COPING WITH ANXIETY

 Life has never been easy and has necessitated hard work, sacrifice and forward thinking. For some, it has involved the daily struggle to put food on the table and be able to survive; for others it has involved the daily stress and strain of work in the private sector. Those who don’t seek employment are not immune to stress either as the constant toil in the home which includes a lot of repetitive work can be draining yet not everyone is influenced the same way by all the stress that is piled on: some put their shoulders to the wheel without another thought and get on with the task at hand without a backward glance, while others throw in the towel. They fret, they fume and lie awake at night turning events over in their minds. Such a tendency is termed anxiety and can be very damaging indeed. Luckily though, there is help at hand in the form of therapy, sleep, herbs and drugs.

   Expecting to be able to cope with everything life throws at one single handed is foolish and unrealistic; there is no shame in seeking help when necessary. Anxiety disorder is not something one can talk oneself out of on one’s own but fortunately, there are experts at hand in the form of therapists who can provide support and medication. Therapists mostly have a two pronged approach to treatment: they will prescribe drugs to raise serotonin levels and restore the chemical balance in the brain and they will also hold sessions with the patient and talk through his problems. This combined attack on the disorder usually works really well but it is not the only solution.

The job done by drugs can be done by herbal remedies too if the case is a mild form of anxiety disorder. Plants are the basis of a lot of drugs and remedies like St John’s Wort or 5HTP have proved to be just as effective as drugs like Prozac without having the side effects. In fact, many therapists will opt for these two herbal remedies and move onto drugs should they prove ineffective. An awareness of the properties of various different kinds of food and attention to diet will also help promote general well being but none of this will prove sufficient if the patient is not getting adequate sleep.

    Nothing is more important than a good night’s sleep for general well being as has been proved by countless experiments involving wakefulness. This is the period during which the body recuperates, eliminates toxins, prepares for the coming day and rests. Depriving the body of restorative sleep upsets the whole apple cart and does untold damage and can even lead to death. This being the case, the first thing any therapist needs to do is try and ensure that the sufferer is getting a good night’s rest. In most cases, a mild sedative will have to be used until the overriding problem has been tackled. In short, the problem of sleep disorders needs to be addressed if the anxiety disorder is to be successfully dealt with.

     In conclusion, anxiety disorder is not surprisingly, a very common problem in the modern world but there is plenty of help available. A combination of drugs, herbal remedies and therapy will aid most sufferers. There are also support groups on the internet where suffers can share their experiences and vent. Anxiety need not be a death sentence.