Alternative Treatments for
Anxiety Disorders
Yoga:
Everyone suffers from mild anxiety from time-to-time, but chronic
anxiety takes a tremendous toll on the body, draining energy
resources and keeping the body in a constant state of stress. The
effects of anxiety are magnified when the body is not exercised:
tension in the muscles builds, breathing remains constricted most of
the time and the mind has no rest from the whirling thoughts and
feelings that feed the anxiety.
Yoga helps you to access an inner strength that allows you to
face the sometimes-overwhelming fears, frustrations, and challenges
of everyday life. Yoga reduces stress in the body, breath, and mind
by building coping skills with a small daily routine of exercise,
breathing, and meditation. A few Yoga exercises practiced daily
(especially if they are done just prior to meditation) help to
regulate the breath and relax the body by gently releasing tension
from the large muscle groups, flushing all parts of the body and
brain with fresh blood, oxygen, and other nutrients, and increasing
feelings of well-being. "Whole body" exercises such as the
Sun Poses are particularly helpful because they encourage you to
breathe deeply and rhythmically. Many exercises can be adapted so
you can do them even in an office chair.
The Complete Breath technique is a must for anyone who
often feels "stressed out." Once learned, the Complete
Breath can be used anywhere, anytime, to reduce the severity of
panic attack, to calm the mind, or to cope with a difficult
situation. Learning to concentrate simply on the sound of the breath
as you inhale and exhale evenly and smoothly will help you gently
but effectively switch your attention from feelings of anxiety to
feelings of relaxation.
Daily practice of complete relaxation and meditation are also
essential - even a few minutes of meditation during your work day
can make a difference. This daily training in focusing the mind on
stillness will teach you how to consciously quiet your mind whenever
you feel overwhelmed. Meditation puts you in touch with your inner
resources; this means less dependence on medications, greater
self-awareness, and a fuller happier life.
Meditation:
People with recurring symptoms of anxiety and nervous tension are
usually barraged by a constant stream of negative
"self-talk." Throughout the day your conscious mind may be
inundated with thoughts, feelings, and fantasies that trigger
feelings of upset. Many of these thoughts replay unresolved issues
of health, finances, or personal and work relationships. This
relentless mental replay of unresolved issues can reinforce the
anxiety symptoms and be exhausting. It is important to know how to
shut off the constant inner dialogue and quiet the mind.
The first two exercises require you to sit quietly and engage in
a simple repetitive activity. By emptying your mind, you give
yourself a rest. Meditation allows you to create a state of deep
relaxation, which is very healing to the entire body. Metabolism
slows, as do physiological functions such as heart rate and blood
pressure. Muscle tension decreases. Brain wave patterns shift from
the fast beta waves that occur during a normal active day to the
slower alpha waves, which appear just before falling asleep or in
times of deep relaxation. If you practice these exercises regularly,
they can help relieve anxiety by resting your mind and turning off
upsetting thoughts.
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