Anxiety in America and Your Natural Treatment Options

18.1 percent of the American population suffers from some sort of anxiety disorder. There are many different types of anxiety disorders, all ranging in severity. But, despite the prevalence of anxiety disorders in the US, only 36.9 percent receive treatment for their disorders. Treatment can come in two forms: natural and medicinal. People with anxiety disorders can choose whether they would like to address their anxiety with natural remedies, such as physical and mental stimuli, or with medications.
In this blog, we will talk about some natural remedies to ease your anxiety and how you can combat some of your anxious thoughts in healthy ways.

Anxiety Treatment Options

Anxiety can range from small thoughts to large, distracting impulses. As stated, anxiety has a spectrum of different disorders. For instance, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder that involves compulsive thoughts that cause anxiety. This form of anxiety can be treated with medication; however, natural remedies have also proven effective, such as physical exercise, crafting, and small distracting exercises.
Fear is at the base of most anxiety disorders and can cause people to make poor decisions. People with anxiety disorders are much more likely to develop addictive habits in order to cope with their anxiety. For instance, people with anxiety are much more likely to develop an addiction to nicotine than non-anxious people. In fact, 44.3 percent of all cigarettes are consumed by individuals with mental illnesses or even substance abuse disorders. Of course, this genre of treatment may help momentarily, but can have serious consequences down the road and even make your anxiety worse. The best way to treat your anxiety is to either speak with a professional counselor or find remedies to improve your mood in a healthy way.

Having Goals

For the goal-driven person, using goals to improve your anxiety can be a big help. For instance, if you are struggling with something that makes you anxious, setting goals for yourself to change your behavior is a great tactic. For instance, if you start to feel anxiety, you should take note about what is causing the anxiety and what ways you can reduce the anxiety. If you enjoy working your way to a goal, you can come up with ways to change your behavior to limit the amount of anxiety you are feeling.
Also, if you are a goal-driven person, you will want to document your progress and relapses. Anxiety is a mental disorder, which means so much of your daily life can affect the severity of your anxiety on any given day. For example, if something traumatic is happening in your life, or you are feeling down, your anxiety might be affected.
It is always a good idea to document your life and the level of your anxiety on a scale of one to 10. In your documentation, you should include the following information:

• Your Diet
• How Long You’re Sleeping at Night
• Your Exercise Schedule
• Your Work Schedule
• Your Social Schedule

You may think that all of this information is not relevant, but the opposite is true! Your diet, the amount you exercise, as well as your work and social schedules all play a huge role in your mental well being. If you are too far stretched at work, mapping out your workload can be a great way to manage your energy and time.
Also, how you feel about yourself physically goes miles in terms of your mental health. If you feel healthy, your brain too will most likely improve. Of course, the combination of these things won’t cure your anxiety, but it will dramatically reduce your stress.

Doing Things You Enjoy

Fulfilling your life is good for you, whether you have anxiety or not. Doing things you enjoy will lift your spirits and make you feel better about yourself. In many cases, people with anxiety choose to express themselves through artistic means. The use of art or writing can be an excellent, therapeutic way to relieve some of your anxiety symptoms.
For example, if you enjoy art, picking up a paintbrush can be a great way to relieve some of your stress. When you paint, you have control over the design and colors of the painting. People with anxiety can often feel that they have no control over their thoughts and feelings. However, creative pathways allow people with anxiety to become masters of their own work, which can provide them with a sense of security.
Even if you aren’t a formal artist, creating something can have therapeutic effects. After all, you aren’t painting or sketching for a gallery; you are going it to express yourself and what you are feeling. Having this sort of outlet can be monumentally helpful for people with mental disorders, like anxiety.

Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy has been proven to have a calming effect on people with anxiety. Whether you have had a stressful day or you are frustrated with something in your life, the smell of something soothing can relax your brain. Aromatherapy typically will use plants and herbs to create aromas that make people feel calm and relaxed. Although, this does not always mean that they will help. Aromas are an associative therapy, which means that if you associate the smell with a calming sensation, your brain will relax. But, there are other smells that you can associate with a calming sensation. For example, if you remember a certain smell when you were a child, the reintroduction to that smell can help keep your relaxed.
Aromatherapy doesn’t work for everyone, but it has been shown to help many people with anxiety. If you have a sensitive nose, you may want to choose a lightly scented candle or a humidifier scent to have in your home. This will provide your home with a soft, relaxing smell that won’t over-stimulate your nose. And, because most the anxiety you feel is likely to occur in your home, having these aromas around your living space can be advantageous.

Bouncing on a Trampoline

Physical activity is the best way to improve your mental state. Your brain is a complex network of synapsis and hormones. When you exercise, endorphins and hormones are released into your brain. If you struggle with your anxiety, being active is the best way to give your brain and body a boost of positive energy. Bouncing on a trampoline has been proven to help release the neurotrasnmitter, dopamine. Dopamine is the hormone associated with contentment and happiness. When you jump on a trampoline, the point at which you are highest in the air is when dopamine is released in your brain.

Rebounderz of Newport News

Rebounderz indoor trampoline parks are always available for you to use. We have trampolines that you can jump on to give your brain a much-needed dopamine boost. Coping with anxiety can be difficult, but luckily, there are many different things to do that can help manage your anxiety. If you or your child are struggling with anxiety, stop by your local Newport News Rebounderz.

Stay tuned for the second part of our blog series, as we discuss child anxiety and how Rebounderz can help!