Anxiety Aid

Jay and Mary Ann have had life-long free-floating anxiety, which presents with vague physical symptoms without medical basis. They have tried various medications but dislike the side-effects. They asked, “Is there any hope for handling it without drugs?” Indeed there is! After checking in with your physician to ensure there are no medical problems that account for the anxiety (including medications you might be taking), try these simple strategies for at least one month to see if they help: (1) Diet— Eliminate sources of stimulants such as caffeine, including that in sodas, chocolate, coffee, tea, and substances, like nicotine, drugs, and alcohol. Boost your body’s level of tryptophan by increasing your intake of turkey breast and dairy. Consider taking melatonin, a naturally-occurring hormone that regulates the sleep cycle and works as a sleep and anxiety-reducing aid for many people. Doses above 3 mg. have not been shown to give additional benefit. Chamomile and passion flower have anxiety-relieving effects for some people. (2) Exercise— Try to get in at least 20 minutes of aerobic exercise a day in order to increase your body’s level of endorphins— naturally-occurring brain chemicals that relieve pain, anxiety, and depression. (3) Social Support—Some anxious people withdraw from others, but the isolation can intensify rather than diminish the anxiety. Try getting out in low-keyed social environments, like the gym, which can help you stay fit as well as provide camaraderie. (4) Work on your thinking— Are you obsessive compulsive and perfectionistic? If so, dare to be average! Lower your expectations of perfection for yourself (and others) and you may find your anxiety decreases while your relationships benefit too. (5) Asian techniques—Alternate Channel Breathing (ACB) and meditation are relaxation methods that have been used for thousands of years by the Hindus. When you feel anxious or panicky, find a quiet place (even a public restroom will do if you are at an event) to do ACB for a few minutes or until you feel calmer. There is neurobiological evidence that this technique can break an episode of panic by equilibrating the airflow across the sphenopalatine ganglion. Here is the technique: 

1. Inhale from Side 1 nostril while covering Side 2 nostril, but don’t press so hard that you interfere with the air flow into Side 1. (In 1)

2. Exhale from Side 2 while covering Side 1 (Out 2)

3. Inhale from Side 2 while keeping Side 1 covered (In 2)

4. Exhale from Side 1 while covering Side 2 (Out 1)

Try these five strategies and you may get the breakthrough you seek. Let me know how they work for you. More  tips in my book: www.keepyoureyeontheprize.org             

New Year's Revolution-- Say "No!" to the Tyrant!

Are you one of the people who makes New Year resolutions, only to have them dissolve within a few weeks? Take weight loss, for example: The bullying “tyrant” inside your mind begins the familiar attack: “Look at yourself! You have no discipline and have gotten fat. You should lose weight, so do it right now!” Panicked, you resolve to diet, work out, and lose that extra poundage. You start the diet and go to the gym, but soon your willpower fails, as you revert back to old patterns under the stresses of everyday life. The tyrant punishes you for your failure, and you feel more guilty, worthless, and depressed. You surrender; you just cannot make huge life changes all at once.

Here’s a new strategy. Break the cycle of failure. This year, start a New Year’s Revolution by saying “No!” to the tyrant of the “shoulds” of your life. “I should lose weight; I should go to church/ temple; I should give more parties; I should do a better job at work; I should be a better friend; I should stop smoking/ drinking/ doing drugs.” The list is endless, and your internal tyrant has impossibly high standards.

But what do you do if there really are changes that you need to make for health or relationship reasons? Focus on only one change, devise a plan that makes it as small a life change as possible, and try to stick to that. Do not try to change everything about your life at the same time. If you need to lose weight, clear it with your doctor to ensure you have no medical obstacles to this and begin a sensible plan. Do not crash diet, as your body will interpret this as starvation and ramp up your appestat to compensate for your diminished intake, resulting in your regaining the lost weight and a few more pounds to boot. We will talk about diet later, but here is a simple plan: Reduce your calorie intake by only 100 calories a day and you will lose about 10 pounds in a year without too much pain. Add some exercise, and you lose more. Again, nothing radical— adding extra steps in your usual routine, taking walks over lunch or at breaks, using the stairs rather than the elevator. 

If your problems are more serious, like relationship problems, alcohol, or drugs, you will need social support and possibly professional help to implement these changes. Search out online or other resources, including groups that can encourage you and serve as examples of success. In the diet example, Take Off Pounds Sensibly (TOPS) and Keep Off Pounds Sensibly (KOPS) are free support groups that focus on weight control, like Alcohols Anonymous, which concentrates on sobriety. There are many other suggestions and resources in my first book (www.keepyoureyeontheprize.org). Bottom line: if you decide to make a New Year’s Resolution, keep your goal small and realistic— something attainable that can fit into your life without adding a new “should” to the list. If you stumble, forgive yourself. It does not mean that you are a failure; it may be that your plan was too ambitious and needs to be modified. Reward yourself for small successes, and your tyrant will be the one to shrink away and surrender!