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Are you struggling with your mental health and wondering if therapy can actually help you?
As we all know, therapy can often come with a hefty price tag.
But what if you could get it at an affordable rate?
That’s right, affordable therapy is a thing!
But!
Can affordable therapy actually help you?
Let’s find out!
What Is Affordable Therapy?
Online therapy is quite similar to traditional face-to-face counseling sessions.
The key difference is that instead of meeting in person, all communication happens online from the comfort of your own home.
Affordable therapy usually comes in online packages or group sessions, so you can get mental health help on a budget. You have to make a few adjustments, like seeing your therapist over text, video chat, or phone calls.
So does it really work?
COVID-19 has had a huge impact on the way mental health professionals provide services. Many therapists successfully provided online help to patients during the pandemic.
A recent study published in the American Psychological Association found that nearly 67.32 percent of psychologists now prefer to do online therapies.
Why?
Because they can provide quality care ethically without having to have in-person meetings with patients.
How Does Online Therapy Work?
Online therapy can be a great way to get help without leaving the house.
But how does it work?
Here is what exactly happens in online therapy!
First, you need a computer or mobile device with an internet connection for online therapy, and you’re good to go.
Then, you’ll log into a website and chat with your therapist via video chat or text. This could involve phone calls, video conferencing programs like Skype or Zoom, or anything else you and your therapist find useful.
Pretty cool, right?
You can talk about any issues or problems that are going on in your life and discuss strategies for managing them better.
It might sound scary or uncomfortable at first, as you’ll be sharing personal feelings with a stranger.
But don’t worry!
All the therapists are professionals with a lot of training.
They make sure that everything runs smoothly and that your conversation stays private.
And you know, the authors of the popular book Ikigai found that interacting with other people is the key to a happy life.
They say people live longer and better lives when they feel supported.
Online therapy can give you a place to talk about your worries and concerns without feeling judged or ashamed.
People can get a better handle on their stress levels by identifying the root cause of these problems through affordable therapy sessions.
Financial benefits of affordable therapy
Online therapy costs are usually based on a flat rate or subscription fee.
There are no additional costs like transportation or childcare that come with a traditional in-person clinic appointment.
Many online therapists also work out of their own offices.
So they don’t have to rent space in expensive medical buildings.
Challenges of Affordable Therapy
Insurance
If you’re considering affordable therapy, it’s important to know if your insurance covers the cost.
The most reliable way to check is by calling your affordable therapy provider and speaking directly with them.
Ethical and legal concerns
Since there are no geographical limits, it is hard for therapists to follow the same legal and moral rules that apply to face-to-face therapy.
This means that therapists who want to do online counseling sessions must be aware of any possible conflicts with state laws or licensing requirements.
Confidentiality
There is a higher risk of data security breaches during online therapy sessions. This can be especially scary if you want to talk to your therapist about sensitive issues.
It’s important to choose a provider with a lot of experience who has strict privacy policies.
Lack of immediate response during the crisis
Online therapy could be dangerous for patients in a crisis because they can’t get immediate help.
It might be because therapists are really busy or have other commitments.
However, it can still feel like you’re not getting the support you need when you need it most.
Let me give you an example here.
Let’s say a patient has suicidal tendencies or other serious mental health problems that need immediate help.
Now, what if that patient can’t get in touch with a therapist who can give him support and advice right away?
It’s important to remember that therapists are doing their best to help as many people as they can.
But it’s also okay to reach out to in-person sources of support if you’re not getting the help you need.
Affordable couple’s therapy
If your relationship is going through a rough patch, you may wonder if couples therapy can help.
So, how can affordable couple therapy help your relationship online?
Couples can talk to an online couple therapist about any relationship issues like communication problems, worries about parenting, trust issues, and more.
Online couple therapists provide guidance, advice, and support through phone or video conferencing sessions.
Therapists can help partners learn how to resolve the issues.
For example, couples can get advice on how to talk to each other better, work out their differences, and deal with deeper problems like cheating or managing money.
How Can You Get Affordable Therapy Without Insurance?
One of the best ways to get affordable therapy without insurance is by exploring online options.
Many online platforms offer discounts and sliding-scale fees.
What do sliding-scale fees mean?
Sliding-scale fees allow individuals and families to pay what they can afford for counseling services based on their income. Clients can usually select a payment plan that works best for them with no questions asked.
So you can find an option that fits within your budget.
Another way to access affordable therapy without insurance is through organizations like community mental health centers and church-based counseling services.
Is online therapy effective?
The answer is yes!
Online therapy can be immensely effective for non-clinical conditions such as anxiety and depression.
It gives the same level of care and support as traditional face-to-face therapy, but you can get help from anywhere in the world.
Is online therapy effective for people with severe mental disorders?
Well, the answer is not so straightforward.
Recently, a study was done to find out how online therapy affects patients with severe mental disorders (like psychosis, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, etc) and their families.
The results show that online therapy can help families with mental health problems in many ways, making them feel less stressed.
Research also showed that when people got online therapy, the severity of their positive symptoms got better, and they went to the hospital less often.
There is still not a lot of proof that it works to treat more serious disorders.
This could be because people with serious mental conditions often need more intensive care that can’t be given in an online setting.
So, people with serious mental disorders can consider in-person therapies combined with occasional online sessions.
You must always do your research and choose the right online therapist, even for non-clinical conditions.
But what about the confidentiality risk?
Here is a solution!
According to Kati Morton, a certified therapist and YouTube sensation, creating a safe space for therapy is key.
Kati states that if we worry that someone is listening in on us, we won’t feel comfortable enough to fully open up and work through our issues.
Find out more about making the online sessions effective in this video!
There is no doubt that anxiety can be a horrible thing to deal with it but it is actually very common and there are ways that you can manage it and have a happy life. You might feel like you are being suffocated right now but that is not a feeling that will last forever. These anxiety tips have been put together with you in mind so start putting them into practice today, and you will notice a big difference in your mental health in no time.
1 – Take Care of Yourself
Sometimes when you get anxious thoughts, it can be easy to reach for things that are bad for you in order to try and feel better, but that is only going to make the anxiety worse. If you tend to comfort eat or drink too much alcohol to deal with your anxiety – stop and incorporate healthier habits into your life instead. Not only is it bad for you to over-indulge in unhealthy foods and alcohol, it can actually increase your anxiety. You may not realize it, but if you “treat” yourself to feel “better”, it can be a reinforcer for the anxiety since your mind knows that it will enjoy what comes after. Eating nutritious food and exercising regularly can be very beneficial for your mind as well as your body. These good habits will make you feel better in the long run. It’s all about switching your bad habits (we all have them!) for good ones.
2 – Keep a Journal
Overthinking and anxiety go hand in hand but that is not going to be beneficial if you are constantly turning things over in your mind. Journaling is one of the best tools for helping you deal with overthinking and ruminating. These thoughts need to go somewhere. If you have a lot that you want to get out, journalling can actually be super beneficial. Whether it’s as simple as writing your mood, about your day, or your worries – keeping a journal that you spend as little as 10 minutes writing in every single day can make such a positive impact on your life. Sometimes it even helps you to find out things you didn’t even realize were bugging you or on your mind until you end up writing it down with a flow of thought.
3 – Think Positive and Practice Gratitude
People with anxiety often get stuck in a negative mindset that can be extremely hard to break and get out of. It is really important that you start looking at things differently but that is easier said than done of course. A good way to get started in changing your way of thinking is to practice gratitude. You can write down one thing every day that you are grateful for or better yet, you can say it out loud as an affirmation in the mirror. It doesn’t have to be anything mind-blowing every day, it could be something as simple as your morning coffee but you have to think of something!
4 – Face Your Issues
If you have anxiety, it could be very broad or it could be about something in particular. Many people with the condition automatically want to run away from their problems but guess what? That will just make your anxious thoughts worse! Perhaps you are anxious about work or school; focus on these areas. If your anxiety is around your relationship or friendship, perhaps some tough conversations need to be had and some even tougher decisions need to be made. All of this isn’t going to be easy of course but look deep inside so that you can figure out what your internal issues are and try to deal with them in the way you know you need to.
5 – Find a Hobby that Makes You Happy
It is likely that you are in your head a lot and keeping yourself busy with something you enjoy is key if you want to start enjoying life again. You might already have a hobby but if not, find something that you really enjoy doing and focus on motivating yourself that way. That could be anything from running, dancing, writing, gaming, traveling, photography, or taking a class to learn something new. When you do something that you enjoy, your mood is instantly lifted and that is what you need right now. Starting a hobby and finding something that you are truly passionate about is not only good for your mental health in general, but it also helps reduce anxiety.
6 – Get an Anxiety Action Plan
Having an anxiety action plan is essential when anxiety becomes a regular occurrence in your life. When you are hit with anxiety, if you don’t have the right tools to manage it, you’re left with more anxiety and more stress. Being proactive is the best thing to do for yourself. Anxiety Action Plan is a great tool to use so you can go through the step-by-step program with an ebook and workbook. You deserve to be happy rather than fearing your next anxiety attack.
7 – Talk to Someone
It is so important that you do not leave your anxious thoughts festering inside you because this tends to make anxiety worse. Although sharing your worries isn’t always easy, it is important that you do it. Talk to friends or family members about your anxiety, somebody you truly trust to be there for you. For people struggling with anxiety, having a trusted professional therapist or counselor has been extremely helpful to many. There are many choices, including online professionals if you’re too busy to miss work or drive to appointments.
Conclusion
No matter how long you have had anxiety, there is always hope ahead. Trying to ignore the anxiety and the disruption it causes in your life usually compounds the problem so you are already headed in the right direction by searching for solutions. It can be a battle but it’s worth it to do the work and learn how to manage anxiety. Using the tips in this article will help and staying informed is always to your advantage.
Anxiety is something everyone has experienced at least once in their lifetime. But for some, it can become a real nightmare. As symptoms manifest themselves so intensely, it is normal to experience distress and a feeling of loss of control. However, it is possible to prevent and alleviate the onset of anxiety symptoms.
In this article, we share 14 tips to reduce anxiety naturally. Of course, if your anxiety disorder is severe, we encourage you to speak with a mental health professional.
But first, what is anxiety?
Anxiety is a defense mechanism that your body uses to alert you. It is usually due to an excessive worry that is manifested physically about some event that will occur in the future. It can indicate fear of uncertainty or situations that you feel you are not able to control.
In a nutshell, it is excessive, constant, and uncontrollable worry. An anxious person is always waiting for a catastrophe or an unforeseen event to spoil her day. Thus, she undergoes extremely tiring wear, both emotionally and physically, as she is always in a state of hypervigilance.
Unfortunately, many women experience anxiety in different ways. They are anxious all the time, and it becomes a routine. When this happens, it stops being a normal sensation and can become a disorder we call pathological anxiety.
Thus, the condition affects the life of those who have these sensations, impairing social and professional life and even being able to develop physical illnesses. Taking care of this problem is essential for having quality physical and mental health.
Ways to reduce anxiety
Anxiety can be controlled if you incorporate some habits into your routine, identify things that trigger you, and learn to deal with them in order to mitigate the damage an anxious state of mind can cause.
The following tips will help you a lot in this. Some of them seem to be quite obvious, but we tend not to notice them when anxious. Therefore, read each of the tips carefully and try to incorporate them into your daily life, both to avoid and alleviate anxiety and not to let it take on greater proportions.
1. Understand the cause of your anxiety
Before trying to control anxiety, the first thing is to locate its origin. Do you have a complicated test coming up? Are you going through a difficult time? Are you afraid of what may happen at your work? All of this can be the source of your anxiety. And by identifying them, you can act accordingly. In other words, to know how to control anxiety, it is necessary to locate it.
For example, if you were attacked by a dog when you were little, it is possible that being around one causes you to sweat, experience rapid heartbeat, and fear. And it is also possible that you are not fully aware that this is precisely what causes it. If you write down in your notebook that this has happened to you, you can easily identify it and remedy it. That way, you’ll be able to work around these situations with more experience and change some habits in the interest of it.
2. Try to organize your daily routine
Organization is the enemy of anxiety. When you organize your routine activities, you feel more at ease, as you already know in advance what will be done. Jotting down daily what will be done the next day or creating a weekly schedule can be good alternatives to get an idea of the concrete size of what needs to be done. But, even so, it is important to be aware of and know how to deal with the unforeseen events that usually appear along the way or during work hours.
3. Practice mindful breathing
Yes, it is true that you are breathing continuously. However, you may not get it all right. You should know that conscious and deep breathing helps you oxygenate your body and makes your emotions flow so that you can understand and accept them better.
To do this, you can practice different exercises with different durations. For example, you may breathe in for 4 seconds, hold the air in your lungs for 4 seconds, and expel it for 8 seconds. You may only notice a brief relief the first time, but if you repeat it several times, you will feel the relaxation you need.
To gain insight into when you are starting to get anxious, you will need to pay close attention to your emotions and your body’s reactions. For example, if you are shivering, sweating, nauseous, or have heartburn. Gradually, you will no longer be caught off guard by anxiety and will be able to use methods to calm yourself down.
4. Combat negative thoughts with positive affirmations
One of the most striking symptoms of an anxiety crisis is disconnected and negative thoughts. They flood the anxious person’s mind and increase anguish and fear. Because of them, you find it difficult to calm your emotional state.
One way to fight them is simply thinking about positive things, such as fond memories of family or loved ones. You can also make positive affirmations such as “It’s okay with me and around me” and “There’s nothing to worry about” repeatedly. Repeat these and other phrases until emotional and physical symptoms subside.
5. Learn to say no
Especially if you are an empathic person, getting involved in other people’s problems will only make your anxiety worse.
Being open and generous to others is a wonderful gift, but when you do it at the expense of your own well-being and take charge of their negativity, it can become extremely damaging.
Dedicating all your resources to others will leave you little energy to deal with your anxiety, and it will only increase. Furthermore, if you allow yourself to be overly influenced by the judgment of others and allow the opinion of others to define your worth, you will be a very easy victim of anxiety attacks. This doesn’t mean never to help anyone, but knowing your limits and not being afraid to say “no” when necessary.
6. Value affection and stay away from those who do harm
Your support network is essential for the control of anxiety and also in the treatment of any mental disorder. Having someone to count on, whether friends or relatives, strengthening ties and bonds, and valuing those close to you is very important.
Equally important is to stay away from very anxious or negative people, who can directly influence your emotional state. It may seem harsh at first, but this withdrawal will do you good in your quest for anxiety control and your mental health.
7. Do physical exercise
Did you know that you can reduce anxiety with exercise? After all, it is one of the best natural solutions to fight anxiety. This is because physical exercise has numerous benefits for physical and mental health. Choose the one you most identify with and try to practice it regularly. The exercises will help to control anxiety, as they release tension trapped in the body and provide well-being and relaxation due to the production of endorphins.
A walk outdoors or at home, running, dancing, swimming, and gym are some of the alternatives and are part of this fundamental combo of how to deal with anxiety and have a healthier and happier life.
8. Take control
Anxiety makes us feel out of control. But you need to know that you can’t always be in command of your life. What you need is to identify anxiety triggers and control them.
For example, if the thought of attending a party or social event causes you anxiety attacks, instead of running away from the situation and avoiding dealing with it, think about what you could do to get more control. You could go to the party alone, in your car, so that you know you can leave whenever you want without depending on others. Very often, these small tricks are enough to mitigate the worries.
If it is a school or work situation that is causing your attacks, design an escape strategy. Even if you will never implement it, it is incredibly beneficial to feel that the situation is in your control, and you can end it when you want.
Since anxiety works a lot on what-if scenarios, also make a list of everything that could happen if you put your strategy into action, including worst-case scenarios. Next to the latter, write how you could react to limit their effects or (even better) be foresight and prevent them from occurring.
This is an amazing exercise to get you back on the ground. Very often, you may even realize that the worst thing that could happen is actually not as bad as it seemed in your head.
9. Do a guided meditation
Guided meditations can help people in an anxiety crisis to calm down. You can either open a video in an app or download a meditation to listen to on your mobile in stressful situations. If you’re at home, log on to a computer and look for a guided meditation to calm yourself down.
These meditations are ideal for working concentration, relieving muscle tension, and calming the mind on the go. As the guide helps you relax with soothing words, you stop thinking about the symptoms of the crisis.
10. Practice visualization
Another method you can use to reduce anxiety naturally is positive visualization. In a quiet room, take a deep breath and imagine being in a calming environment. It can be a place you like, like a beach or a public park, or it can be a figment of your imagination. The important thing is that he transmits peace to you. Do this exercise for as long as it takes to feel good.
11. Limit alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana
All these substances are harmful when consumed in excess. Although they all seem to induce the person to a state of momentary relaxation, it doesn’t take long for the opposite effects to appear. Alcohol may leave you euphoric and then relaxed, but that feeling goes along with the drinking, and the next day, the anxiety can be quite severe. The same happens with marijuana, which, despite inducing relaxation, can even trigger anxiety and panic crises, worsening anxiety over time.
12. Look for distractions
Look for distractions in the room or in the public environment where you find yourself. Count the number of people or decorative objects present. Use short movements with your arms, hands, legs, or feet to distract your mind.
Another idea is to download therapeutic apps to distract you. Thus, you will always have a source of distraction for anxious moments. Sometimes a simple distraction is enough to calm the racing heart and calm the mind. When you focus on your malaise, it tends to grow out of control.
13. Find a hobby or a pleasurable activity
You need to have activities that bring you relaxation and interest, and one of these activities can come through hobbies. Today, it is possible to find and delve into a number of hobbies through YouTube videos and discussion groups on the topic in various media. Find your favorite activity and do it in your free time!
If you still haven’t found yours, set aside some time of the day or week to do something you really enjoy. This moment of relaxation with yourself is extremely valuable.
14. See a psychologist or psychiatrist
Investing in your mental health is one of the most beautiful forms of self-care. Those who look for these professionals do so with the aim of improving their quality of life. After all, these experts can help anyone to modify certain behaviors that can increase their well-being and improve their interpersonal relationships in a very positive way.
If you’re feeling overly anxious and aren’t sure what to do to soothe it, a psychiatrist or psychologist will be your best friend right now. Look for a therapist you connect with. You can explore an affordable therapy option here.
No one said that controlling anxiety was an easy task, but if you’ve made it this far and are able to follow some of these strategies, it will only be a matter of time before you realize how far you’ve gone to reduce anxiety naturally. We also recommend trying the following course bundle: Refine Your Life Purpose & Wellness Course Bundle It is a masterpiece that will surely help you understand the meaning and origin of the anxiety you are experiencing. We hope you enjoy reading!
Anxiety and stress are among the most common mental health problems that affect millions of people worldwide. Being a woman makes it even more challenging because there are so many antagonizing issues that we have to deal with. But it’s actually possible to craft a healthy life by finding the best ways to reduce anxiety and stress. It all revolves around your lifestyle and the choices you make. Some of the most effective ways to reduce anxiety and stress include:
1. Change your Diet
You can reduce anxiety without medication by changing your diet. Understand that stress and anxiety are complementary. So, if you are going to effectively manage one, the benefits will spill over and help you deal with the other.
For many women, the only time we tend to worry about what we eat is when we’re thinking about our waistline. However, the benefits of a good diet are beyond the numbers on a scale. Eating healthy meals can be great for your mental health by helping to ease the symptoms of stress and anxiety.
Did you know that there are stress-causing foods? Well, they mainly include edible products that are rich in sugar, artificial sweeteners, excess caffeine, alcohol, and processed carbs. If you want to have good mental health, then you should cut down or eliminate these food varieties from your diet.
To reduce anxiety and stress, you must consider food varieties such as:
Organ meats: if you can’t completely eliminate meat from your diet, then consider organ choices. This includes kidneys, liver, and heart from animals such as chickens and cows. They are good sources of vitamins and minerals such as folate, riboflavin, and B vitamins. All these are essential for stress control.
Fatty fish: consider varieties such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, and herring. They are rich in omega-3 fats and other nutrients that improve mood, promote a calming effect, and reduce levels of stress.
Blueberries: They are great for easing stress and anxiety due to their high amounts of flavonoid antioxidants. Blueberries have powerful neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects that help to protect you against depression, stress, or anxiety-related cellular damage.
Chamomile tea: while you can’t completely eliminate all drinks from your diet, you should only consider making healthier alternatives such as chamomile tea. It consists of a medicinal herb that helps to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. Its stress-reducing benefits also make it effective in promoting good sleep patterns.
Yogurt: it contains beneficial bacteria that have positive effects on the brain. Yogurt has strong anti-inflammatory effects on the body and this makes it effective in treating chronic inflammation related to stress and anxiety.
Dark chocolate: do you need something sweet to snack on? Well, dark chocolate is a great anxiety and stress reliever. It has been established that dark cocoa has mood-enhancing benefits. So, taking it can help reduce cell death, improve blood flow in the brain, and reduce neuroinflammation.
Vegetables: consider the likes of beets, kale, broccoli, spinach, and artichokes that have strong antioxidant properties and can help eliminate free radicals from the body.
Potassium-rich fruits: they are usually great sources of nutrients that help to reverse the harsh side effects of stress. This mainly includes bananas and pumpkin seeds.
2. Practice Relaxation Techniques
Mental healing and wellness usually start from the inside. Stress and anxiety are conditions that we can feel but sometimes it can be impossible to tell where exactly we feel discomfort. It’s about hormones and your feelings getting triggered and overworked. However, the dangers of these issues can be physical.
Besides that, the female body is usually subjected to a lot of extreme hormonal triggers. Dealing with monthly menstrual cycles, changes in environment, a difficult pregnancy, etc., are some of the issues that can lead to hormonal changes with serious side effects coupled with the troubles of our daily lives, all these can result in the development of chronic stress and anxiety
However, there are good relaxation techniques that can help minimize the symptoms of stress and anxiety. They include:
Deep breathing: This is a powerful relaxation method that simply requires you to focus on your breath. Start by finding a secluded place and then take long, deep, and slow breaths. This is usually known as belly or abdominal breathing. While breathing, ensure that your focus is within you and not other distracting thoughts. Slowly inhale the deep breaths and exhale for 10-15 minutes daily.
Meditation: this is an important aspect of mindfulness. Find a comfortable space to sit in and just focus on your breathing and focus all your attention on the present moment. Refrain from the need to drift your thoughts back to the past or shift them to the future. Be present, here and now.
Yoga: it’s a quite versatile relaxation technique. It can be regarded as a meditation technique or a method of exercising. There are many types of yoga, but the ones suited for dealing with stress and anxiety involve those with deep breathing, slow movements, and stretching.
Socialize: this is also a form of relaxation technique that you might know can have good mental health benefits. Set time aside to spend with family members and friends. Find a confidante who will listen to you without passing judgment. This will provide a natural and effective way to lower your stress levels and promote a calming effect. Generally, connecting with other people usually triggers the body to release a hormone that usually stops your fight-or-flight response.
Guided imagery: take time and find a quiet place where you can simply conjure those soothing scenes, experiences, and places that you love. You will find that guided imagery can help your mind to relax and shape your focus. It’s worth noting that there are many free apps that you can use to create these calming scenes. Just make sure that the imagery you want to recreate doesn’t trigger a stressful emotional response.
Biofeedback: take time and learn how to manage your blood pressure, muscle tension, and heart rate when you are stressed or anxious. Generally, biofeedback will give you the information that you need when you are trying to relax. You need to work with a therapist who will place sensors on different parts of your body to determine things such as your muscles’ tone and brainwave patterns.
3. Enroll in a Self-Help Course
Enrolling in a self-help course is one of the best ways to reduce anxiety and stress. Becoming the best version of yourself requires that you pull all strings so that you can grow. As a woman, there is a lot that may be going on internally and externally. However, enrolling in a self-help course can be great for your mental wellness.
Refine Your Life Course Bundle is one of the best programs that can help you refine and redefine yourself. The wellness bundle gives you a step-by-step guide on how you can become more empowered, effectively achieve your personal goals, and reach your highest possible potential.
Refine Your Life Purpose and Wellness Course Bundle features a total of 4 books. They all consist of actionable information that is vital in helping you become an accountable person, go for your goal, and avoid the need for procrastination.
The Healthy Body + Mind Handbook: You can use this book to develop healthy eating habits. Besides that, it has unique content on how you can map out a customized fitness plan that you can stick to.
The Ultimate Mental Health Guide: Understand different types of mental health issues and how you can manage them with various resources.
The Wellness Binder: When trying to reduce anxiety and stress issues, it’s important to document your feelings. Well, this course comes with coloring pages, journal prompts, and daily happiness routines among others.
Regine Your Life Workbook: Learn what is preventing you from making progress, set your goals, and then go ahead and accomplish them. Relight the spark within you and keep track of your habitual changes. You can only learn about all these and more from this workbook.
This cost-effective bundle allows you to build your confidence and start living a fulfilling life. The best thing is that you can enroll now to get started.
This course works perfectly with other anxiety and stress-reducing techniques. So, you can blend it with exercising, a healthy diet, and different meditation techniques among others.
4. Exercise
A healthy mind requires healthy physical well-being. Exercise isn’t just about the way things look. Implementing a good exercise routine will also do wonders for your mental health.
This doesn’t have to look a certain way. Here are some activities you can do to get moving.
Dancing
Yoga
Jogging
Swimming
Bicycling
Tai chi
Boxing
Gardening
Weightlifting
All these are engaging activities that involve physical and mental components. Exercising usually helps the body to release hormones such as endocannabinoids and endorphins. This helps to reduce inflammatory conditions, block pain receptors, promote relaxation, and improve sleep patterns. Some people usually experience a “high” euphoric feeling after working out.
5. Examine Your Beliefs and Values
There are beliefs that we follow but in a real sense, they are degrading. Beliefs such as “a woman’s place is the kitchen or to be a homemaker” are outdated. Sometimes you might end up feeling stressed while trying to fit your life into these beliefs but knowing very well that you want more for yourself.
Examine your beliefs and determine if they trigger your mental health or suit your current lifestyle. Do these beliefs perfectly reflect you as an individual? If not, set your personal values and follow them. Remember that this is your life, and you need to be confident, find an anchor to believe in, and then follow through with your dreams.
Be assertive with your needs. Make it clear that a “No” means “NO”. Place strong boundaries that everyone should respect without expectations. This way, you will find that more of your energy is focused on building yourself rather than dealing with stress caused by other people who have clearly failed to respect you and meet your expectations. Remember that you shouldn’t tolerate disrespect as this will quickly mess with your self-esteem.
6. Set Your Goals
There is a lot of pressure that comes with being a woman. If you are not careful, then you might succumb to goals and expectations set by other people. You don’t want children in your 20s because you are pursuing your goals? Well, go ahead and do it.
Do you want to get a Ph.D. by the time you are 35? Well, it’s not too late. Simply sit down and set realistic goals as well as expectations.
Taking care of your mental health should be a choice that you make every day. The above strategies are ways to reduce anxiety and stress. Remember that you need to take care of your body for it to take care of you. Eat healthy meals, work out, engage in relaxation techniques, and even enroll in a self-help program. The Refine Your Life Course Bundle will help you learn more about yourself and within no time you will notice significant growth.
Everyone feels low sometimes. The lows people feel are often related to something bad happening at work or home or even just the general blahs. It’s the little things or even nothing at all that can bring about the blues every now and then. Sometimes those lows can seem continuous and even become a rut. When this happens frequently, things feel pointless and it’s hard to feel happy. If this becomes severe enough, it may be diagnosed as major depressive disorder.
But most people aren’t dealing with depression. Most people are dealing with the blue moods of everyday life. And if these lows are happening to you, you may want to create habits that fight the lows before they even occur. You can create a blues-beating schedule every day.
What Is a Blues-Beating Schedule?
A blues-beating schedule is a way of scheduling mood elevating habits into your daily life. Sometimes these are tiny things and sometimes they’re bigger, but they all work together to lift your mood. It’s important to realize that while a whole day is outlined below, you don’t need to do every activity in order to feel its effects. Even just adding one or two activities to your day can make a difference.
A Blues-Beating Schedule
(Note that times are approximate but used for illustration.)
7:00 a.m. – Wake up and don’t hit the snooze button.
One of the things that can bring about a low mood is not sleeping well and one of the things you can do to improve your sleep is to wake up at the same time every morning. This means not hitting the snooze button and waking up at the same time every morning, even on the weekends. While this sounds difficult, over time it becomes easy. Doing this will help regulate your circadian rhythm – your sleep-wake cycle and improve your sleep at night. This improved sleep will make waking up easier. Try to make sure you have eight hours of time you can devote to sleep every night.
7:10 a.m. – Take a moment to breathe or even meditate.
Many people find that relaxation or breathing exercises in the morning can set the tone for the day. A short meditation – even just five minutes – can do this too. If you choose breathing exercises, place your hands on your belly. Make sure you stand up straight, feet firmly planted on the floor and breathe slowly and as deeply as possible. If you’re doing it right, you should see your hands moving out and in as you inhale and exhale.
While you’re relaxing, breathing, or meditating, try setting a positive thought for the day. It can be something you’d like to accomplish or just something that is generally positive. This can help put you in the right mindset to take on the day.
7:30 a.m. – Eat a healthy breakfast
We all know that our body runs on fuel and yet we often neglect to give it the fuel it needs to run well. But don’t worry, you don’t need to even turn on the stove to make this happen. If you’re not sure what to eat, try overnight oats to make your morning run smoothly and feel full for hours.
A basic recipe for overnight oats is the following.
Combine in a container with a sealable lid:
1/3 cup milk (non-dairy works, too)
1/3 cup coconut milk
1/3 cup yogurt of your choice
1/2 cup rolled oats
2 tbsp. maple syrup
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
Put the lid on the container and shake to combine. Leave in the fridge for at least three hours before eating.
That’s just the basic recipe, it’s even better when you jazz it up with berries (frozen work well here as they are less expensive and thaw overnight) or even flax or chia seeds for extra texture, flavor, and nutrients.
Note here that while a cup of coffee might be a great pick-me-up in the morning, having more than one or two cups can actually increase anxiety in a person.
Noon – Eat a healthy lunch.
Some people don’t take the time to eat a healthy lunch and that is a mistake. It’s hard for your body to maintain a good mood when it’s hungry all the time. Now is the perfect moment to take time away from your work eat slowly and mindfully and enjoy every bite. Make sure to include protein in your luck and avoid processed foods and sugar, if you can, to avoid that mid-afternoon energy slump. You can also choose to chat with your coworkers now if that’s something you like to do. Adding a social component to your workday can also help beat a low mood.
12:30 p.m. Go for a walk.
After you’ve eaten your lunch don’t just go back to your desk, try going for a walk outside instead. Connecting with nature and getting some fresh air can go a long way to beating the blues and so can getting a little exercise. While a 30-minute walk may not feel like much, it’s infinitely better for your physical and mental health than being still or sitting all day. In fact, if you walk for 30 minutes a day, you’re much more likely to lose five pounds over the course of a year rather than gain them (as the average American often does). Yes, vigorous exercise is great for your mood too, but if that’s out of reach right now for any reason, a walk can do in its stead.
5:30 p.m. – Get social.
If you’ve spent all day with coworkers, clients, kids, or solo, it’s time to make a social connection of your choosing. Phone a friend. Chat. Make plans for the weekend. Decide how you’re going to maintain or make new social connections. These connections can help defeat a low mood and deserve your attention on a daily basis.
6:30 p.m. – Eat a healthy dinner.
Now take the time to make and eat a healthy dinner. Make sure you’ve got lots of leafy greens on your plate. Also, this is the perfect time to make sure you’re eating your omega-3s. Omega-3s are fatty acids that are required by your brain and ensuring you eat enough of them can improve your mood. You can find omega-3 fatty acids in cold water, fatty fish like salmon, and as well as in nuts and seeds among other things.
Just like with lunch, try to mindfully eat. Don’t wolf down your food while zoning out in front of the TV – that will make it more likely that you’ll overeat. Rather, eat slowly and enjoy good conversation, if that’s available to you. Sometimes a good book can make great company at the table too.
10:00 p.m. Wind down.
Now it’s time to set the scene for a good night’s sleep. One way to increase the chances of a good night’s sleep is to develop a sleep routine. A sleep routine is simply activities that you repeatedly do at night before you go to bed. Developing a routine before bedtime trains your brain to sleep as part of the routine. It makes getting to sleep easier in the long run.
Your sleep routine should include getting away from all screens. The light coming from screens can activate the part of your brain that signals wakefulness and alertness. Reading a book with a task light is a perfect activity during this time.
Other things that could be part of a sleep routine might be taking your dog for a walk, practicing yoga, meditating, doing relaxation or deep breathing exercises, brushing and flossing your teeth, taking a shower, cleaning the kitchen, journaling, etc. Anything that is quiet and gentle is a good activity to choose. Some people also like to make note of three things for which they are grateful that day during this time. (You can do this in a journal specifically for that purpose if you choose.)
11:00 p.m. Go to sleep.
Just like you need to wake up at the same time every day, you need to go to bed at the same time every night as well to get quality sleep. This benefits your circadian rhythm and mood. Other tips to get a good night’s sleep include:
Make sure your bedroom is at a cool temperature.
Make sure your bedroom is pitch black (or use a sleep mask).
Avoid shift work, if possible.
Make sure your mattress, sheets, and pillow are all comfortable.
Also, don’t use your bedroom for anything other than sleeping and sex (never work). This trains your brain to associate that room with sleep. This will help you get to sleep more easily when you lie down in bed.
Any time – Get help when you need it.
While it doesn’t need to be mapped to a specific time, make sure to reach out for help for a low mood if you need it. A blues-busting schedule is great, but it won’t help everyone, and if you find your mood is getting worse instead of better, it’s time to seek out the help of a professional. A medical doctor such as your family doctor, or a psychologist are great people to seek help from. Remember, it’s easier to fix a small problem than it is to fix a large, ongoing one, so get help sooner rather than later. Also, remember that it shows courage – not weakness – to acknowledge the need for help. We all need a helping hand sometimes and that’s okay.
Natasha Tracy B.Sc. is an award-winning writer, speaker, and consultant who lives with bipolar disorder. She is a mental health thought leader and subject matter expert in bipolar disorder. Natasha has written 1000s of articles on mental health around the web and is the author of two award-winning blogs: Bipolar Burble and Breaking Bipolar.
Feeling Anxious? Here Are 10 Ways To Naturally Alleviate Your Anxiety To Start Feeling Yourself Again
Decisions.
Most people make decisions by adding more to their life.
‘I must do this…’
’I must do that..’
‘If I can just do xyz, my life will be better…’
But, take a step back for a second. If we dig into the word ‘decision’, we learn it’s a Latin word that means ‘to cut off’. And if you think about it, that makes sense.
Why? Well, a closely related word ‘incision’ means something similar:
“Incision: The action or process of cutting into something”
So with that in mind, in order to reduce and even eliminate our anxiety, the first step is to make a decision to remove (or ‘cut off’) the ‘triggers’ that may be causing it to creep up on us in the first place.
However, we’re all different. What causes my anxiety might be different from what causes yours.
So, as you learn more about yourself and what causes your anxiety, it’s important to note what things you should stop doing – both in terms of reducing your anxiety right now, and preventing it from happening in the first place.
It’s basically impossible to move forward with relieving your anxious thoughts without digging a little deeper and focusing on the root of the problem.
10 Things You Should Stop Doing If You Have Anxiety: As you learn more about yourself and what causes your anxiety, it’s important to note what things you should stop doing when you’re feeling anxious.
These certain things contribute to your anxiety and weigh you down.
It’s basically impossible to move forward with relieving your anxious thoughts without digging a little deeper and focusing on the root of the problem.
10 Things You Should Stop Doing If You Have Anxiety
It starts with realizing the bad habits you’ve become accustomed to and changing them. We all have our own ways of thinking and triggers that make us anxious.
Below are some of the most common things that people do that make their anxiety worse and how you can start putting an end to them today.
#1 Avoidance
If you get anything from this post, please try to remember this: avoiding things that make you anxious will only result in you feeling more anxious.
In short, stop avoiding what’s right in front of you. This is giving your anxious thoughts exactly what they want. It causes you to isolate yourself and ignore all signs that you’re struggling or need help.
Examples of avoidance are:
Drinking at a party to make social interactions more tolerable
Being on your phone in a public setting to avoid eye contact
Calling in sick to work on a day you have to give a speech
Avoiding things can cause you to isolate yourself. And isolation makes it difficult to build strong relationships with people. When you become isolated it is also a lot harder to reach out to people when you desperately need it.
#2 Trying to fight your anxiety
Your anxiety doesn’t have to be your best friend. But it also doesn’t have to be your ultimate nemesis either.
It’s possible to find a happy medium with anxiety. That means that you’re able to get through the day without a panic attack or breaking down.
Stop trying to fight away your anxious thoughts and feelings. They are there for a reason. Instead, you can work on figuring out what’s causing your anxiety in the first place.
This is honestly what causes most of my anxiety. I’m a people pleaser and care way too much what other people think.
When I used to get home from work each day, I would quickly think over in my head how the day and each conversation went. I overthink SO much!
But, something that has helped is practicing mindfulness. Mindfulness slows down your thoughts and allows you to be more in the present moment instead of worrying about things you can’t control.
You learn to accept your thoughts instead of trying to fight them all of the time. This helps reduce anxiety and calms you down.
There’s a cycle that starts when you become anxious. Anxiety is caused by feeling worried and stressed by certain things in your life.
Then, being anxious & stressed all the time leads to feeling fatigued and burnt out.
When you reach burnout mode, taking care of yourself goes out the window.
This is when we tend to reach for the comfort food and do whatever we can to get by. We ignore our needs in order to survive.
It’s time to put a stop to this! You’re the only one who can end the cycle.
That starts with deciding to put yourself first and making a daily commitment to do something that benefits you in some way. If you need help creating habits to take care of yourself, check out this 30-day self-care plan.
#5 Drinking too much caffeine
I love coffee almost as much as my dogs… but with that comes its own limits.
You can have caffeine. But work on limiting it to one or two cups a day (preferably first thing in the morning).
Caffeine screws up with your sleep schedule if you drink too much of it at night. And a lack of sleep leads to higher anxiety levels.
#6 Self-sabotaging yourself
Stop tearing yourself down! You’re not a failure because you have anxiety.
Try to let go of trying to be perfect and stop that inner critic in your head.
Anytime you hear a negative voice in your head saying you’re not good enough, counteract it. For every bad thought you have about yourself, make it a challenge to find something good about yourself.
Try to even out the playing field a little bit.
#7 Drinking alcohol
Drinking should be an occasional thing, like for birthdays or holidays.
This is especially true if you’re currently taking anti-depressants to help with your anxiety. Alcohol lowers your serotonin level. This means it’s basically reversing any positive side effects your medicine is giving you.
And I’m sure you’d rather wake up in the morning feeling refreshed instead of groggy and irritated.
#8 Falling into a deep negative thinking trap
Mental health professionals call this type of thinking “rumination”. Basically, you have repetitive negative thoughts going on in your mind.
These thoughts turn into problems that never get solved. Constant negative thinking causes you to start feeling like a victim in your life. You can end up feeling like you’re not worthy of anything.
This negative thinking trap is also where you develop high levels of anxiety. You start to worry about a specific outcome of a situation before it even happens.
Rumination is a difficult thing to overcome, so don’t expect it to happen overnight.
Talking to a therapist or a professional can help you walk through these thoughts and finally move forward.
#9 Black or white thinking
It’s either all or nothing, there’s no in-between. Well, when you have anxiety there has to be an in-between.
Black or white thinking leads to procrastination. It makes you feel like everything has to be perfect or else it’s not worth trying.
Try to work on finding the gray colors throughout your day. Try to lower your expectations. This doesn’t mean you have to settle for less, it just means you won’t get disappointed so easily.
If you have a test coming up that you need to get an A on, work on expecting a B. Or if you hate change in your life, accepting the fact that change will happen is a grey area.
Letting go of black-and-white thinking means you are learning to accept things the way that they are, without feeling disappointed in the process.
#10 Assuming
Assumptions hurt everyone involved. When you assume your boyfriend wants to take you out to dinner, but he assumes you’ll cook dinner at home, a fight is getting ready to boil.
The main way you can get rid of assuming is by communicating better. If you think a co-worker is upset with you, be upfront and ask them.
Or if you assume your boyfriend is taking you out to dinner, shoot him a quick text to double-check.
Lastly, if you do jump to conclusions, forgive yourself and everyone involved.
It’s so easy to get frustrated and blow up on somebody because you assumed something different in your head.
Take a few deep breaths and recognize what went wrong, then focus on moving forward. This will help reduce anxiety levels.
Moving Forward
When it comes to changing your negative thoughts, avoidance, or assuming things, these habits are difficult to change.
Typically, these habits were formed long ago, when you were a kid. Based on how others treated you, you started to believe certain things about yourself.
My point is, that it won’t be easy to change old habits, but you definitely can do it. I just want you to be patient with yourself and realize that improving your mental health is a lifestyle change.
It won’t instantly happen, but the more work you put into it, the less anxious you will feel and the happier you will become.
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A basic recipe for overnight oats is the following.
Now it’s time to set the scene for a good night’s sleep. One way to increase the chances of a good night’s sleep is to develop a sleep routine. A sleep routine is simply activities that you repeatedly do at night before you go to bed. Developing a routine before bedtime trains your brain to sleep as part of the routine. It makes getting to sleep easier in the long run.
