How to Manage Anxiety Naturally

How to manage anxiety naturally with 10 tips to overcome anxiety when an episode hits and you need relief.

First, I am not a doctor and by all means, you should see your doctor if symptoms become unmanageable. I am just a person who experiences anxiety and have found several ways that have helped me and I hope they help you too.

Read: There is Hope Living with Depression, Anxiety and Codependency

My Anxiety Background Story

I started having anxiety after I was married and was in a relationship with an alcoholic. I would make dinner as a newlywed and dreamt of the perfect marriage along with the picket fence and 2.5 children.

Imagine my surprise when that didn’t happen. My dinner would sit on the table for hours until he came home late at night. The pacing and driving around nearly killed me.

Eventually, he quit drinking and the anxiety stopped. Or so I thought. Several years later we had our first child. It was an emergency birth and c-section. I suppose I had postpartum depression, but didn’t realize it and didn’t get any help. I couldn’t stand to be alone with my child for fear something would happen to him. I was so tired and he cried for hours.

My husband worked long hours and my mother who lived nearby barely was around. I had to do this alone.

Jump ahead 20 years and 3 children later, I still struggled with Anxiety and Depression. Most of my friends and family didn’t know because I kept it hidden and didn’t talk about it.

Until I started reading books about natural therapies and getting counseling for it.

First, there is no shame in Anxiety. I would suggest you find a support group where you can share your feelings and you will find you are not alone.

Self Care is Necessary

If you don’t take care of yourself you can’t help anyone else.

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The 120 Day Anxiety Journal

Tips to Manage Anxiety Naturally

1. Get Enough Sleep – Don’t oversleep, but getting 6-8 hours of sleep will keep you on a routine that will help your body.
2. Ideas for Self Care on a Budget Doing something for yourself will keep you feeling good. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to take care of yourself and do something that makes you happy.
3. Take a Brisk Walk and listen to a podcast or your favorite music. Sometimes changing your surroundings will help and focusing on other words instead of what’s going on in your head.
4. Smell Lavender Oil: I have many oils I keep around me. Some for breathing, some for colds, some for relaxation, and some for energy. Lavender oil has a sense of calming that works well when you need to relax. I suggest putting it on your temples, wrist, and bottom of your feet.
5. Get your Bible out of whatever you prefer to read that has calming verses.
6. Call a friend: This one always makes me feel better. Sometimes just talking it out helps. You could also get your journal out and write it out. You might figure out what the trigger was that got you excited.
7. Eat some Dark Chocolate: I am not sure why this works. It may be a placebo, but it has been said magnesium in the dark chocolate reduces stress and makes you feel better.
8. Stretch: Do some stretching exercises to reduce stress. Stretching stimulates receptors that decrease the production of stress hormones.
9. Use a calming visualization. By changing your focus off the fear and thinking of something that is calming, such as laying on a beach and listening to the waves, or hearing the sound of rain, or whatever works or gives you a sense of well-being, when you sit and close your eyes and think on these things you will help reduce the stress.
10. Get Informed: Start collecting tools for recovery. 11 Books on overcoming anxiety and depression.

Events/Triggers that Can Cause Anxiety

There are yearly events that can cause anxiety along with certain triggers that can bring on anxiety. It can be an experience that you had at an event such as a birthday or anniversary and each year the memories flare-up. Being aware of these can help you remember to use the 10 tips above to be prepared and help you manage anxiety naturally.

• Death of a Loved One
• Incarceration or Release of Incarceration
• Health Issues like Covid-19
• Birthdays
• Anniversaries
• Trials
• Food and Caffeine
• Phone Call
• Phobias
• PTSD

Signs of an Anxiety Attack

• feelings of danger, panic, or dread
• nervousness or restlessness
• rapid heart rate
• sweating
• trembling or chills
• tiredness or weakness
• gastrointestinal problems
• difficulty focusing
• hyperventilation

Signs of A Panic Attack

• fear of dying
• feeling like you’re losing control
• a sense of detachment
• heart palpitations
• shortness of breath
• chest pains or tightness
• nausea
• feeling lightheaded or dizzy
• numbness or tingling in your extremities
• feeling hot or cold

You Are Not Alone – Reach Out For Help

If you find these tips do not resolve or help you manage your anxiety naturally, then it’s time to speak to your Doctor. Anxiety can be managed, but you have to find what works for you. Remember that you are not alone and support is there when you need it.