What are alternative ways besides medication to deal with the physical symptoms of anxiety?

Relaxation techniques are very effective when dealing with anxiety, because it is impossible for the body to be both anxious and relaxed and the same time. Breathing from your diaphragm is a great place to start.

meditation, in the healing of the body soft music, water sounds ocean laying in bed closed eyes, soft breathing in and out of the lungs. and breathing in through your nose. helps reduce stress and anxiety.

Meditation is number one on my list. I use the 'Calm' app which helps me relax even further and switch myself off from the rest of the world. I have felt the long-term benefits of using this method and it far surpasses medicinal use in my opinion. Without you even knowing, each time you meditate you are creating 'new' neural pathways that enable you to react differently, feel more calm, and rationalise your thinking in a smarter way. It seriously works wonders - give it a try.

Try doing some meditation or deep muscle relaxation. It helps a lot with the physical symptoms, even though it may seem strange.

I find that meditation and self care really help me a lot. Stepping back and taking a few deep breaths also helps me refocus.

I had anxiety for a long time. Something that can help is meditation or yoga. Learning to deep breathe and really focus on it can help later when you feel anxiety in a situation. Something a mentor taught me once is - breathe in for 5 seconds, hold for 6 seconds, and let go for 7 seconds. Anxiety can cloud your mind and make it hard to think in the moment. So just try to remember 5, 6, 7. Good Luck!

Try being socialized more. Being with others will help you get your mind off of anxiety. And will give you good memories to walk back to.

Definitely finding something to focus on and retreat into when things get bad is a great coping technique. For me, that was playing online games and photography. Realise that the symptoms you're experiencing are short-lived, and also to be patient and kind with yourself. I'm glad you're looking into other methods rather than relying on medication. I'm certainly not anti-meds, and I've used them in the past, but they only mask the symptoms rather than treating the underlying causes. Good luck to you :)

Talk to someone about it with whom you feel comfortable keeping your self occupied with work or with your hobby

exercise, eating healthy, meditation. these things will grow your mental strength which will help you in facing such problems

Subliminal. Hypnosis. Meditation. Exercise. Hobbies. Screaming in a place where nobody can hear you. Go to Karaoke and sing like a gorilla. Become batman and save the world

Therapy, CBT therapy, seeing a counselor, or a psychiatrist, or a psychologist are all fantastic ideas if you don't want medication.

Mediation, breathing exercises, low sugar/caffeine/alcohol in your diet, enough sleep, exercise, therapy/counseling.

It depends. Everyone is different. Some use meditation, exercise, listen to music, etc. Having a hobby could be helpful. You just need to find what truly works for you. Think about if there is anything at all that decreases your anxiety even a little and work from there.

Meditation has worked wonders for me with anxiety and it's symptoms. There are a ton of different techniques, I personally use the headspace app. But I know there are a bunch of other wonderful apps too

As an Exercise Science major and someone struggling with generalized anxiety I can confidently say that exercise, or physical activity, is one of the best ways to manage the physical symptoms of anxiety. When the body is under physical stress it releases combative hormones as well as energy boosting ones. Anxiety causes both physical and mental stress, as we all probably know very well. The great thing about the body's reaction system is that it doesn't differentiate between anxious stress and activity stress. So while you are combating any type of physical activity you are also getting rid of the excess stress caused by anxiety. Coupled that with hormones like adrenaline and you have the perfect combination to feeling better.

Using your nervous energy on self care and hobbies can help. Exercise eating healthy, distraction, and calming techniques that are listed here on 7 cups.

Breathing and bringing all your attention on your breathing can really help. Also picturing a happy place. Sometimes scents can also help to soothe, I know lemon's smell is very boosting for me.

The best way for me is to focus on my breathing, this helps me manage stress and it is completely free and healthy. By concisely breathing I gain control of my emotions, my heartrate and blood pressure, and even can reduce the cortisol in my body, which in turn makes me feel much better.

I've dealt with anxiety for 10 years now and i'm partly over it. I won't lie... i did treat it using meds for 2 years. but it was all me in the other 8. i'll give you a list of some things that have been amazingly helpful to me: - Write the stress away: get yourself a journal and fill it with love. Write down 3 things you're grateful for every day. Meanwhile, write down your problems and anxieties and read what you wrote again trying to reflect and maybe figure out ways to eliminate negatives. - Practice meditation every day: download a good app for meditation and do it daily. Focus on relaxing meditations. - get into yoga: whether by getting into a class or following a certain good routine on Youtube... some yoga moves do wonders for anxiety. - Drink loads of water: dehydration causes depression and anxiety without us even noticing. have at least 1.5L daily. - Move: go to the gym and release the tension. If you're not a sports fan, you can just take long walks in nature... think about beauty around you. - Practice mindfulness: (this could take days to explain. Just check youtube videos about this one TRUST ME! IT'S A LIFE SAVER!) - Forgive: sometimes anger is the number one cause for anxiety... Learn to forgive people and make peace with yourself... LET GO! - Visit a therapy if you have any childhood trauma that might have caused you anxiety: (hint: physical or emotional abuse which could also be from family/ bullying/ sexual assault/ being abandoned... etc.) - Know what calms you and use it: (hint: scents/ activities/ colors/ people.. etc.) - eliminate all negativity from your life: whether it's a work colleague or friend who's putting you down and making you feel generally negative even if they don't mean it, just cut them down. some people just have bad auras and you need to bring sunshine into your life)

Listening to mindfulness audios regularly, exercise and a healthy diet are all good ways to help with the physical symptoms of anxiety. You can also chat with other people who have anxiety in the 7cups anxiety group chat room, and take part in the guided group discussions that take place regularly.

I highly recommend stepping away from the situation and taking slow, deep breaths. If you cannot leave the situation (ex/ you're at work), stop for a second and breathe. Tell yourself that you're going to be okay. Also, exercising really helps when you are running on adrenaline from all the anxiety.

Remember that this is normal, breathe deeply and remember you will get through this just like the last time.

Surround yourself with people who keep you balanced. This is the best advice I can give in regards.

Have a personal item or symbol that is sentimental and can ground you. E.g I wear my partners necklace and hold the pendant when I am anxious and it reminds me he is always there even when my anxiety tells me I am alone.

You could try a holistic approach. Chamomile supplements and tea for example are very calming, I don't know if you are open to smoking, but marijuana helps with anxiety too. Be sure to go to a dispensary because Marijuana can make your anxiety worse if you get the wrong kind.

Change of place and surroundings can be a good way to relieve anxiety. If change of place is not possible, then adding a new routine preferably physical activity like a walk in the morning or a game with friends. This can help regulate the oxygen levels in brain and also act as a distraction from the recurring thoughts that are making one anxious.

Breathing exercises and hugging always helps me. When I start having a panic attack I hug my pillow and breathe in my nose and out my mouth.

You can use Breathing techniques, meditation, exercise, journalling, reading, soothing sounds and soft music.

Well first talking this over with a doctor can help. Learning some mindfulness skills also is a big tool that helps many with anxiety. Learning what triggers your anxiety is good to start learning, then you can be more aware and cut back on the symptoms. Good luck with this!