Natural Remedies for Anxiety and Depression

Posted July 3, 2020

It is normal to experience anxiety at any point in life. Anxiety is characterized by breathlessness, uneasiness, heart-pounding, and more. Depression is also a regular occurrence at one point in life. However, Some individuals experience more intense anxiety and major depressive disorder.

These emotions will affect how you normally function. Individuals usually experience negative feelings and thoughts that affect their behavior. People are naturally inclined to try and alleviate these feelings. They tend to adopt coping mechanisms such as alcohol, which can easily cause alcohol addiction. Moreover, some people market herbal supplements and claim that they will naturally cure depression and anxiety. These are highly tempting solutions, but they are usually far from natural and only cause further problems. Some of the natural supplements individuals take are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

Ensure you get a doctor’s subscription or consent before you take any supplements or medication. Apart from supplements, you can get medication for depression and anxiety. However, it is also good to try natural remedies first.

Signs of Depression and Anxiety

Depression and anxiety in men and women vary because they usually undergo different struggles. Signs of depression in men and symptoms of depression in women may differ, but there are some similarities. They include:

Unprescribed drug use
Change in eating habits
Loss of interest in hobbies and daily activities
Change in sleeping patterns without explanation
Suicidal thoughts and attempts

1. Exercise

Your body releases endorphins when you exercise. These are good hormones that can help minimize feelings of depression. Exercise also helps when you experience anxiety as a result of stressful circumstances like quitting smoking. Furthermore, exercise helps you to develop a positive mindset.

One can also engage in relaxation exercises. Have you ever noticed that when someone is anxious or depressed, they usually clench and relax a muscle? You can consciously engage in some relaxation exercises. First, lie down in a comfortable position. Start constriction and relaxation of each muscle group. Do it slowly and start from your toes.

2. Meditation

Use meditation to slow racing thoughts. You can meditate in many ways. For example, you can use mindfulness-based meditation. Alternatively, you can meditate during yoga, which provides a mix of meditation and exercise.

3. Writing

Writing is a way to express your anxiety. You can try journaling to cope with anxiety. Creative writing, such as poetry, also helps, especially among teens and children. Express the thoughts you are struggling with to make anxiety more manageable.

4. Cannabidiol Oil

Cannabidiol oil is also known as CBD oil. It is a product of the marijuana or cannabis plant. CBD oil does not possess tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is common in other cannabis products. THC is responsible for the euphoric or ‘high’ feeling. Products with THC can easily lead to marijuana addiction.

5. Eat Healthily

Food does not suddenly cure depression. Some individuals overeat to cope with depression. Some foods will ease depression but not cure it. They include foods that have omega-3 fatty acids like salmon and foods rich in folic acid like spinach.

6. Get Enough Sleep

It is hard to get enough sleep when you are depressed. However, you can employ some measures to get more sleep. They include:

Exercise often, but not before you sleep.
Do not use electronics in your bedroom.
Set a routine sleeping time.

7. Spend Time With Animals

If you are not allergic to pets, they can help ease depression and trauma. Pets offer love, companionship, and support. If you are allergic to fur from cats, or dogs, try other pets like crickets, turtles, fish, or more.

8. Get Out More and Stay Connected

Human connection is essential for your well being. Loneliness can easily lead to depression and anxiety. You can combat loneliness if you:

Spend more time with your spouse or kids
Interact more with neighbors
Reconnect with people
Make new friends

9. Try New Things and Have Fun

Drugs do not fall under new things. However, try to cultivate new interests. For example, you can learn a new language, go to the museum, read a book, and more. You should also try to enjoy your new and previous interests to have fun.

Depression and Anxiety Treatment at AmHealth Behavioral

AmHealth Behavioral is an organization that offers all levels of drug, alcohol, and co-occurring disorders treatment. We have five main programs that guide patients’ recovery process. They include:

1. Detoxification

Our team of professionals will help you remove all substances and toxins from your body. We assess our patient’s bio-genetic metabolic profile to customize this process. These services are available at our Novo Detox facility.

2. Residential Inpatient

Our residential program addresses your physical and psychological needs to provide a caring and nurturing environment. We offer residential inpatient treatment at our 310 Residential facility.

3. Partial Hospitalization

Patients who complete or do not need residential inpatient treatment. You gain various skills to cope with addiction. Our 310 Residential and Overland Intensive Outpatient facilities offer partial hospitalization services.

4. Intensive Outpatient

Intensive outpatient lets you continue with recovery treatment while attending your regular duties like work or school. Our Overland Intensive Outpatient is dedicated to offering intensive outpatient treatment.

5. Sober Living

Sober Living is a program for individuals who complete or do not need residential inpatient services. The BluffSober Living facility offers a sober living residency for AmHealth Behavioral.

Final Thoughts

Anyone can experience anxiety or depression at any given point. However, coping mechanisms are different. The coping mechanism you choose will have a major impact on your recovery path. Some decide to choose alcohol and drugs as a coping mechanism. However, this will only lead to more complications. You will easily develop an addiction and a co-occurring disorder.

Other individuals will rely on supplements and medication. You should make sure your doctor approves the medication or supplement before you take it. It is best to use natural methods to cope with depression and anxiety.

There are numerous natural methods you can try to cope with anxiety and depression. You can try exercise, which helps your mind to relax and also get some sleep. There are other methods such as meditation, exercise, writing, eating healthy, getting enough sleep, spending time with animals, being more social, and trying cannabidiol oil.

There is a medication for depression and anxiety. However, these are less natural, and if you misuse them, you can get addicted. A good example is the benzodiazepines used to treat anxiety.

You can get treatment for depression, anxiety, addiction, and other co-occurring disorders at AmHealth Behavioral.