yourself is a sign of great confidence. For example, being humorous is a (slight) risk because it might just produce a stony silence (it's happened to me – no, really!). The point is that social anxiety gets us caring too much about what others think. Trying to present a perfect front makes us stilted by driving out spontaneity. Typical self-conscious thoughts are: "I hope no one notices I'm tense." "What if people think I'm stupid?!" "Who would want to hear anything I have to say?" "I think I'm coming across as a weirdo!" These all imply that occasional tenseness, weirdness, and inappropriate speech are somehow out of the norm for human interaction. Believe me, they're not (even, I'm sure, inside Buckingham Palace!). Worrying about ever 'putting a foot wrong' is a form of perfectionism. Being a perfectionist is fine when doing surgery, but not for meeting the in-laws or going to that neighbor's party. Even socially confident people occasionally act a little weird or get the wrong end of a conversation or feel flustered.

The difference is, they relax with these things when

they do happen.

Its been 6 weeks of making use of these tips and am starting to feel some change in my life, I am able to control myself better when am in a social situation like a group date with friends. No need to rely on those expensive pills which the doctor tells us to take or go seek assistance of a therapist which will be glad to talk a lot of crap with you so that he cashes out as much as possible for you. These tips are cost effective and can ease up the pressure on your life if, well atleast that's what they are doing in mine. Or if you think you do better with medication I advise you to read my article on natural remedies for anxiety, it might help you.

Sources: www.pickthebrain.com

                Wikihow

                www.mayockinic.com

Article written by: Cristo Rutazihana