I HATE ANXIETY. And I have spent many hours trying to answer the question for myself, “Can anxiety be cured?” When I realized that this horrible feeling was ‘anxiety’ all I could think about was how to make it stop. I wouldn’t wish this feeling on my worst enemy.
Everyone will experience anxiety from time to time. It is a normal human emotion. The demands and stress of life in general can make anxiety more frequent. But it is important to know that their is a difference between normal anxiety and a condition like social anxiety disorder or obsessive-compulsive disorder. If anxiety is affecting you or someone you know, it’s important to learn the difference.
In answer to the question, no, anxiety can not be cured. But don’t stop reading. Let me explain why this is true and how this will help you with any struggles that you might be having. By sharing my experiences and knowledge with I hope you will have a better understanding of anxiety. At the end of this post I will also share the three things that have made the biggest impact on my personal struggles with anxiety.
Simply put – anxiety is a normal reaction to stress. In some situations, it can be a good thing. Anxiety motivates you to do more or it can warn you when you’re in a dangerous situation. It tells you to sit up and take notice of what is going on around you — it puts you into fight or flight mode. The issue with anxiety is that sometimes our brain ‘thinks’ we are in a dangerous situation when the reality is something different. Our thoughts of what ‘might’ happen or what things ‘could’ be become so real in our minds that the feeling of fear becomes very real to us.
If your anxiety is so intense or excessive and becomes debilitating in your daily life; this is not normal. Disclaimer – I am not a doctor and am sharing what I have learned through my own struggles with anxiety, visits to doctors and my therapists. If anxiety is having a debilitating effect on your life find a professional to help. Click here to find help in your area.
The good news about anxiety is that it isn’t something we genetically inherit or an illness or disease we contract. Anxiety is something we create. Anxiety is not felt until we start to behave apprehensively. This behaviour can then cause to become overly stressed and cause many different symptoms. It is something that our minds create to help keep us safe, remember?
So… to answer the question can anxiety be cured – On a very simple terms, no. Anxiety will always be a part of our existence. However, we can, over time, learn how to not let it control us. It means that we just need to unlearn the behaviours that you have learned from stress. And though it is a simple idea – the actual task, is incredibly difficult.
You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.
An important cure for anxiety is understanding what it is, knowing how it affects your mind and body and getting the appropriate tools that work for you. With anxiety, knowledge will put you in a place of power. Learning about your anxiety will help to feel more in control. Most anxiety attacks come when we loose control of our thoughts and reactions. And feeling out of control is a horrible feeling for anyone. Understand that you will not find a miracle quick-fix cures to eliminate anxiety completely. Trust me, I have looked. I have spent countless hours on the internet and more hours than I know with doctors and specialists hoping to get rid of this horrible feeling.
Please, don’t loose faith. The good news is that there are many methods, medications, herbs, vitamins, and different remedies that can help to minimize your symptoms. Remember – none of them will cure anxiety. Because anxiety is a normal human feeling. Finding what treatment works for you will reduce symptoms, and make life more enjoyable again. Figuring out what works for you make you stronger when dealing with this feeling.
Here are the 3 things that have helped the most with my anxiety struggles. I know they can help you, too.
1 – MOVE. Stretch, do yoga or walk but don’t lay down and wallow. Wallowing is a habit that tells your body tit is ok to stop fighting and let the anxiety take over. It is so easy to curl up and freak out – it is so easy to lay down and do nothing but it won’t make you stronger. The goal with anxiety is to find ways to fight back when the anxious feelings start. Get moving when you are NOT feeling anxious. Every single day for a minimum of 20 minutes. In order to create a new habit, it has to be daily. If this is too much right now – start with 5 minutes.
When moving becomes an easy habit to do when you are not in a state of flight or fight – you will notice it easier to do when that feeling starts. After working on this for the last six months, I can honestly say it works. Stress starts to build and I am able to force myself to go for a five minute walk. Rain or shine. The fresh air and increased heart rate helps to diminish the anxious feelings.
I know that anxiety might be keeping you in the house. Though I have never suffered from social anxiety, it has kept me from wanting to go out of the comforts of my home. Look on google and find some things that you can do without having to leave the safety of your house. Here is a very easy yoga routine that you can do at home. This has been one of my personal favourites. A Relaxed & Calming Flow To Clear Your Mind
#2 – CUT BACK ON CAFFEINE AND ALCOHOL. I didn’t want to believe this. By no means did I drink much of either beverage. I didn’t think the small amount I consumed was having any effect on my anxiety but boy, was I wrong. Caffeine is an upper and alcohol is a downer. They both can kick your anxiety into over drive. I used to have two cups of coffee every morning. Enjoying a glass of wine or two with dinner a few nights a week. In my own personal experiment, and to support a friend with her no drinking Read her blog 100 Days Alcohol FreeI decided cut out all my alcohol for 30 days. I also switched to one cup of decaf coffee a day. Within just two weeks my anxiety was cut in half! And, the best part for me was that when I did start to feel anxious, I would get to a 3 or 4 out of 10 instead of my usual 6 or 7.
Hate to be the bearer of bad news but caffeine can also be in tea, chocolate, some headache medicines and diet pills. Yes, diet pills. Caffeine has been used in diet pills and supplements for decades as a weight loss aid. When caffeine is added to aspirin or acetaminophen, effects increase by approx 40%. Caffeine contains “vasoconstrictive” properties that cause the blood vessels to narrow and restrict blood flow.
I mention headache medication and chocolate because they are often treatments we use for anxiety. My head felt foggy and uncomfortable so I would just pop someTylenol. Stressful days felt better with a dark chocolate bar melting in my mouth. Both of these may have offered a short reprieve but in the end, might have been making my anxiety worse.
#3 – LEARN TO BREATHE. Ugh. It seems so silly to write this down but I know that for most of us suffering from anxiety this is important. It made me angry when people suggested this to me. “Seriously? I am alive so I must be breathing, give me a break.” Try to just stop right now and for 5 minutes do nothing but sit and focus on your breath. Keep you thoughts still and only think about your breathing. Not that easy is it?
Most of us do NOT breath properly. Even people who don’t suffer from anxiety. Over time, aging, fear and stress cause us to hold our breath and we shift from belly breathing to upper chest breathing. This is very inefficient and breathing like this doesn’t get enough oxygen into our lungs. Don’t believe me? Watch a baby when it take a breath… observe how a human being breathes when they have NOT learned the habits of fear and stress. Babies instinctively breathe using their diaphragm. Their belly rises and falls gently with each breath.
Just like you need to practice moving when you are not stressed, the same is true for your breathing. Make time every single day to just focus on your breath for five minutes. This can take many forms. I use the breath feature on my Apple watch. A lot of people suggest mediation or yoga techniques. Find something that works for you. Check out this great article on How to Breath Properly
I wish with all my heart that I could cure your anxiety. Though I have a better handle on my personal struggles with it, anxiety still plagues me just about every day. Know that you are not alone and you can make it better. As I said earlier, it is not going to be an easy process. But taking just 5-10 minutes every day will help you to build a stronger foundation.
