5 Drug-Free Ways to Conquer Anxiety

Anxiety is the Milo Yiannopoulos of all illnesses: it doesn’t listen to logic. It doesn’t care about your feelings. It’s just me, me, me, me, ME!

It’s annoying as hell and really hard to control. Nearly 18 percent of U.S. adults in the past year have dealt with some level of anxiety. That’s a lot of people dealing with a disorder that’s either genetically inherited or comes from psychological and environmental factors. (Yes, your abuela telling you that you’re getting fat counts as a psychological factor.)

But information is power. The more you know about anxiety, the harder you can fight back. Which sometimes includes medication — and that is a-okay! If your doctor recommends it and you agree, then mazel tov. You’re not weak or a bad person. It’s just what your body needs. (Can you feel me trying to remove the stigma for you?) Medicine is a choice made between you, your doctor — no one else. This is a situation where it really pays to do you.

[article_ad]

But if doing you feels like it needs drug-free options, there are plenty to choose from. Personally, I use these five tips below (and a few black tourmaline crystals in my bra for extra vibrational balance) to move through anxiety much faster. Check them out:

Get A Therapist

Look — you don’t talk to your mother to learn Photoshop. Or call a friend to fix cavities. You get expert help. And when it comes to your mental health, a therapist is no different. I see a CBT therapist who is all about helping you understand the way your mind works and training it to respond differently to situations. After a year, my panic attacks have gone from 3 weeks long to about 2 or 3 hours at a time, and has been the best remedy for healing my anxiety issues. It make take a few tries to find the right one, but it’s one of the most recommended options amongst experts.

Write It Out

Sometimes the anxiety comes in like a tornado and needs emergency stabilization. In this case try using a thought log. A common tool used amongst therapist, thought logs are ways to help you look at what’s upsetting you and to consciously inject some thoughts that stabilize the anxious emotions. There are many versions online, but this chart always helps me bring the namaste quickly.

Self-Hypnosis Apps

Here me out — this could work! Hypnosis is a way to relax your mind, and let your brain receive positive information. So often, we don’t change a behavior, because we constantly thinking “I can’t!” And we rarely say the words, “Yes, I can.” Self-hypnosis can help with that. These apps, will help your mind get into a state of relaxation, quiet the automatic negative thoughts, and allow you to receive the positive messages that can help lose weight, calm anxiety, heal a breakup and more. Give the Joseph Clough ones a try in the app store.

Physical Exercise

This is a recommendation that no one likes, but everyone knows it’s good for them. Psychologists say that even a 10-minute walk can be just as good as a 45-minute workout when it comes to anxiety. So no excuses — find a way to move your butts. It’s good for you: mind, body, and soul.

Own It

When a situation makes you feel uncomfortable — saying it out loud can bring fast relief. A simple “I’m anxious AF RN” in a text message has gotten me out of commitments that stressed me the hell out. My friends no longer pressure me to stay out late or join them in crowded places. I tell people how I’m feeling, that I need to retreat and recover, and that I love them and will talk when I feel better. Speaking your truth (and then putting your phone in airplane mode) really does wonders.