Each person experiences anxiety in a different way. While some may experience social anxiety expressed by a mild discomfort, others might experience a phobia of a certain object or situation that leads to a panic attack. It’s not easy to know what is considered nervousness and what would be classified as having an anxiety disorder.

It’s natural to feel nervous or anxious in some situations; for instance, when you’re at a party and you don’t know anyone or when you are about to tell someone how you feel about them. For some, this feeling of anxiety begins to have an impact on their day to day lives. This is when finding a good therapist who listens well can assist you in resolving the deeper issues that are hindering your life. You may find that one of the more common external factors are causing your anxiety. Common external factors which can cause anxiety:

• Stress at work.
• Stress from school.
• Stress in a personal relationship such as marriage.
• Financial stress.
• Stress from an emotional trauma such as the death of a loved one.
• Stress from a serious medical illness.
• Side effect of medication.
• Use of an illicit drug, such as cocaine

Some symptoms of anxiety include:

• Stomach Pain including indigestion, gas and bloating, abdominal cramps and pain, and irritable bowel syndrome.
• Difficulty Breathing including a choking sensation, hyperventilation, asthma attacks and coughing fits.
• Negative Thoughts including anticipating danger and catastrophe around every corner, frequent feelings of inadequacy or impending failure, or believing that something bad will happen if certain things aren’t done a certain way.
• Feelings of Worry which can result in edginess and physical trembling or shaking.
• Heart and Chest Pain
• Low Appetite or Binge Eating
• Insomnia
• Feeling Detached or Unreal

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illnesses in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults, or 18 percent of the population at any point in time. Anxiety disorders include:

• Panic disorder
• Social anxiety
• Generalized anxiety disorder
• Phobias

Anxiety disorders frequently co-occur with depressive disorders or substance misuse, and some people are diagnosed with more than one type of anxiety disorder concurrently.

Integrated Mental And Medical Care For Anxiety Disorders

As one of the best treatments for anxiety is functional medical care to help address and manage any physical medical problems that may be related to a anxiety. Individuals with anxiety often experience co-occurring medical problems like hypertension, elevated heart rate, or gastrointestinal problems.

Regardless of the severity of the anxiety you experience, there are resources to help you deal with the anxiety. Besides self-help groups and do it yourself books, here are some simple things you might try first.

Anxiety Remedies:

• Exercise! A simple 30-minute walk per day will relieve anxiety, stiffness, aches and pains. Fresh air! Check out the miracles that are the plants growing, the pets, the sunshine, the sky, the clouds. Take a fresh look every time you go walking instead of just seeing the things you’ve become accustomed to seeing. Pay attention to your surroundings. It’ll work wonders for anxiety.
• Sleep a good 8 hours. Get all the electronics out of your bedroom. Go to bed at the same time each time. A cooler temperature in the room will help you sleep better too. Sleeping with socks on helps as well. They keep your body from becoming too cold and help you stay comfortable.
• Be hydrated! I can’t say enough about the benefits of healthy water and being hydrated. When you are dehydrated, your brain hurts, your muscles hurt, you ache. You will be amazed at how much improvement you will feel in your own body and life when you are hydrated. The rule of thumb is ½ your body weight in ounces of water per day. A maximum of 100 ounces unless you’re very active and sweating a lot.  If you weigh 140 lbs. you would drink 70 ounces of water daily.  Many people think they’ll just urinate a lot if they drink water. Its being dehydrated that makes you urinate a lot. Much like a potted plant; when its dry its dehydrated. You water and water watching the water come out the bottom until finally the soil is hydrated and holds the water you put it.  That’s the same as your own body. Drink water!  You can add lemon juice, lime juice, cucumber, mint, a drop of essential oil. Get creative but drink it.
• Self-Sabotage: You don’t need to have a full conversation in your head with yourself making up the script as you go, you’re only setting yourself and anyone else up for failure. When you give up trying to force people to respond the way they do in your head, you’ll find communication far easier and life much happier.
• What if? Stop it with the ‘what ifs”, you’re only making them up anyway. People tend to create terrible outcomes by creating what ifs. What if that other person is actually positive, or kind, or compassionate? That doesn’t get included in the what ifs in your mind. No, you focus on negative.  How about instead of what ifs, you focus on something outside of yourself, such as your pet. Your garden. What is it that makes you smile and feel joy?  Keep a journal. Write it out! Just leave the unknowns unknown and stop trying to make them up!
• Breathing Control. Take LONG SLOW DEEP breathes. 3 times in a row. Deep slow inhale, hold it for a few seconds, long slow exhale. Repeat.
• Massage. Get a massage, go to the spa, move fluid, relax muscles. Let it go. What ever it is certainly isn’t helping you so, kick it to the curb. Try acupuncture, as opening the energy channels to let your body flow again is important.  Tai Chi, Qi Gong, Yoga are all ways to relax the body and assist you in removing yourself from angst causing agents.
• Mental Health Coaching. Sometimes talking to someone that really listens to you is a great thing. If it’s a friend or co-worker, it’s not their job to fix you, just let them know you need someone to just listen then maybe help you figure out real things, real emotions. A professional therapist can provide input, exercises, and assist you in curing the core issue which causes you to feel anxiety.
• Have a good meal. No sugars, those aren’t going to help you. Veggies, nice healthy lean protein. Relax and enjoy your meal, take time to eat being appreciative of your meal instead of being in a hurry.
• Essential oils. Lavender is calming. You might spritz your pillow at night or put a drop under your nose. Young Living and Doterra make some amazing combinations of oils to assist in sleeping, calming, relaxing, assisting you through anxiety.
• Have a good meal. No sugars, those aren’t going to help you. Veggies, nice healthy lean protein. Relax and enjoy your meal, take time to eat being appreciative of your meal instead of being in a hurry.
• Essential oils. Lavender is calming. You might spritz your pillow at night or put a drop under your nose. Young Living and Doterra make some amazing combinations of oils to assist in sleeping, calming, relaxing, assisting you through anxiety.

Author:  Zachary M. Saber

Referrals in the Tucson area:

Dr. DeeAnn Saber, Naturopathic Physician info@TFMND.com

Dr. Jo Ruddy, Metaphysical Therapies jrud1962@gmail.com

Norma Redhouse, Massage Therapist  crawlwalkdance@gmail.com