Natural Anxiety Cures/Relief? [Archive] - The Project Avalon Community Forum

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Tam

8th March 2018, 06:11

Hello, guys. This is going to be a very long and personal post; please bear with me.

I was simply wondering if anyone has had any success holistically/naturally treating Generalized Anxiety Disorder. My boyfriend has it pretty badly, and while we're working on incorporating exercise and a cleaner diet into our daily lives (and we're certain this will help eventually), my boyfriend is nevertheless in a 24/7 state of anxiety, and has been for years.

I'm starting to really fear how this is affecting/going to affect him. He's doing fairly well, but the damage is still done, and the everyday impact, strong. We're still young, so time is on our side, but I wish I could do something for him, and there truly seems to be little more I can do than offer emotional comfort.

Being with him has helped him immensely (as love does), but he's nevertheless very tense at all times. He described it as the feeling of dread and fear you feel before you know you're about to endure something very unpleasant, being with him ceaselessly. The claustrophobic heaviness of the heart, the cold pit in your stomach, he pretty much feels those 100% of the time, at best.

It kills me knowing there's nothing I can do while he essentially is constantly suffering, especially since he hides it so well. Imagine being constantly on edge and sad. That's what life is like for him.

My boyfriend fell victim to Xanax, after being prescribed some for his severe anxiety at age 19. He didn't abuse it recreationally, but he was nevertheless addicted, as it's impossible not to be. For nearly 3 years he was doped up on the second highest dose legally allowed, and it ruined his brain. I never knew him pre-Xanax, but he says the difference in his intellectual and cognitive capabilities is dramatic before and after the 'treatment', and not in a good way. I convinced him to quit. It didn't take much convincing; he saw himself as an addict per se that needed help, but he lived alone and had pretty much no one there for him, so you can imagine how that makes healing difficult. When we got into our relationship, I had my strong opinions of these poison pills (which he already shared), and and me being there to support him gave him the foundation/anchor/strength to pull through, and he quit cold turkey. We realized after the fact how dangerous this was, but luckily, he suffered no permanent adverse affects, other than, in his words, a "terrifying transition".

Being with him has taught me so much, as well as shown me his extraordinary strength. Not everyone can quit Xanax cold turkey, overnight. He did the same thing with smoking too. He opened up my mind so much; before meeting him, I frankly was very, very skeptical of the idea of things like Reiki and energy healing. I didn't think they were totally outrageous, but I certainly had my reservations. Now, things are different. I don't outright believe, but I certainly don't disbelieve either. I generally 'believe' in very few things, but keep as open a mind as I can within reason.

I personally believe our entire Western paradigm of mental health is fundamentally wrong. We prescribe hardcore drugs to sweep mental illness under the rug, but in the vast majority of cases, not only is this method of treatment totally ineffective, it actually causes long-term harm. This is due to the entire perspective being totally misaligned. I also have a suspicion it stems from the notion that the human brain generates consciousness. I think the brain is more of a vessel, like a radio, and that consciousness exist almost etherically, outside the known 3D body.

All magic is science. 200 years ago, the laptop I'm writing this post on, or the smartphone I frequently browse with, would be considered sorcery. But it's just science. The greatest scientific minds of the 19th and 18th century would be considered almost primitively misguided now, and the same can be said of the greatest minds currently; it's not that they don't understand, it's that they won't. The materialist worldview dominates the collective human schema, and it's so utterly damaging and imbalanced.

I'm starting to get rambly, and I apologize (I'm a bit, er, herbally influenced at the moment), but if you want a better idea of what I'm getting at, look at the perspective of people like Graham Hancock, a man for which I have a great deal of respect.

What I'm asking is, essentially, is if anyone has had any luck with methods of healing beyond eating right and exercising regularly. While this undoubtedly has a very good impact, I know it won't suffice to rid him of it entirely, and I was wondering if any of you or those you may know have. Since, by any conventional standard, being diagnosed with GAD or chronic depression or the like is like a terminal sentence; there's pretty much no hope of being 'cured'. It's like a send-off.

I know that this is totally wrong, and that in most cases, something can be done.

I'm open to pretty much anything, so long as you have had/know of real results. I'm aware meditation can help a lot, but he has a very hard time with it due to the nature of his illness, so if you have any tips/methods of meditation, those would be appreciated as well.

Thank you for reading, and I look forward to discussing it with you all :)

markenty13

8th March 2018, 09:33

This is probably more for night time and to help sleep, but what i find works wonders is something called ASMR.

Its totally relaxing and helps me everytime get a great nights sleep.

What is ASMR ?

Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) is a term used for an experience characterised by a static-like or tingling sensation on the skin that typically begins on the scalp and moves down the back of the neck and upper spine. It has been compared with auditory-tactile synesthesia.

To put it in simpler terms, its videos on youtube where the presenter will create certain sounds with a high end mic which achieves tingling and relaxing sensations etc. They even do simple hand movements which are probably my favs.

heres 2 of my favourite presenters, there is plenty more though so worth having a sift through youtube and finding who/what works for you - PS, headphones are required for optimal experience, although with hand movements etc, you dont particularly need them :)

Latte ASMR -

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQe2Y7V-C9bNMAcCJCBvzQQ

Massage ASMR -

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgOfiuubHnhVrc9IEcSk1Nw

Jayke

8th March 2018, 10:01

grant

8th March 2018, 12:45

I suffered from excessive blushing in high school As panic attacks .. still have social anxiety at times
.i Seam to avoid supermarkets that are big in case I run into someone I know which can set me off. Think I'll be looking into that mind site book too .. I know when I was at my best mental health was when I friend and I where living in London and we got really fit and got off beer and alcohol for 2 months , if we did drink it was a maximum of 2 beers only .. probably pints lol but we run 3-4K twice a week and did push ups, chin ups, dips Twice a week .. and my mind was the calmest it's been socially... obviously it's a fair bit of work but be patient and do what u can and it will get u back on track..
but it's not a permanent cure .. oxygen and moving the body clears the mind .. another good thing u can do in your home to calm the mind is whim hoff breathing !, basically 30 deep breaths until u feel the tingling then blow all the air out and hold that till u need to air and take a lung full and hole that for 10 and repeat 3 times , you will feel really good 😉 Hang in there buddy

Wind

8th March 2018, 14:16

I can share what has worked for me and this is coming from someone who was experiencing immense anxiety for years, thanks to my highly neurotic temperament... I was often near the state of panic and that was far from fun. The brain just needs to be reprogrammed.

Diet is probably number one thing. I've always been to sensitive to things, including foods and chemicals. Cutting off coffee had dramatical effects on my stress levels. Cleaning the gut is the second thing. You need to balance it with healthy bacterias. Junk food is literally junk, if you eat and the more sensitive you are... You will definitely feel like crap! The more chemicals you have in your body the more unhealthy you will be both mentally and physically.

Meditation should be a no-brainer. I don't think anything else has helped me to overcome fears and anxiety as much as it has. Easiest way of meditating? Just breathe in and out, keep focusing on that. Observe how the air moves through your lungs. Just do it and see the results. You may add mantras to that too if you'd like, such as "I'm loving awareness".

I used to think that my anxiety would swallow me up to the bottomless dark pit and it would destroy me, and it almost did.

Out of that dark night of the soul I managed to rise to the surface by following the right guides. I do still feel anxiety, tension and even fear from time to time as any human would, but a connection to my soul is my cornerstone. I know that there's always that deep profound peacefulness to be found there and not a single thing can severe that connection. By knowing that I am the infinite awareness behind the mind & "my" thoughts, I can no longer by affected very much by the illusionary fears which the mind has conjured up. That applies to every other human too if they will realize that.

Wishing you all the best on your journey to peacefulness.

Bill Ryan

8th March 2018, 17:09

There are two approaches to healing issues manifested by the bodymind:

Heal the body.
Heal the mind.

1) Diet and consumption.

Quit smoking so much pot. That's self-medicating... whitewashing/suppressing the issues so you don't feel them so much. You can't heal or deal with an issue you can't feel or experience clearly and fully.

Alcohol will have the same affect, of course. You're trying to dampen down the natural feedback mechanism which has the function of bringing these things to your attention. It's like removing the engine warning lights from your car. :)

Quit all the Dr Pepper entirely. Just stop.

Reduce as much sugar as possible in your diet.

Cut down on caffeinated drinks — if possible.

2) Look for the mental/emotional cause of the anxiety.

It's in there somewhere — and may be based on childhood or past-life trauma, or trauma-related events. The body has its own spirit and intelligence, but yours (as a standalone spiritual being) is far superior. If your mind has been injured (as it were), then the body alone can't help you.

So counseling of various kinds to examine (and re-experience/erase the impact of) past events — including past-life regression — is very likely to help. EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) is also super-simple, can be self-applied, and can be VERY effective for issues like anxiety.

https://eft.mercola.com

But acknowledge yourself for recognizing this, sharing it publicly, and resolving to deal with it hands-on. :muscle: That's a REALLY vital and essential first step that shows a huge amount of courage. Many people, far older than yourself, struggle through their entire lives, masking everything, making excuses and pretending, without ever facing these things head-on.

:star:

3(C)+me

8th March 2018, 17:49

Meditation can do wonders. It really helps you track your thoughts and see if some emotional state is coming from your thoughts/expectations or from some old program running in the back ground. But the person needs to be motivated to find another way. You can talk to a person till you are blue in the face and he/she will continue with the worry train, or the fear train, or depression train you get the idea. Because in my young years I meditated because I was in college and my concentration was shot (and this was before cell phones) I needed to focus on papers, theories for long periods of time I started to meditate simple breath work, nothing fancy. Now it kinda comes on naturally, change in mood, what am I thinking, what brought that one on, and then just observing the thought, like looking at another person but it's you, actually does switch ones perception and changes the mood. Being the observer to your thoughts. When you start to meditate you will have the experience of observing yourself and then you will understand what that means. But you can,t get judgemental about what you are thinking, see it as it is without making some value judgement about it.

Tam

8th March 2018, 18:21

Quit smoking so much pot. That's self-medicating... whitewashing/suppressing the issues so you don't feel them so much. You can't heal or deal with an issue you can't feel or experience clearly and fully.

Alcohol will have the same affect, of course. You're trying to dampen down the natural feedback mechanism which has the function of bringing these things to your attention. It's like removing the engine warning lights from your car. :)

Quit all the Dr Pepper entirely. Just stop.

Reduce as much sugar as possible in your diet.

Cut down on caffeinated drinks — if possible.

Thanks for the help, Bill. It's appreciated. I think you may have misunderstood, though; this isn't meant to be for me at all, but rather for my boyfriend. I am fortunately free of anxiety as a disorder.

As a side note, you'll be happy to hear I've made a lot of progress in these areas. I haven't had any soda in a week, which was responsible for 95% of my sugar intake.

I also have cut my pot use down by about 80%. I have only smoked once this week, which was last night, to help with pretty bad menstrual cramps (it works quite well). I'd love to get more specialized medical strains that don't affect the mind as much, but alas, due to its illegality here, I have to make-do with what I can get off the black market.

We also both eat 2 servings+ of fresh kimchi daily, and I make a miso soup from scratch about 2-3 times a week. Those have both helped a lot with my digestive issues I had, and given me more energy.

As for alcohol, I personally detest it, but my boyfriend loves beer. He's working on cutting that out himself, but I wasn't aware it worsened anxiety, as you and others have stated. I'll be sure to let him know ASAP.

As for counseling and past-life-regression, I'll be sure to look into that as well. His schedule is tight, as is money, but we'll make-do.

Thanks for the thorough response, and warmest wishes to you and all members.

Tam

8th March 2018, 18:40

I don’t think there’s any one size fits all treatment for anxiety so it’s important to approach it from several different angles. A couple of the more effective ones I’ve found are:

Beware the xenoestrogens in processed food and beer (hops in beer is a potent estrogenic) if estrogen builds up in a male brain it can lead to crippling anxiety attacks. Cure: liver detox to flush the system and rebalance the hormones. Lots of fresh squeezed lemon juice, fasting and fresh green juices.

After a couple weeks of detox it’s important to rebuild the brain chemistry, the sheathing of the nuerons might be fried with the Xanax use. The brain is made of 70% cholesterol (mostly the myelin sheaths that insulate the nerves). Eating a diet rich in organ meats and cutting out sugar helps to insulate the brain and help it feel more grounded. This also ties into your idea of the brain being a receiver of consciousness, if the signal coming in isn’t insulatated, like markenty mentioned in the post above, it can cause a build up of static sparks that manifest as anxious overwhelm. Tai chi is great for channeling that energy into your gaba neurons (proactive neurons) instead of the alpha (reactive neurons), which helps a person feel more purposeful and composed in their own energy field.

To boost the brains ability to rebuild in a way that’s grounding. There’s lots of guided meditation techniques that target specific neural structures, to increase blood flow and promote neuroplasticity. You’ll find some techniques to play around with in...Mindsight: the new science of personal transformation (https://www.amazon.com/Mindsight-New-Science-Personal-Transformation-ebook/dp/B002XHNONS).

The important thing is to just be patient with it—while implementing different strategies—over time the brain starts to rewire and he’ll begin to feel more grounded.

Hey, thanks for all the different suggestions! My boyfriend has beer weekly, though he's intent on cutting it out, and actually hasn't had a single one at all this week. I'm quitting soda at the same time, so we're both supporting each other in that regard. It helps a lot. I had no idea it affected anxiety as well; he was cutting it out to help with his eczema. Another fun little thing he's got, which we believe is closely tied to his anxiety. They certainly feed off of each other.

I never thought about the liver affecting it in any way. Thanks for pointing that out.

What kind of liver detox do you recommend?

You also mentioned a diet with organ meat? I frankly doubt he'll be able to eat organs of any kind. What are the nutrients found in organs that are so beneficial, and is there an alternative source for them?

Finally, Tai Chi. I have heard some miraculous stories about my father regarding Tai Chi. I'll definitely look into that as well.

DeDukshyn

8th March 2018, 18:47

...

As for alcohol, I personally detest it, but my boyfriend loves beer. He's working on cutting that out himself, but I wasn't aware it worsened anxiety, as you and others have stated. I'll be sure to let him know ASAP.
.

I can relate a little, I love my beer as well, but I have to keep it reigned in a little; here's how alcohol can make anxiety worse:

Alcohol is a depressant, it suppresses the nervous systems ability to send signals, by increasing the effectiveness of GABA - you brains natural nervous system regulator. When the nervous system is depressed, the body will try to compensate by creating more glutamate, which is the nervous system's stimulatory counterpart to GABA. This leads to the nervous system functioning more normally when alcohol is in the system, and becoming over-excited while alcohol is not present. The desire becomes then, to drink more alcohol to feel more relaxed and abate the excess stimulation. From here you can see a vicious cycle can develop. If the differential becomes strong enough, alcohol dependency will start to kick in. This is why extreme alcoholics get really bad tremors, have trouble controlling their thoughts and emotions and generally appear extremely over stimulated, when denied their alcohol.

A quick drink a day won't likely disrupt much, but having alcohol in the body for extended periods of time (such as drinking slowly throughout the day, even without getting intoxicated), starts to cause the body to begin overcompensating with it's own nervous system stimulating compounds. This of course will worsen any anxiety.

On a side note, look into an amino acid called L-Theanine - a natural compound found in green tea (why green tea doesn't stimulate like coffee despite its caffeine). It's not a miracle cure, but can definitely take the edge off (speaking from personal experience). It can be found in capsule format at supplement stores -- always buy high quality supplements if you are going to take them. Theanine can work in as little as 30 minutes, the effects last for several hours, and there is little to no risk and no side effects.

Tam

8th March 2018, 18:52

DeDukshyn

8th March 2018, 19:09

Thanks so much, DeDukshyn! Very informative.

We need to do some shopping today, so I'll look into Theanine. We have green tea at home, but it's the bagged kind, so I'm not sure how effective that may be, since bagged tea is hardly top-quality.

Good luck! Green tea itself doesn't have enough theanine to both counter the caffeine and give you a strong calming effect. In capsule form you'll be consuming about the equivalent theanine of 10 cups of tea. :) Theanine is quite an affordable supplement so there's no risk to giving it a try. Take 200-500mg per serving. I keep it in the cupboard and just reach for it when I'm feeling over stressed or anxious, as opposed to taking it regularly.

Jayke

8th March 2018, 22:27

Organ meats such as liver or ox heart Indigris. Sautéed in butter, garlic, onion, spices etc. It’s important to soak organ meats in brine for at least 12 hours though to draw out as much of the blood as possible (blood is the transport system for hormones, so drawing out the boood helps remove any excess cortisol or estrogen from the meat before consuming). Not a diet for the squeamish I suppose but certainly effective.

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/11-healthy-iron-rich-foods#section1

Organ meats are extremely nutritious. Popular types include liver, kidneys, brain and heart. All of these are high in iron.

For example, a 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving of beef liver contains 6.5 mg of iron, or 36% of the RDI (14).

Organ meats are high in protein and rich in B-vitamins, copper and selenium. Liver is especially high in vitamin A, providing an impressive 634% of the RDI per serving.

Organ meats are also among the best sources of choline, an important nutrient for brain and liver health that many people don't get enough of

And the liver detox was the lemon juice, green juices and fasting. Basically go vegan for a couple weeks eating lots of fresh veg and fruit. You’d need to do a short liver detox before consuming organ meats sautéed in butter—especially if alcohol is consumed weekly—alcohol inhibits the livers ability to break down fats and can cause lipid overload when drinking and eating a high fat diet simultaneously.

Omi

8th March 2018, 22:57

Meditation should be a no-brainer. I don't think anything else has helped me to overcome fears and anxiety as much as it has. Easiest way of meditating? Just breathe in and out, keep focusing on that. Observe how the air moves through your lungs. Just do it and see the results. You may add mantras to that too if you'd like, such as "I'm loving awareness".

I was thinking the same, I'd recommend doing some breathing meditation.
When I give yoga sessions, I usually begin with a simple breathing meditation.
Here are the instructions.

1. Sit upright, close your eyes, bring your awareness to your breathing.
2. Inhale/exhale comfortably through your nose.
3. Using your abdomen, go slower and deeper with each exhale.
4. If and when your mind wanders off to having other thoughts, bring it back to observing how you breathe.

Mantras are definitely helpful too. It's another kind of meditation to recite a mantra for a certain number of times, usually 108, it could be less or more. It takes practice to keep focused and count, prayer beads are helpful.

I feel anxiety is one of the common energies among human collective consciousness. There are still times when I'm affected by it too.

Anything that would uplift your thoughts and feelings would help to ease anxiety. Being in nature, listening to relaxing music, adjusting your diet to a healthier one, etc.

It's one of the greatest blessings to feel the care and love from family, dear friends, this Avalon community, and all other supportive ones. Many thanks to all, a million billion gazillion times.

Sending positive thoughts of healing and inner peacefulness.

onevoice

9th March 2018, 00:05

I've recently found some articles about Wild Lettuce which has a latex like substance in their stem, which can be extracted and be used as a natural substitute for opium:
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AROH0TS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Wild lettuce can be taken in an extract or herbal supplement form. Similar to opium, wild lettuce can also produce sedative and anti-anxiety effects. The compounds are actually used by the pharmaceutical industry to make drugs that treat conditions such as asthma, urinary tract diseases, painful menstruation, and joint pain—all conditions that improve with muscular and vessel relaxation, says de Mello.

I don't need any pain medication, but I ordered a bottle to help my daughter deal with menstruation pain. It's about $18/bottle from Amazon, and there are lots of positive reviews about this extract.

One reviewer said:

I just received my first bottle of this and took my first dose about an hour ago. Already I am feeling a calming effect and pain in my body is subsiding. I have no idea why some say this tastes horrible. I put a dropper full in about 2 ounces of water and drank it down and did not feel it was unpleasant or horrible at all. I'm sure some are just more sensitive than others. I like the way this has made me feel in a short time and will continue to use it.

Wind

9th March 2018, 14:06

Pam

9th March 2018, 14:44

You might want to check out his methylation status, which is related to gene expression. Here is a short overview which will explain.

https://www.samanthagilbert.com/methylation/

If this turns out to be an issue, you can deal with it with diet and nutritional supplements. I have always been plagued with anxiety and have finally discovered that a huge part of it has to do with over methylation, which has resulted in copper overload. I have found it to be fairly straight forward to deal with it, however, I have read that undermethylation can be trickier. Both of these states can trigger chronic anxiety.

Lefty Dave

9th March 2018, 15:01

Greetings All,
New doctor this year, and she's open minded ...when I described symptoms of "the dreads"...and low labido...she said...the Indians use Ashwaghanda...an herb...$20 for 90 capsules..so I tried it for three months...and it works !! Haven't had the dreads since..and my "desires and abilities" have improved greatly...so I take one with both meals daily...Blessings to you all...

The Freedom Train

9th March 2018, 15:53

Cut down on caffeinated drinks — if possible.

2) Look for the mental/emotional cause of the anxiety.

It's in there somewhere — and may be based on childhood or past-life trauma, or trauma-related events. The body has its own spirit and intelligence, but yours (as a standalone spiritual being) is far superior. If your mind has been injured (as it were), then the body alone can't help you.

So counseling of various kinds to examine (and re-experience/erase the impact of) past events — including past-life regression — is very likely to help. EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) is also super-simple, can be self-applied, and can be VERY effective for issues like anxiety.

https://eft.mercola.com

But acknowledge yourself for recognizing this, sharing it publicly, and resolving to deal with it hands-on. :muscle: That's a REALLY vital and essential first step that shows a huge amount of courage. Many people, far older than yourself, struggle through their entire lives, masking everything, making excuses and pretending, without ever facing these things head-on.

:star:

Exactly. Cut out caffeine, if this isn't already something that has been done.

But definitely turn to some form of energy psychology for help in rooting out what is going on. I agree that EFT and regression are very helpful!

Hypnotherapy has led to some amazing breakthroughs for me personally (and as recently as last night). EMDR is also very effective for PTSD and anxiety.

Self applied techniques are wonderful, in that they give you a feeling of personal empowerment, and help you build a personal set of skills for self soothing.

I would also highly recommend finding a qualified, experienced, and open-minded practitioner who can help guide the process of discovery and healing, as it helps to have somebody keep you on track and help you out of blocks when you get stuck, or notice a red flag that you are oblivious to. A well trained eye on the outside looking in is highly valuable when doing this mental/emotional work.

The Freedom Train

9th March 2018, 16:03

Hey, thanks for all the different suggestions! My boyfriend has beer weekly, though he's intent on cutting it out, and actually hasn't had a single one at all this week. I'm quitting soda at the same time, so we're both supporting each other in that regard. It helps a lot. I had no idea it affected anxiety as well; he was cutting it out to help with his eczema. Another fun little thing he's got, which we believe is closely tied to his anxiety. They certainly feed off of each other.

I never thought about the liver affecting it in any way. Thanks for pointing that out.

The liver is a big one for sure. I have had several acupuncturists and ayurvedic practitioners all tell me over the span of the past 8 years I've got a seriously compromised liver. This, after years of eating a fairly clean diet, eschewing alcohol, etc. I may have experimented a bit in college, but never drank or drugged enough to have the kind of liver these people told me I had. Then I learned about the physiological effects of chronic stress on the body, and realized that my liver was catching the brunt of all the toxic build-up in my body. The kidneys were also struggling. Flushes and detoxes can help on the physical level. And of course, stop giving your liver more work to do - anything that is processed in the liver, like alcohol and caffeine, are adding insult to injury for a person that is in a constant fight or flight response.

Hervé

9th March 2018, 16:05

Here is a shoe which could be tried:

CBT: The cure for social anxiety that works for 85% of people (https://www.spring.org.uk/2017/06/cure-social-anxiety.php)

Dr Jeremy Dean PsyBlog (https://www.spring.org.uk/2017/06/cure-social-anxiety.php)
Thu, 15 Jun 2017 00:01 UTC

https://www.sott.net/image/s22/455514/large/social_anxiety.jpg (https://www.sott.net/image/s22/455514/full/social_anxiety.jpg)

The most common anxiety disorder is social anxiety disorder.

Cognitive therapy on its own is the best treatment for social anxiety disorder, new research finds.

It is better than just taking drugs and better than taking drugs as well as having therapy.

Cognitive therapy resulted in either a cure or significant improvement in 85% of patients.

(Dr Jeremy Dean's ebook "The Anxiety Plan (https://www.spring.org.uk/anxiety-ebook-treat-worry-phobias-ocd)" is based on cognitive therapy.)

Professor Hans M. Nordahl, who led the study, said:
"We've set a new world record in effectively treating social anxiety disorders.

This is one of the best studies on social anxiety disorders ever.

It's taken ten years to carry out and has been challenging both academically and in terms of logistics, but the result is really encouraging." Being anxious in some social situations is normal, but those with social anxiety disorders find it hard to live a normal life.

They may experience dizziness, flushing and other acute anxiety symptoms in social situations.

It is common for medications to be prescribed for social anxiety.

Professor Nordahl said:
"Patients often rely more on the medication and don't place as much importance on therapy.

They think it's the drugs that will make them healthier, and they become dependent on something external rather than learning to regulate themselves.

So the medication camouflages a very important patient discovery: that by learning effective techniques, they have the ability to handle their anxiety themselves." Cognitive therapy works by encouraging people to accept their feelings.

At the same time people try to focus on what they want to say and do in challenging social situations.

Professor Nordahl said:
"We're using what's called metacognitive therapy, meaning that we work with patients' thoughts and their reactions and beliefs about those thoughts.

We address their rumination and worry about how they function in social situations.

Learning to regulate their attention processes and training with mental tasks are new therapeutic elements with enormous potential for this group of patients." The study followed over 100 people for a year.

Cognitive therapy was easily the best treatment, said Professor Nordahl:
"This is the most effective treatment ever for this patient group.

Treatment of mental illness often isn't as effective as treating a bone fracture, but here we've shown that treatment of psychiatric disorders can be equally effective."

[CBT = Cognitive Behavioural Therapy]

Related:
Let go of your social anxiety by realizing that no one gives a damn (https://www.sott.net/article/302506-Let-go-of-your-social-anxiety-by-realizing-that-no-one-gives-a-damn)

Decreased social anxiety among young adults who eat fermented foods (https://www.sott.net/article/298095-Decreased-social-anxiety-among-young-adults-who-eat-fermented-foods)

Cognitive behavioral therapy the best treatment for social anxiety disorder (https://www.sott.net/article/286427-Cognitive-behavioral-therapy-the-best-treatment-for-social-anxiety-disorder)

Is that nervous feeling social anxiety disorder, or is it simply a case of being shy? (https://www.sott.net/article/253844-Is-that-nervous-feeling-social-anxiety-disorder-or-is-it-simply-a-case-of-being-shy)

Genetic Variation Cues Social Anxiety In Monkeys And Humans (https://www.sott.net/article/172998-Genetic-Variation-Cues-Social-Anxiety-In-Monkeys-And-Humans)

Tam

9th March 2018, 19:15

eczema

Is a major sign of gut problems, perhaps of candida too. I suffered from a really bad eczema in my hands for years and it too was linked to gut problems & anxiety. At times it was so painful and itchy that I don't even want to express how low it made me feel on a constant basis. I've gotten those skin problems under control with dietary changes and supplements.

Yeah, we found that out too. He's had it all over his body for years, and it's a major disability.

We cut out sugar, processed food, and dairy 100% this month, and intend to keep doing so as long as it takes.

We also minimized gluten intake.

So far his eczema has gotten worse, but I've a feeling that was going to happen. 'It gets worse before it gets better' kind of thing.

Thanks for the insight :)

ErtheVessel

10th March 2018, 01:46

So many good suggestions here, but I want to offer some cautions, too.

Meditation can be very good, but it may not be good for everyone, or at least not for some people at certain stages of their journey. Here is an interesting article about the pros and cons of meditation:

https://plasticbrainblog.com/2015/11/23/mindfulness-psychosis/

I have studied herbs and various supplements on my own for a number of years, and have tried many, many herbs on myself as a kind of research and self-education as well as to heal myself. (An herbalist who writes insightful books that I would recommend is Matthew Wood.) I want to offer a caution about Wild Lettuce, however (also called Prickly Lettuce).

All healing modalities exist within a context. Herbology does not really exist within the same paradigm as the western medical model. So be aware that herbs have energetic properties including heat and cold. Some herbs will heat the body and some will cool the body - this is specific to the nature of the plant. I have found on myself that Wild Lettuce is very heating. This is a property that will not work favorably for all people. All of us are different. Some people's bodies chill more easily and are dry. Some people's bodies tend to be more moist and warm. Herbs will effect these aspects of your body.

So all I'm saying is to be mindful of these things. If you take an herb, watch your (or your boyfriend's) body's response very closely. Try to make correlations and be aware of subtle changes. Wild Lettuce makes me sleep like I'm drugged, but also gives me night sweats and makes my mouth very dry - so watch for stuff like that. Also another example, the herb California Poppy is supposed to be good for anxiety, but for me, it actually increases anxiety.

Lastly, about ashwaghanda. Ashwaghanda is an herb from the Indian Ayurvedic tradition, which is very ancient and has its own complex context. Within the context of Ayurveda are the three doshas, or types of bodies. Not all bodies, as I stated about, respond well to the same herb. Ashwaghanda, if I remember correctly, is usually used for the Vata dosha, which means it's (put somewhat simplistically) for people who tend to be cold, thin, and wiry. If your boyfriend is not of this constitutional type, this herb may not be useful for him.

In summary, it's good to do research on all of these things on your own, and if you experiment, to be aware that each of us is different and will respond quite differently.

I wish you both much success. Healing is an amazing journey, and a real opportunity to explore oneself. I agree with Bill in post #6 wholeheartedly - healing is both physical and psychological. In my own healing, after many decades of struggle, I discovered that a great deal of my pain, both mental and physical, was rooted in unremembered childhood trauma. And I imagine there is some past life trauma in there as well. Uncovering these psychic wounds can be painful and full of grief, but ultimately well worth the journey.

norman

10th March 2018, 02:29

Complete abstention from dramatic fiction, TV and movies does it for me.

I've had 'through the roof' anxiety that was as if it had a will of it's own. Nothing anyone advised me to do would work. I used a prescription knockout to break it off. It stopped. I've since found that if I sit down in front of a TV and absorb fictional drama from it, I soon feel the anxiety returning. I've had it so bad that I don't fool with it once I feel it coming on. I never want to go back to that nightmare.

There's something about actors that triggers me. I can't deal with it.

Joe from the Carolinas

10th March 2018, 05:53

I was simply wondering if anyone has had any success holistically/naturally treating Generalized Anxiety Disorder.

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What I'm asking is, essentially, is if anyone has had any luck with methods of healing beyond eating right and exercising regularly. While this undoubtedly has a very good impact, I know it won't suffice to rid him of it entirely, and I was wondering if any of you or those you may know have. Since, by any conventional standard, being diagnosed with GAD or chronic depression or the like is like a terminal sentence; there's pretty much no hope of being 'cured'. It's like a send-off.

I know that this is totally wrong, and that in most cases, something can be done.

I'm open to pretty much anything, so long as you have had/know of real results. I'm aware meditation can help a lot, but he has a very hard time with it due to the nature of his illness, so if you have any tips/methods of meditation, those would be appreciated as well.

Thank you for reading, and I look forward to discussing it with you all :)

Cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy (talk therapy with a trained, licensed professional) has been shown to be effective in the treatment of correctly diagnosed major depressive disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder (among others).

I would think an honorable, ethical practitioner would refer someone for empirically-validated talk therapy, rather than go straight to meds... then again, I'm old fashioned :)

Here's references on cognitive behavioral therapy for GAD:

https://www.div12.org/psychological-treatments/treatments/cognitive-and-behavioral-therapies-for-generalized-anxiety-disorder/

Tam

10th March 2018, 06:02

Joe from the Carolinas

10th March 2018, 06:22

We'd love for him to see a therapist, but alas...it is far beyond what we can afford, and his insurance is pretty average, so it won't cover mental health related things, other than meds like Xanax :(

Thank you for the suggestion, though.

You're welcome. Insurance can be quite frustrating. I see that you're located probably on Earth. I'm not sure which country you are in-- but most mental health providers operate on what is called a sliding scale fee (i.e. whatever the client can afford even if they have no insurance). Ya'll might want to look into counseling centers connected with a university, which offer sessions at an extremely affordable rate. I recall a university psychology doctoral program charging patients $5 an hour.

Tam

11th March 2018, 07:42

dynamo

11th March 2018, 13:16

Many great posts with awesome advice, let me add my own insight from personal experience.
I have been using benzodiazepines (serax, xanax, etc) for decades and was afraid that getting off of them would lead to shock.
I found it rather easy to do by following these steps, many of which are already listed in this thread:
1) "natural", balanced diet, limiting meat. Plenty of fresh fruits and veggies, many times in a blender with cinnamon, nutmeg, cocoa, nuts, etc. I lost 30 pounds of weight in 3 months and my energy level was sky-high!
2) slowly cutting back on the benzos over the course of 2 to 4 weeks to the point where I was taking none or maybe 1/2 a dose per day (usual dose was 3 full tabs 3 times/day...big difference)
3) removing myself from sources of what I found stressful as much as possible
Granted, I do "yo-yo" back and forth with these steps but when i feel overwhelmed, I try to get back on them as soon as possible.
Getting in shape physically really helps to calm me emotionally.
Good luck to you and your boyfriend, he can do it and with your support, he can do it with greater success!