How To Stop Being Anxious About Money

I’d like to say that this is a post about getting rid of your anxieties with money.  The reality is that this post is more about exploring my own anxieties with money, why I have them and how I combat them.

I have thought about and worried about money since the 7th grade.  I grew up in a very blue collar home with parents who struggled to make ends meet on a monthly basis.  After years of working low paying jobs, my parents started an auto parts business.  The business opened when I was 6 years old and I don’t really recall a time with the business that it wasn’t a financial struggle.  The early years were okay and the store even had a couple of employees (besides my parents) but as the years went on it became more and more of a financial chess game.  From the time that I was about 12 years old, I started helping out at the store.  I can remember vividly sitting in the office at the store watching my mother tally up the sales from the day while also going through and prioritizing the bills that needed to be paid.  To this day I can still feel the tension and stress of watching her trying to cover the store’s bills while at the same time needing to pay the family so that they’d have money for the mortgage, food and all the other expenses that a family has.

As a child, I can remember always shopping at the lowest cost grocery store and eating store brands with nearly no exceptions.  We ate the blue collar classics like hot dog casserole, fish sticks and I can’t even begin to guess how many different ways that we ate hamburger with various noodles or rice.  My parents always included vegetables (store brand, of course) and we never went hungry, which I’m incredibly grateful for.  Don’t get me wrong, we weren’t destitute or getting payday loans from places like www.jaguarpaydayloans.co.uk or anything, but we were living a lower middle income life and often times struggled to support that lifestyle.

As I progressed through my teen years, I stumbled along looking for a calling in life.  I was absolutely sure that I did not want to try to carry on the family business when I reached adulthood.  I talked to my parents often about the fact that I didn’t want to take over the family business.  The thought of taking it over and the financial stress of it all was too much for me to deal with and I think they understood.  As I turned about 22 or so, they finally shut the business down.  While some people would have run from the debts that the business had, my parents spent years paying off every last bit of it with income from their new jobs.  These new jobs weren’t exactly high paying (custodian and healthcare book keeper) but they were enough to make ends meet and, with personal sacrifice, they honored all of the debts from the business.  After the business shut down I found a job working in a warehouse while I attended community college part time.  It felt good to have money in the bank and not feel like we were just around the corner from doom and gloom.  I ultimately saved enough money to pay my way through college and got a degree.  From the time that I graduated college, I’ve never been unemployed and have always made enough to live a firmly entrenched middle class lifestyle.  Since starting at the first job out of college I’ve never really needed to worry about money, yet there is always a bit of anxiety in the back of my head.  All these years later, I still sometimes feel like that kid watching my mom juggle the bills, anticipating not being able to pay the bills if an unfortunate event occurs.

So, how have I dealt with the feelings of financial anxiety during my adulthood?  I’ve done a few things that have drastically helped me live a relatively anxiety free life.  My wife and I carry no debt, other than a mortgage and owe far less than our home is worth.  We save the maximum amount that we can in our retirement accounts, we save for our daughter’s college and we maintain a sizable savings account balance.  Having no debt (other than the mortgage) and keeping 9+ months of cash in savings are the two biggest factors that help us live without fear of the many financial speed bumps that we might encounter over the years.  I think we’ve done a good job of “living for today and planning for tomorrow” but I’m often bothered at the fact that I have such a defensive approach to money management.  I think my early experiences have definitely made me more risk averse and made me always think about what “could” happen.  It’s something that I’m working on conquering but it’s not an easy habit to change.

So, this post isn’t a lesson on how to squash your financial anxieties.  I think we all have different experiences that shape our approach to money management.  Understanding why you manage your personal finances the way you do can go a long way towards making changes that will help you financially succeed going forward.

Adjustment Disorder with Anxious Mood

Definition

In an adjustment disorder, a psychological response occurs to an identifiable stressor or life event. This response includes significant emotional or behavioral symptoms that are usually manifested as decreased performance at work and temporary changes in social relationships. The life stressor may be a single event such as termination of a relationship; a recurrent situation, such as seasonal business crises; a continuous stressor, such as living in a crime-ridden neighborhood; a prolonged circumstance, such as a chronic, debilitating medical condition; or multiple events, such as business difficulties plus marital problems. In adjustment disorder with anxiety, the predominant symptoms include nervousness, worry, or jitteriness. The disorder does not meet the criteria for another psychiatric disorder such as major depression.Risk: As many as 50% of individuals who experience a specific stressor, such as cardiac surgery, will experience an adjustment disorder. Incidence and Prevalence: Adjustment disorders are fairly common, depending upon the population studied. They occur in up to 12% of general hospital patients who are referred for a mental health consultation and in 10% to 30% of those in mental health outpatient settings. Diagnosis History: Diagnosis is based on criteria listed in the DSM-IV-TR (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition, Text Revision). The symptoms should occur within 3 months of the recognizable stressful condition and not persist longer than 6 months after resolution of the stressful event or its consequences, unless the symptoms are in response to a chronic stressor. The symptoms or behaviors are identified as either a marked distress that is in excess of what would be expected, or a significant impairment in social or occupational functioning. The stress-related disturbance cannot be diagnosed as another specific psychiatric disorder or be merely an exacerbation of a pre-existing psychiatric disorder, and the symptoms cannot be related to bereavement. However, adjustment disorder may be diagnosed in the presence of another psychiatric disorder if the latter does not account for the pattern of symptoms that have occurred in response to the stressor. Physical exam: The physical exam is important in ruling out anxiety caused by the physiological effects of a medical condition such as hypothyroidism or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Observation of the individual's orientation, dress, mannerisms, behavior, and content of speech provide essential signs to help diagnose adjustment disorder with anxiety. For example, there may be poor attention to grooming, or verbalizations inconsistent with emotional state (affect), such as saying "I feel fine" while clenching the jaw and frowning. Physical manifestations of anxiety may include sweaty palms, rapid pulse, pale or flushed skin, frequent sighing, and restless behavior such as pacing or fidgeting. Tests: Psychological testing, such as the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory - 2 (MMPI-2) or the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, can be a useful adjunct to diagnosing Adjustment Disorders. It is better to utilize objective psychological tests, such as the MMPI - 2 or the Millon Clinical Multi-axial Inventory-III (MCMI-III), instead of subjective inventories, such as the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Inventories and other subjective tests may allow outcomes of the testing to be easily influenced by the test taker, resulting in exaggeration of psychological distress. Treatment Psychotherapy is the treatment of choice for adjustment disorders. Ending the stressful situation or removing the individual from the stressful situation is desirable. Group therapy has been effective, especially when individuals in the group have experienced similar stressors. Short-term, problem-focused, individual psychotherapy may be helpful to explore the meaning of the stressful situation to the individual so that the reactive anxiety may be resolved. Brief psychotherapy, when utilized in a crisis intervention, can help resolve the situation quickly through supportive techniques, suggestion, reassurance, environmental modification, and even hospitalization, if necessary. Cognitive behavioral therapy has a strong empirical base and helps correct disordered thinking and maladaptive behavior. Pharmacotherapy utilizes antidepressants, anti-anxiety agents, and anxiety-relieving antidepressants to reduce symptoms of anxiety. These should be used judiciously and for brief periods.       ACOEM ACOEM's Practice Guidelines, the gold standard in effective medical treatment of occupational injuries and illnesses, are provided in this section to complement the disability duration guidelines.*   Stress-related Conditions   * The relationship between the MDGuidelines (MDA) content and ACOEM's guidelines is approximate and does not always link identical diagnoses. The user should consult the diagnostic codes in both guidelines, as well as the clinical descriptions, before assuming an equivalence. Source: ACOEM Practice Guidelines Prognosis The overall prognosis for adjustment disorder is favorable with appropriate treatment. Adjustment disorders generally occur within a short period of time following the stressor and, by definition, should last no longer than 6 months after the stressor or its consequences have ended. Individuals generally return to normal functioning within a few months. Complications Adjustment disorders may be associated with alcohol or substance abuse, and physical (somatic) complaints. If an individual with a pre-existing mental or medical illness is also diagnosed with an adjustment disorder, the course of that illness may be complicated or prolonged, such as by decreased compliance with recommended treatment or increased hospital length of stay. In the presence of serious symptoms, other psychiatric disorders must be considered and ruled out. Adjustment disorders are typically not associated with suicidal ideation or suicidal attempts. Anxiety adjustment disorder is a low-level diagnosis, in which the distress is quite short-lived and the individual can typically function on most levels. If the suicidal ideation diagnosis component is added, using clinical evaluation standards such as those of the American Psychiatric Association (APA), this moves the individual into a different diagnosis category altogether. Return to Work (Restrictions / Accommodations) Work restrictions or accommodations are necessary only infrequently, for the most serious cases. In these instances, time-limited restrictions and work accommodations should be individually determined based on the characteristics of the individual's response to the disorder, the functional requirements of the job and work environment, and the flexibility of the job and work site. The purpose of the restrictions/accommodations is to help maintain the worker's capacity to remain at the workplace without a work disruption, or to promote timely and safe transition back to full work productivity. Often, the sense of fulfillment and distraction from one's concerns that work can provide may improve symptoms and speed recovery.

 

Stop Being Anxious About Being Anxious

The many approaches to anxiety.

Anxiety is fundamentally intrusive, interfering with going to sleep, preoccupying you while driving and preventing you from concentrating on what needs to be done. For many adults and their kids anxiety is always there, and if not, it's always on the verge of being there.

It's exhausting, and people want relief.

Medications often work - and have a time and a place, but it's good to know that you have other options as well. Such approaches range the gamut from diet changes, to meditation, to exercise to talk therapy. And many alternative treatments can be used co-jointly with medication for a more robust treatment. In addition, some treatments are based on better habits of living that will continue to help you years after the anxiety has abated. Sounds like a win win to me.

It is with pleasure that we note that this article was written with the help of two Vassar College interns that have been working with The Intelligent Divorce Project this semester, Chelsea Anderson and Sarah Spitz. Their contribution is appreciated. Thank you.
                            --------------------------------

 Stop Being Anxious About Being Anxious

According to the National Institute of Health, anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness among Americans, with some estimates reaching 40 million people. It's generally accepted that effective treatment for most anxiety combines medication and psychotherapy. And, I agree. These protocals work and I've used them for years. The issue at hand is whether we can do better.
At Issue: So, are drug interventions always needed?

A common trap that people get into with medications in general, and especially psychiatric ones, is thinking that a pill will end their suffering. This may be the case if the ailment has one simple cause, for example, if an improperly treated wound becomes infected by bacteria, an antibiotic can often clear the situation up quickly with minimal side effects. However, anxiety and other psychological issues are more complex, and the effects of medication are less fully understood. And, with all the breakthroughs of modern science, the functioning of the most important organ in our body, the brain, is still oftentimes a mystery.

Example: The placebo effect of psychiatric medications is very high. This means that taking medications does help, but often the effect is less because of the pharmacological action of the agent, and more about your mind "believing" that the pill will work. The message here is that what makes drugs work, may be more complicated than you think. In fact it may be because of the way you think.

Most medications prescribed for anxiety disorders can be characterized as either antidepressants or benzodiazepines. Benzodiazepines can cause a relatively quick calm and are much appreciated by patients who are panicky. The antidepressants work more slowly but maintain a blood level every day so they have the advantage of muting some anxiety throughout the day. Side effects are varied. It is easy to use benzodiazapines too liberally, because they work so quickly and are so effective. The antidepressants have a wide range of side effects, from rare cardiac issues, to weight gain or loss, to night sweats and more. Fortunately, most of the side effects of these meds are relatively benign, but who wants to be on medication if they don't have to?

Good research has shown that medication, especially combined with treatment from a competent therapist, can often give a person what they need to start down the road to recovery. But in the long run, the best way to manage symptoms of anxiety isn't with a drug that might induce dependence or have other side effects.

 

The best we can offer is to help people learn how to manage anxiety themselves, with medicine being one of many choices. The body is a complex evolutionary machine, and it has developed a number of ways to keep itself healthy without external aid. Why not tap into the potential for healing that the body already has?

These technologies are both ancient and modern: Many people cringe when they hear about complementary or alternative medicine, imagining that quack on television infomercials peddling expensive "natural" products, or maybe a representative of some counterculture that might be just a little out of touch with the real world. In reality, though, many of these treatments are based on sound scientific principles and encourage people to do the very things that more mainstream doctors are advising (or ought to advise): namely, paying careful attention to lifestyle decisions and recognizing how the body and the emotions can affect one another. To that end, we've compiled a list of simple and proven ways to manage stress and anxiety with less or no medication.

1.) Psychotherapy. Unless you are overwhelmed by your anxiety and need relief immediately, give therapy a chance. There is a technique called CBT, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, that can be very effective in a few sessions. The purpose of CBT is to teach you to think in a less anxiety inducing way, and it works! If you have a history of trauma or abuse leading to anxious feelings, you may want to try EMDR or Progressive Exposure Therapy. These two techniques are proven to relieve intrusive anxiety caused by past or present trauma.

2.) Breathing exercises and meditation. When was the last time you were conscious of your breathing? The proper circulation of oxygen and carbon dioxide is vital to every part of the anatomy's functioning, especially the brain. In times of stress, however, people can unconsciously deny themselves the oxygen they need, either holding their breath or entering a constant, low-level state of hyperventilation without realizing it. Healthy breathing and meditation has been studied extensively and has been systematically introduced to the medical world by John Kabat-Zinn, formerly of University of Massachusetts Medical Center. See his book, Where Ever You Go, There You Are, or listen to his tapes. Daily meditation can make a huge difference in your life, and it costs very little.

3.) Sleep. Another biological imperative that is often overlooked, sleep is the brain's one opportunity each day to relax and sort itself out. It's a good idea for adults to get 7 or even 8 hours of sleep per night. If you're like most people, it may seem that there's just not enough time in your schedule to fit in a good night's sleep. Sometimes it's unavoidable, but if you find yourself consistently running on too few hours and suspecting that your mental health may be suffering, it might be time to think about cutting down on your workload, or saying "no" to some non essential responsibilities. This can be a Catch 22, because fatigue can make you more anxious, which in turn makes it more difficult to settle down at night, leading to tossing and turning, leading to more fatigue and anxiety. Constructive things that you can do is to try melatonin, which is a natural hormone that helps many people settle down. Sometimes, a warm bath before bed can help a lot. Also, it may help to cut down on caffeine after lunch, some people are just too sensitive to the stimulation. And if you're a drinker, note that a drink or two may get you to sleep, but you will inevitably wake up at 3 AM and be unable to get back to sleep. This is called REM rebound and it will fatigue you terribly. Just give up the booze at night, you'll sleep better.

4.) Exercise. Everybody knows how important exercise is to physical health, but sometimes people forget that it plays a role in mental health as well. During exercise, you do more than just burn calories and improve muscle tone: you release more feel-good neurotransmitters and endorphins. So, why take drugs when you can make them yourself, safely and naturally? In addition, exercise can also activate the brain in constructive ways, leading to better self esteem, sharpening your cognition and reduce stressful thinking.

5.) Diet. As far as dealing with anxiety goes, the general advice is obvious, make healthy choices that supply the nutrients your body needs, without causing dramatic pulses of insulin. Make sure you get your requisite amount of B vitamins and Omega Three Fatty Acids and a good multivitamin may really help. Good hydration is smart for everyone, because it encourages the body to process toxins and can keep you more alert. Many stressed people eat high carbohydrate meals like bagels, bread, pasta, and so on, which make you feel good temporarily, but inevitably trigger an insulin surge only to fatigue you a little while later. Fatigue opens the door to anxiety (and more feel good carbohydrates), so think healthy--it's good for your head. And, as mentioned before, pay attention to what you drink. For example, caffeinated beverages may make you feel less tired, but they do so by making you more edgy and prone to anxiety. It bears repeating that alcohol can relieve stress in the short term, but can cause mental instability later on as your body processes the toxins. It's true that these habits are difficult to give up, but in the long run it may decrease your anxiety.

6.) Yoga. Yoga is an ancient practice that combines the best of both physical exercise and conscious breathing during a series of poses that range from gentle to strenuous. A small but growing body of evidence indicates that, when practiced regularly, it can help reduce the physical stress response (heart rate, blood pressure) and lessen symptoms of anxiety and depression to a noticeable degree.

7.) Acupuncture. Though less firmly in the "mainstream" than other items on this list, there is a good deal of support for the idea of acupuncture as an effective method of decreasing anxiety. In addition to its value as an integral part of traditional Chinese medicine for 5000 years, scientific studies have shown that it is helpful in promoting blood flow throughout the body and encouraging relaxation, as well as releasing the same endorphins that cause people to feel good while exercising.

8.) Herbal remedies. It may seem a sleight of hand to include herbs on this list since they can be considered a "drug" in their own right, especially when consumed in a processed and commercialized form, but since they are not a routine part of the drug approach to anxiety relief they may be worth a mention. One plant in particular, kava, has done well in clinical trials and may be proven helpful. Ginko Biloba, which has been used in chinese medicine for thousands of years, has some promising research behind it as well.

9.) Massage Therapy. As unappealing is this option sounds ;) (You might want to give it a try!) Besides feeling great and reducing muscle tension, Swedish Massage Therapy has been shown to reduce cortisol and arginine-vasopressin, both stress hormones. These hormones are supposed to be elevated in response to acute stress, but in those suffering from anxiety they are chronically elevated.  

10.) Spirituality and caring people. For many, yoga, meditation, or enjoying a sunset is sufficient spirituality, but for those who are in touch with the Almighty in a religious sense, prayer can be a wonderful tonic. When anxious, open your heart up to God and allow yourself to be healed. This works - and research bears this out. People who pray regularly tend to live longer, have less chemical dependences and chronic disabilities than those who don't.

The message: Wake up. Your God is there for you, and so are your friends and family. Research has indicated that viewing human faces decreases symptoms of anxiety. Specifically, contact with loved ones has been shown to ease anxiety. Whether you choose to reconnect with family and friends, or volunteer for a charitable cause, you will be giving back to the world while doing something healing for yourself. Let a friend or family member talk to you or give you a good hug. It helps.

                                         ---------------------------------------------

Take Home Message: While anti-anxiety medications have a legitimate place in psychiatric treatment, it's reasonable to question whether they should be the first (or only) line of defense when a variety of less intrusive non-drug alternatives exist. Pills work (and I support good pharmacological care), but just know that there are other ways to go. 

So, if you're struggling with anxiety-related issues, consult with your doctor and get the best care that you can. Even if medication is prescribed, consider some of these suggestions.

Be Anxious For Nothing

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

Philippians 4:6–7

When faced with a challenge or crisis, our tendency is to get all anxious about it. But God does not want us to react this way. He does not want us to be anxious about anything. Instead, whatever the problem is, He wants us to go to Him in prayer and supplication, telling Him what we need and thanking Him for the answer. When we do that, His peace, which surpasses all understanding, will guard our hearts and minds from all worries, anxieties and fears.

‘Be anxious for nothing.’ Try living with my husband for one day. Try disciplining that wayward teenager of mine. Look at the balance in my bank account! How can I not be anxious?”

Hold it! I am not the one who said, “Be anxious for nothing.” The apostle Paul said it. Yet, it was not him — he was prompted by the Holy Spirit. And when Paul wrote that, he was a prisoner under house arrest in Rome. He had been sent to Rome because he had appealed to Caesar regarding his death sentence. The Jews in Jerusalem wanted him to be put to death. (Acts 28:16–20)

Yet, under those trying conditions, he wrote these words: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.”

My friend, if you are anxious or worried about something, remember those words. Let’s say that you are anxious about a huge debt. Go to the Lord and pray, “Lord Jesus, I no longer want to be anxious about this problem. I hand it over to You and ask for supernatural cancellation of this debt. It is in Your care now. You are in charge. I thank You for taking care of it.”

God is true to His Word. As you pray this prayer and cast your care to Him, you will find His peace setting your heart and mind at rest. So be anxious for nothing — let the One with whom nothing is impossible take care of it for you!

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" 

(Phi. 4:6-7).

It is so easy to say: just trust. Do not be anxious. As Jesus commanded, "Do not worry." Doing it is another matter altogether. How do you cultivate trust? How do you release anxiety?

The question matters—especially as we consider how we are to care for our souls. Worry destroys our spirit, erodes our relationship with God. It infects our spiritual life, a virus that drains life from our souls.

We can pray, study Scripture, serve, attend worship. These practices will do little if, like me standing in church last Sunday, we're clinging to our worries. We clutch them. Like rocks in our hands, cutting into our palms, keeping us from opening ourselves to what God wants to give us, to provide for us.

I sensed God telling me to open my hands, drop the sharp rocks of worry and anxiety. His word to the world, his word to our church, was also his word to me, "Do not be anxious." Tears streamed as I slowly opened my hands, know that he wanted to give me good things, but my hands were too full to receive them. Turning my helpless palms up, I presented my requests to God.

I know the path to the peace that passes understanding. It is not a path of effort, of forcing oneself to be peaceful (a picture of contradiction to be sure). Rather, it comes from gratitude. Look at the text: "Do not be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving …"

The antidote for anxiety is prayer—not just prayers that tell God of our anxiety, but prayers of thanksgiving. The Greek, eucharistia, means not just perfunctory thanks, but deep gratitude. My Bible dictionary notes: "this prayer expresses the grateful acknowledgment of past mercies as distinct from seeking future ones." To pray with thanksgiving, with eucharistia, is to remember the goodness of God in your life. Such gratitude is the only path out of anxiety.

When we are grateful, focused on the gifts of God, we experience joy. We're able to be generous. Gratitude and generosity lead us to peace, allow us to trust. When we choose to pray with thanksgiving, with gratitude, we see clearly: mixed in with the troubles of this world, we have blessings, and we have God's presence, his peace that passes understanding.

 

Anxiety is a condition, just like any other, that can wreak havoc on your life and leave you stressed, lonely, unemployed, and just generally all-around miserable.  This is where I found myself when I was struggling with social anxiety disorder (SAD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).  However, again much like any other condition, it is something that can be treated successfully, and you can reach the opposite extreme where you have tons of wonderful friends, fulfilling employment, romantic success, and a general feeling of happiness and well-being.
So, how do you heal anxiety?  Unfortunately, for many the solution is to visit the doctor and see which type of medication he prescribes.  This is one possible step that you can take, but like any other condition, using a more comprehensive approach enhances the level of success you experience.  If clichés make more sense to you, “you get out of it what you put into it.”  Besides taking a few steps, there is an additional point to keep in mind:  what works for one person may not work for another; it is up to you to build your own plan based on what experience teaches you.

How to Cure Anxiety: 8 Methods I Have Learned

Here are some of the techniques I have learned that can help to cure anxiety:

1. Accept help from a professional counselor or psychologist

This is very scary for people in Western society where we are taught to live independently, but life works differently.  Using the aid of knowledgeable others can be incredibly helpful.  Counselors typically have very gentle personalities and an open, calm, and accepting manner.  Their goal is to make it as comfortable as possible for you to interact with them.  Attempting to recover from anxiety on your own does work, but working with a counselor is like strapping on a jetpack – it helps you to grow at an incredibly rapid pace.  One caveat is that not all counselors or psychologists can work with all people.  If things simply are not working between you and your counselor, feel free to move on to another one.

2. Exercise regularly

Not only is exercise good for you physically, but it is also great for reducing anxiety and stress.  Exercise releases endorphins which cause you to experience a general sense of happiness and well-being.  All you need to do to gain the benefits is 3 sessions per week of 20 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise.

3. Regular journaling

For me, I have found it incredibly helpful to journal in order to collect my thoughts at the end of the day.  I typically spend 15-20 minutes writing about what happened.  It helps me to gain clarity and focus, and there is something about putting words on paper that helps to remove the anxious thoughts from my head.  While helpful for me, I have heard of many people who completely hate writing.  If this is the case for you, this is one of those things that seems to be optional.  But, it is always good to at least have the awareness of another tool to reduce your anxiety.

4. Avoid foods that cause anxiety

There are a few different foods and substances that will increase your anxiety if consumed.  Caffeine and alcohol, which are difficult to avoid in American society, are two of the chief aggravators of anxiety.  If you are like me and you really enjoy drinks which contain these two substances, the good news is you do not have to completely eliminate them from your diet.  Instead, you just have to minimize your intake.  “Minimizing,” in this case, means like 2-3 caffeinated and alcoholic drinks in a week.  Of course, if you are willing to live with more anxiety, you can consume more, but this is the general guideline.

5. Eat foods that help to reduce anxiety

Be sure to stay well-hydrated.  Dehydration can cause fatigue, and one of the body’s responses to fatigue can be anxiety.  Foods rich in complex carbohydrates such as pastas, brown rice, sweet potatoes, corn, peas, and beans are excellent for maintaining your energy levels and keeping anxiety down.  Another anxiety-reducing substance is tryptophan, and foods high in tryptophan include milk, oats, nuts, and peanut butter.  Finally, one vitamin to make sure you have in your diet is vitamin B-6.  This vitamin helps to regulate serotonin, a neurotransmitter which is responsible for managing your anxiety levels.

6. Maintain a supportive social network

A supportive social network is one that makes you feel okay with having your struggle with anxiety.  Additionally, people who are supportive will offer to help you through the difficulty, or perhaps to find a new way to understand situations that are causing you anxiety.  If people are trying to make you feel guilty, embarrassed, or simply do not want to acknowledge your anxiety condition, the best thing to do is to distance yourself from them.  Of course, if they begin to show an understanding of anxiety, feel free to bring them back into your lives.  You do not have to remove them from your life completely, but you will find that conversations about anxiety will end up going nowhere.  This may be the second most difficult part of getting better from anxiety.

7. Continue to take risks

Without a doubt, this is the most difficult step in recovering from anxiety.  For a while, it may be necessary to retreat from the outside world, find some help, think things over, and figure out how you are going to approach life now that you have recognized anxiety’s effects.  But, eventually, there will come a time where talking and thinking must translate to action.  Action means that you are actively putting yourself in situations that make you anxious.  Most people are surprised when they do this because they actually experience more anxiety!  But, never fear, because that is completely normal.  You are moving outside of your usual comfort zone, and anxiety is a natural response for all people; the difficulty for people with anxiety disorders is that they experience too much anxiety in comparison to the average person.  As you continue to take risks and work through the difficult situations, you will find that eventually you begin to grow in self-confidence, and people or situations that used to cause you anxiety now cause you little or no anxiety.

8. Use medication

For many, this is the first step to recovering from anxiety.  However, medication is a short-term false fix to a long-term real problem.  When you take medication, it simply reduces the intensity of the physiological effects of anxiety (shaking, sweating, tingling etc…) and the accompanying emotions.  If you have social anxiety, you do not suddenly become a confident and competent extrovert; you still have to take risks and do the work.  Additionally, it can take much time and thousands of dollars before you find a medication and dosage that is right for you.  A certain medication may work for most people, but not all people.  And finally, the side effects of medication may end up outweighing the benefits.  All that being said, medication does have its place, but it has its highest level of effectiveness when working in combination with the other factors given before.
* * *
There are many more methods for curing anxiety; however, with the exception of journaling, these are the most critical.  Other creative methods for healing anxiety include playing Nintendo Wii, getting a pet, and using biofeedback, but those require separate articles in themselves.

Overall, the most important point to draw from this article is that anxiety is a challenge that requires a comprehensive, rather than singular approach.  The more of these cures you use, the lower your anxiety level will be.  If you feel confused or frightened, hopefully this article has helped you to discover which direction to go in the future.  Good luck to everyone who chooses to help themselves and heal their anxiety!