Alternative Treatments For Anxiety

In addition to psychotherapy, prescription medication and herbal supplements, there is also alternative treatment available for anxiety worth looking into, including self-help, relaxation or holistic techniques. What are some of these techniques?

In terms of holistic healing, acupressure, originally from Chinese medicine, has been listed by some as an effective way to reduce anxiety, though it's primarily intended as pain relief. This practice involves the application of pressure or massage to specific parts of the body. Other spiritual-oriented practices include Yoga which originates from India and various Hindu beliefs, which teaches stretch and relax techniques that can effectively reduce a person's amount of anxiety.

There is a host of other meditation techniques that help a person to relax and internally focus on positive thoughts which naturally reduces the amount of stress or anxiety a person feels from day to day. Most meditational practices can be traced to a set of ancient religious beliefs, which many people may find intimidating. However, the act of deeply focusing on positive thoughts and eliminating the anxieties of the day from your mind is a very healthy practice whether or not you count Chakras or Kundalini.

In addition to holistic or meditational treatment, there is also self-help treatment that can be learned from the comfort of your own home, at no significant cost or without any professional advice. Some common techniques that are often disregarded in favor of medication include: diaphragmatic breathing, which sees a person breath deeply as opposed to quick chest breathing that increases anxiety; stress management, which emphasizes the need for a person to make changes in their life to avoid the sources of stress that contribute to anxiety; panic attack coping strategies, which involve self-reassuring talk; and self-therapy, which sees a person try and self-examine their anxiety and the best way to cope with the feelings.

Experts in the psychology field have also suggested that there is such a thing as "boredom anxiety", which sees residual generalized anxiety fester over time as the result of a person's boredom in life; no goals, no spiritual outlooks or deeper meaning to be found in every day life. The answer in this case, of course, would be to find something in life that's worthwhile and makes a person happy.

Improved physical health has also been suggested as a "cure" for general anxiety. Proper dieting, including a reduction of caffeine, sugar and fatty foods, has been shown to reduce anxiety and promote mental health. Regular exercise relieves stress and anxiety, as well as an improved sleeping schedule. Even laughter has been recommended as a quick stress-reliever.

However, these are all coping strategies for general anxiety. Some professionals and patients will agree that alternative treatment cannot help major anxiety disorders that may be the result of trauma or genetics. In extreme cases of anxiety disorder, psychiatric or at least psychotherapeutic treatment would be recommended over these alternative treatments, which work best relieving general anxiety and stress. If you believe you suffer from a major anxiety disorder and common techniques prove ineffective then contact a doctor about seeking additional treatment.