Managing My Anxiety Without Medication

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Having gathered all the necessary i-search I set out to gather, I began implementing all the things I had learned. I was excited to find out if my anxiety could be managed solely through a “holistic” non-drug approach. I had already begun to incorporate the diet suggestions because I felt that this would probably take the most time to begin seeing any tangible results. I had cut acid-inducing foods from my diet and began drinking at least 64 ounces of water daily. I already limited myself to one cup of coffee a day, if I drank any at all. After only three days of these changes I began to notice a difference in the way I digested my food, as well as improving the lethargic feeling that I walked around with.

I decided to set up an exercise routine of 30 minutes five days per week. I chose to tackle this first thing every morning this way it was already done for the day. If I didn’t make it a priority it would get pushed further and further down the list as the day went on. Not only did I incorporate scheduled exercise, but I have also started being more active with my kids. One reason is that I actually have the energy to do so, but another reason is it sets a good example for my children to lead a healthy lifestyle. The exercise gave me an outlet for stress. Just knowing that I was doing something good for myself helped me tackle my day with a completely different attitude.

The last thing, and probably the one thing that has had the most effect on my anxiety level, was practicing a faith-centered and devoted time of meditation and prayer. I thought that it was ironic that this was the exact area that had no clinical evidence to support its effectiveness. Maybe that was because some may consider it “spiritual mumbo-jumbo.” In my experience before my i-search and after the effect was indisputable. The mediation gave me time to center myself before my day began. It gave me a place to breath when the world was coming at me from all directions. And it allowed me to clear my head and reflect on the day’s events before bed every night. This led to sleeping more restfully and being better equipped to handle the next day.

In closing, deciding to tackle this subject was not only for this paper, it was for me. I needed to change my lifestyle. I was “burning the candle at both ends” and was well on my way to requiring medication to control my anxiety. The great thing is it has improved other areas of my life as well: my overall health, my weight, my relationship with my daughters, and my productivity at work to name a few. Honestly, it’s all just common sense. Educate yourself, make healthier choices, live a healthier less-stressful life. I still have stress in my life; it is unavoidable. The difference is knowing how to handle that stress in a healthy way.

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Works Cited

Anderson, Elizabeth, and Geetha Shivakumar. “Effects of Exercise and Physical Activity on Anxiety.” Frontiers in Psychiatry 4 (2013): 27. PMC. Web. 21 June 2015.

Hopkins, Pastor Mark. Personal Interview. 21 June 2015.

Kornfield, Jack. Meditation for Beginners. 2008. Soundstrue.com. Web. 20 June 2015.

"Nutrition for Anxiety: An Anti Anxiety Diet?" Calm Clinic, n.d. Web. 15 June 2015.

Saeed, MD, Sy, Diana Antonacci, MD, and Richard Bloch, PhD. "Exercise, Yoga, and Meditation for Depressive and Anxiety Disorders." 81.8 (2010): 981-86. Print.

Switzer, MD, David. Personal interview. 1 June 2015.

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