Some Help!

[Welshchick1979]

Hi everyone, I suffer with anxiety for a few months now and i was wondering if anyone as any tips on what they take and do to reduce it! Ive been told to take Magnesium Citrate and B12 as anyone else been taking these? Also got told that calming tea and Lavender helps as well. Would be grateful of any tips to help me reduce my anxiety x

[Teafrenzy]

Passion flower. It's very, very calming. 5-HTP, but it takes a few weeks to kick in.

[metal4life]

Hi Welshckick!
The thing i use to calm is music, i get my headphones put them in and get through the war.

[fixmybrokenmind]

Magnesium and 5htp are great to start. Cognitive behavioural therapy is great too (https://ecouch.anu.edu.au/ is a great free website in which I am no way affiliated).

Metal I like the music suggestion works for me too often

[BlessedBackyard]

I second the suggestions of Passionflower, music, and CBT.

I can't swallow pills, so my supplement options are limited. I've been using a topical magnesium oil for a couple of months, but I can't tell if it's helped or not. It hasn't hurt, at least. I started taking B complex a few weeks ago, since I can open the capsule and pour the powder onto food. The first day, I was jittery but had more energy than I've had in months. I cut the dose in half for a few days while I adjusted and now take the full dose. I can definitely tell a difference, at least in my energy levels. I have bouts of depression alongside the anxiety, and increasing my energy has been helpful. I saw on one thread that B vitamins aren't recommended until anxiety is under control, but everything else I've read recommends B vitamins as one of the first supplements added for anxiety. Maybe the extra energy is a bad thing if you're already feeling jittery?

My favorite calming teas are chamomile or kava from Yogi. I also like a variety of herbal teas that support liver and digestion. My anxiety causes digestive issues, so I try to alleviate that as much as I can.

I'm a big fan of adaptogen herbs. I currently rotate eleuthero and ashwagandha every few weeks, though there are plenty of others. I mix some of the powder into food, but they come in capsules, too. They take a few weeks to make a difference, but they help the body handle stress (i.e. worrying).

Visualization exercises with relaxing instrumental music has been helpful for me. I hope you find what works for you!

[jones27]

Dr. Claire Weekes has been pretty helpful for me. I read two of her books and her methods are great.

[NoMorePanickingNow]

Passion flower. It's very, very calming. 5-HTP, but it takes a few weeks to kick in.

+1 on 5-HTP

[RoadToRecovery]

One of the best things you can do for yourself doesn't come in the form of a pill. It is simply this: deep diaphragmatic breathing and daily relaxation times.

Deep diaphragmatic breathing activates your parasympathetic nervous system, or the "calm response". This can help turn off your sympathetic nervous system, or the "stress response". Anxiety progresses into a disorder when we have behaving in an apprehensive manner for too long. The body becomes harmed and starts experiencing symptoms from the constant hormones your endocrine system pumps into your bloodstream when stressed.

Deep diaphragmatic breathing is a "silver bullet" if you will for immediately addressing stress. Not to say it will cure anxiety immediately, but faithfully practicing deep diaphragmatic breathing daily and daily relaxation times can go a long way to helping your body recover from anxiety disorder.

For daily relaxation times, I would recommend mindfulness or listening to relaxing music, or both. I like to listen to audio clips of ocean waves or crackling fire/rain falling for about a half hour twice a day. This has been instrumental in my recovery, and I have suffered mightily from anxiety disorder for over four years - it's been the most difficult thing I've ever had to fight, and I understand what you are going through. This has been very helpful for me and it will work for you too If you practice it faithfully and be patient as your body recovers.

Oh, by the way, I am not saying that supplements will not help. I actually take a daily magnesium pill as recommended by my therapist. But rarely will a pill alone help you to completely recover. I also take epsom salt baths with lavender ever now and then. This is another method I use as part of my "daily relaxation times".