how to beat anxiety without medication

[ddonaghey1989]

i have a fear of medication but im suffering with bad anxiety now for 10months. ive been slowly getting better but still a bit to go yet. ive been at counselling and take 10mg propranolol to stop my palpitations. how can i beat this without meds. if its a chemical imbalance will it fix itself? i dont take panic attacks but i mostly feel dizzy and spaced out and feel weak and have jelly legs this has been everyday. any advice would be appreciated. xx

[Edie]

There are definitely options beside medication. Counselling is good if you just need someone to talk to, but therapy might be a better option as it teaches you coping skills that you can continue to use in the long term. There can be long waiting lists, but the sooner you get on the list, the sooner you get to receive therapy. There are also books about different therapy techniques, which can be a good second best to working with a therapist who can tailor things to your individual circumstances. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a popular one and seems to be very effective, so it might be worth looking into. Your counsellor might also be trained in some therapy techniques and might be able to help you work on some things as well as just talk.

There is evidence that therapy can help correct the chemical imbalances that cause depression and anxiety. Therapy can really change your thought patterns and those conclusions we jump to. So even if the cause of your anxiety is more chemical, therapy can still be a good solution.

[theharvestmouse]

CBT and exercise are 2 ways of treating anxiety without medication, also yoga and meditation.

[Rennie1989]

Sorry to seem blunt but you said at the beginning that you have a fear of medication, yet you're taking propranolol. Could you elaborate on that please.

I've had a nasty time with medication, but don't take that as gospel that it happens to everyone, medication never worked for me. I take herbal remedies like Kalms to nip the high anxiety, especially if I need to work. I try to eat as healthily as I can, engage in my hobbies as much as I can (which is writing and knitting) and change the way I think. Instead of seeing a situation and thinking 'I can't do this' I think 'Right, how can I tackle this?'. I've been told by my CBT therapist that I have mild OCD so now I'm trying to change my mind from thinking 'Have I?' to 'I have.' It takes a lot of practise but it's worth the time and effort.

[Aquilega]

Well said Rennie ,I agree 100% with everything you say,I have stopped my medication it is very difficult because when your anxious you begin to think oh is it because I have stopped my tablets,but it is'nt,I to have light headiness and nausea plus ringing in my ears but when I go out or do something they mostly stop.This morning I have been down the town still feeling unbalanced and nauseous,not very nice but it had to be achieved,I have cut both of my big lawns and cleaned the pond out,its not easy in fact its very very difficult.medication never helped me over the years but it could help you,so please don't dismiss it out of hand.everyone is different.Good luck for the future my friend

[Rennie1989]

I've been on three different SSRIs and they all made me worse, not to mention the withdrawal symptoms. They caused me so many problems that I just don't want to go back on them again. They made me feel somewhat artificially happy and the time it takes for my body to get used to them takes too long and it interferes with my work (I need to be on full concentration and alert, meds don't let that happen). I never felt right on meds either, it's difficult to explain. At least without meds I feel more in control and I can recover from the anxiety myself, without the meds masking it.

The reason why your symptoms stop is because you're not thinking about them. It's a good thing to know because when you get the symptoms you know they won't last forever and mind power stops them :)

[NoPoet]

You can beat anxiety without medication, but if your anxiety is severe and/or getting worse, you should consider something like mirtazapine. Yeah it's a med, but it seems to be a better quality med than run-of-the-mill stuff that doctors normally prescribe. It's kind of a mood stabiliser, and because of its method of action, you might find you get no increase in anxiety or low mood but you may notice some benefits quite quickly.

Mirt does increase your appetite and it makes food taste amazing, so bear in mind you will definitely gain weight, but honestly, think about the best food you ever had and it's a pale shadow of how food can taste on mirt. Also you will be knocked out by your first few doses so take it straight before bed.

I love, love, love mirt and would never hesitate to recommend it. If I'd been put on mirt instead of citalopram back in 2009, all of the pain and suffering I went through would have been avoided. In fact the last time I had a blip on mirt was when I came off caffeine, so it wasn't even the medication's fault.

[ddonaghey1989]

rennie... im afraid of meds that make u feel sedated or ones that interfere with the chemicals in your brain. i was a nightmare starting the propranolol but they caused no side effects. thanks everyone for your help x