6 solutions to manage stress and anxiety without drugs - Davidliam/Edu-Technic GitHub Wiki

To prevent stress from taking a toll on your health, you should also take your companions into account, as some toxic relationships can increase feelings of anxiety and discomfort.

Stress and anxiety are the two most common psychological conditions among the population.

The fast pace of life, the high level of work demands, concerns as well as multiple other factors, give shape to a complex symptomatic picture where the psychic and the physical are combined.

Can you reduce stress and anxiety without drugs?

According to the report of the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS), every year the consumption of sedatives and hypnotics increases. Psychotropic drugs are a common and almost daily resource to alleviate our worries, our emotional pain, and our anguish.

Now, could we treat these psychological states without resorting to chemicals? It is clear that each case is unique, that it will always be the psychology and health professionals who will assess each situation, and that sometimes it is necessary to resort to pharmacological treatment.

However, studies like the one published by Harvard University show us that stress and anxiety can be reduced in a very concrete way: by learning to manage our emotions.

Therefore, if we want to better manage stress and anxiety, we can implement new types of mental approaches and behaviors. Let's look at some examples.

1. New habits

  1. Depression is an excess of the past, stress, an excess of the present, and anxiety, an excess of the future.
  2. To reduce our level of stress and anxiety, it is essential to make a total review of our daily habits.
  3. We need to discover what situations take away our peace of mind and what our stress and anxiety triggers are.
  4. Based on this clarification, we will reformulate new habits with which to put stressors and tensions aside.

Introducing new practices into our day-to-day life with which to feel motivated, with which to meet interesting people to see ourselves in a more positive way will be of great help.

2. Learn to disconnect

One characteristic of stress and anxiety is that we have a bad habit of taking work problems home with us. We must learn to disconnect and stop thinking about work when the day is over.

Likewise, disconnecting is not only separating the work from the personal. Often, we also need to remove many other things: worries about the future, frustrations, unfulfilled wishes, demands.

Disconnecting is learning to look at the world more calmly, enjoying what surrounds us without haste, without tension.

3. Physical exercise against stress

An excellent remedy against stress is, of course, physical exercise. Thus, studies such as the one carried out at the University of Texas show us that the effects of moderate physical activity are very effective in reducing these types of psychological conditions. A good sports session serves to:

  • Clear our minds.
  • Regulate blood pressure.
  • It produces calm and well-being.
  • Balance excess energy.
  • It helps us to disconnect for a few hours.
  • It releases endorphins that give us joy. The duration of the exercise can vary between 10 and 30 minutes, with an intensity between 30% and 60% of the performance of each person. We recommend sports with a certain rhythm such as swimming, running, cycling, athletics, etc.

4. Visit a professional

Stress, well managed, allows us to react better to everyday pressures. However, if we feel that we are losing control and our anguish and discomfort is on the rise, it is advisable to visit a psychologist. Thus, among the different types of therapy that can help us the most to treat stress and anxiety, we find the following approaches:

  • Cognitive-behavioral therapy.
  • Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy
  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
  • Biofeedback
  • Relaxation techniques training

Do not hesitate to ask for help and let yourself be helped: you have nothing to lose and your health will also benefit.

5. Rate and select your companies

If our way of life demands a high performance that causes us stress and anxiety, we suggest you have friends that do not increase these levels. Enjoying good company in a leisure activity, such as walks in the mountains, the beach, or any area in nature, will calm that stress and tension. We all know the term "toxic person." For this reason, we recommend that you select someone who contributes positive values so that you do not end up sinking further.

6. Get plenty of rest

Replenishing the vital energy with which we cope every day is crucial. Rest, as much as possible, the hours your body needs. Sleep is restful and provides greater clarity and performance.

It is important that the rest hours are of quality. Therefore, try to disconnect the phone, be in a room where there is no light or noise. To conclude, do not hesitate to apply these simple strategies on a day-to-day basis. Stress and anxiety can be treated without drugs, but do not hesitate to always consult the best option with a health professional.