Juggling work targets and personal life is never easy, and anxiety spares none. In fact, according to Justine Carino, a therapist, it is a normal human emotion everyone has. If managed well, it can help in our survival, as it helps identify what is an actual threat and what is safe. Justine asserts that since anxiety is necessary to survive, our brain has been trained to focus on it. However, anxiety can go out of hand in adults and affect their daily functioning abilities. This is what General Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is all about and requires correct treatment. Otherwise, it will ruin your inner peace and keep you in a state of restlessness.
Today, anxiety disorders are considered a common mental illness in the United States. The ‘Anxiety & Depression Association of America’ states that more than 40 million adults are affected by it. Nearly 6.8 million adults in the U.S. suffer from General Anxiety Disorder. Addressing and treating General Anxiety Disorder is necessary else it will aggravate with time. This article will share five ways in which adults can try to treat their anxiety and live better.
Practice Deep, Focused Breathing
The first thing that anxiety affects in adults is their breathing patterns. It is why most anxious people speak fast or are always in a rush. They can’t seem to be grounded and calm. Here, focused and deep breathing can help you address and treat anxiety better.
Measured breathing practices for a while can reduce stress. Try to breathe in and then out for 4 counts for about 5 to 10 minutes. That’s a good start after which you can practice it for 20 minutes daily to see visible results. As your breath gets even, it slows the heart rate and calms you down.
You can even try the 4-7-8 breathing process to manage your anxiety as well. Here, you start by breathing in for 4 seconds, holding it for 7 seconds, and exhaling out for 8 seconds. Regular practice can help you stay composed and in the present moment, and respond to situations better.
Make Necessary Dietary Changes
When you detox and stick to a healthy diet, it helps you curb your anxiety levels. Begin by eliminating those foods from your diet that you are sensitive to. Even though caffeine is great for starting the day, it’s a wise idea to reduce its consumption. If you have anxiety, you can opt for green tea instead of coffee. It has antioxidants that calm stress and increase your energy levels.
Dehydration can aggravate mood swings. Therefore, it is necessary not to compromise on your daily water intake. Complex carbohydrates and protein are also excellent additions to your overall diet. Protein can regulate your blood sugar and enable you to feel full longer. It can bring down the stress generated by hunger. Complex carbohydrates can generate serotonin, which helps elevate the mood.
Consult a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
It is necessary to opt for medical intervention when you need to address and treat anxiety. Adults can benefit by consulting a psychiatric nurse practitioner and following their guidelines to reduce stress. These professionals diagnose and treat people with mental health conditions by prescribing the required medicines. Moreover, they are less expensive than therapists.
Psychiatric nurse practitioners have the skills, know-how, and expertise to evaluate mental health conditions better. The profession is lucrative, and that is reflected in the mental health NP salary. However, most practitioners choose this career because they want to help adults tackle their mental health issues better. They are compassionate and understand how stress can affect one’s quality of life.
Nurse practitioners implement a holistic approach to evaluate anxiety symptoms and provide a solution. Rockhurst University states that they suggest medicines only when patients need them. They also collaborate with other mental health care providers and physicians to arrive at a better understanding of specific situations.
Get Good Sleep Â
It is rather interesting to note that inadequate sleep for a prolonged period can worsen anxiety symptoms. Even though it’s easier said than done, everyone must get about 8 hours of sleep daily. If you aren’t able to sleep well, get medical help. But before that, try a few natural techniques to sleep better.
For instance, you can stop browsing social media one to two hours before you decide to go to sleep. It will help your brain feel calm and ensure you sleep well. Don’t eat too much before sleeping. To have a relaxing sleep, you can sip chamomile tea, as that helps to relax the mind.
Exercise Regularly
A daily exercise regime helps to bring down anxiety and stress. It doesn’t always have to be a rigorous workout schedule. For starters, you can add morning or evening walks to your routine and check out the benefits it has. Nature seems to have a therapeutic effect on everyone.
Other ways to add any physical activity to your daily life include dance, aerobics, body movement therapy, and the like. It helps to release feel-good hormones that manage your anxiety symptoms better to a vast extent.
In conclusion, GAD in adults when not addressed and treated can affect both work and personal life. No one wants to stay in a state of constant stress and feel that there might be an impending crisis or danger lurking nearby. This is what every anxious person feels. While medical aid is necessary, you can also rely on the guidelines mentioned above to treat your anxiety symptoms and lead a wholesome life.
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