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Mistakes Made During Self-Treatment of Anxiety

Written by Enlightened Recovery on . Posted in Mental Health, treatment. No Comments on Mistakes Made During Self-Treatment of Anxiety

Not everyone can afford to see a therapist for their anxiety which can mean that they use more natural remedies for treatment. While it is good to use your own methods at home to help treat your anxiety, you need to make sure you are using the right methods. If you are taking care of your anxiety the wrong way, you could end up making it worse.

One thing you should try not to do is push away your feelings of anxiety. The more you try not to think about something, that will only make you think about it more. You could be studying for an exam and cannot stop thinking about failing. Trying hard not to think about something will make you think about it more. Instead of avoiding these thoughts, acknowledge them and observe what you are feeling. Tell yourself that while what you are feeling is unpleasant, you know that it will pass. This will help you focus more on relaxing instead of being scared that your anxiety will make an entrance again.

While you should not try to push away your anxiety, you should also not let it succumb you. Do not tell yourself that there is nothing that you can do. There are many methods to lessen your anxiety symptoms such as deep breathing. Just sit still and breathe deeply where the tension is felt the most. If you feel your heart beating really fast, aim at your chest. If you hands are shaky, aim at your hands. You will feel much more calm and relaxed this way.

You may feel like by taking care of others, it will help you take care of yourself. The truth is that worrying too much about other people’s problems and spending too much time making sure that they are taken care of does not leave enough room to take care of yourself. It will leave you full of headaches worrying about everyone’s next move and not your own. These can mean not showering, eating a balanced meal, or sleeping well. You should not have to back out of your responsibilities to others as helping others will make you feel useful and happy. That does not mean that you should not practice self-care. Start every day doing something for yourself such as taking a shower, brushing your hair, applying deodorant, making a balanced breakfast, and going to sleep at a decent hour for seven to eight hours.

Others may not want to take medication for their anxiety because they do not want to feel any sort of dependence on a pill to function well. They may also feel that medication is for the weak-minded. The truth is that admitting you need to be on medication is not weak but a bold move. There are very helpful medications out there for anxiety such as benzodiazepines, antidepressants, beta-blockers, etc. There is nothing wrong with admitting that you need medication to better assist you. The medication will not cure your anxiety but it will help keep you under control and you will notice a big difference in your mood.

Remember that treating anxiety does not mean using one method will fix everything. It is not as simply as fixing one thing about you to be a solution to your anxiety. You may think that if you do yoga for a few times a day only that all of your anxiety symptoms will be gone. Anxiety is a serious mental health condition which means it needs to be taken seriously. You may need to combine a bunch of methods together like not only yoga but doing more things to make you happy, medication, therapy, exercising, a support system, etc. You also need to get to know your anxiety more. This can mean that at the end of the day, evaluate how your anxiety went on a scale of one to ten. By keeping track of it, you will be able to see if you are improving your symptoms and being open to alternative methods if what you are doing for it now is not making much of a difference.

It is possible that you think doing any treatment will create big results in anxiety improvement. That is only true if you are utilizing your changes consistently. This does not mean that if you do yoga whenever you have a chance means that you anxiety will get better. You need to make a routine to commit to your changes. Tell yourself that you will do yoga three times a day, exercising for at least half an hour, and taking your medication during the times you are supposed to. Continue with these lifestyle changes for at least three months and see if it makes a difference.

A big factor in anxiety involves constantly thinking about the future. You feel like you have an idea about what the future will be like and that things will not go well. You should know that it is impossible to be able to predict the future. Only try to control what is in your power than what is outside of it. Think only about the present moment so that you will realize that everything is fine. If your methods for treating your anxiety are not working, do not be afraid to seek help from a professional to better evaluate your anxiety and help you figure out what to do.

At Enlightened Recovery, we are here to help you remember that life can be full of happiness and enjoyable moments, once we learn how to manage our thoughts, feelings and behaviors. Call us today: (833) 801-LIVE.

Mental Health During Pregnancy

Written by Enlightened Recovery on . Posted in Mental Health, treatment. No Comments on Mental Health During Pregnancy

Pregnancy can be a very emotional time as you have a baby growing inside your body. But, not only do you have to look out for your physical health, you also need to think about your mental health as well. By knowing about what your mental health can be like when you are pregnant and how you can keep it in check, you will be in a good state by the time your baby is born.

How Pregnancy Affects Mental Health

Because you know how big the responsibility is to carry a baby in your body for nine months, this can be an emotional challenge for you. You may be feeling stressed in that this is a big change coming to you. While you may have read all the baby books and taken the classes, it still cannot prepare you for the hormonal and physical changes your body will go through. Unexpected things may happen to your baby even if you do everything that the doctor tells you. Especially if you had bad experiences in the past like a miscarriage or if your last baby dealt with health issues, this may put you on edge during your pregnancy with high anxiety that something will go wrong. Your anxiety can also grow higher if you google every complication that you may experience, making yourself even more on edge.

Mental Health Problems During Pregnancy

Pregnancy can often lead to anxiety and depression. The chances can increase if you have had problems with your mental health in the past and are not doing anything to treat it. It can also occur if you feel like you do not have support. Your spouse may be at work the whole time you need something, does not come to classes with you, or you live in an area where there is no family near you. It could be that while you are pregnant, you are having problems with your spouse or boyfriend/girlfriend which is making you even more stressed and emotional. You may have also dealt with past abuse before which can put you in a depression while pregnant.

Best Time to Get Help

Remember that there is nothing to be ashamed about in terms of having a mental illness. The important thing is that you take care of yourself for the sake of your baby and yourself. When you notice the signs that something is off about your mental health, do not be afraid to do something about it. By getting a proper diagnosis for what you have, you will feel relieved knowing there is a reason for your behavior and that it can be treated. This can mean if you have been constantly feel sad for longer than a couple of weeks. It can also mean that the negative thoughts and feelings that you are experiencing are affecting your everyday life. If you are losing interest in the things that you used to enjoy or you feel hopeless, that means that you have depression. If you do not do anything about your depression, this can impact you doing what the doctor tells you to do to take care of your baby. Being anxious or worried all the time is having anxiety which will also not leave you in a healthy state during your pregnancy. If you experiencing any of these issues as well as developing panic attacks or obsessive compulsive behaviors, feel free to let a mental health professional know.

What Pregnant Women Need to Be Aware Of

Depression is never the fault of the woman who is pregnant. No one asks to get depression just like no one asks to have a physical ailment. There are many factors that lead to someone getting depression. While developing depression may not be in your control, how you treat it always will be.

You should also know that you are not alone in developing mood disorders during your pregnancy. Because it is a common stereotype how emotional women can be, especially during pregnancy, this may prevent women from getting help. That it is not natural to see a woman not full of joy while pregnant. The point is that mental disorders are serious and always need to be paid attention to. It is also important to know that the sooner you get help, the sooner you and your baby will feel better. Getting early treatment will help you be able to better bond with your baby once he or she is born. Do not wait until your symptoms turn serious to realize you need urgent help.

How Your Mental Health Can Be Treated While Pregnant

One method of treatment is taking prescription medication. Always make sure that you talk to a doctor first to make sure it is safe to take while pregnant. If you were taking medication for your mental health before you were pregnant or you plan to be pregnant, still speak to a doctor to see if you should still continue. Another option is to use talk therapy to better manage your stress, depression, and anxiety while pregnant. By joining a support group, this will more than prove to you that you are not alone in your struggles. You can also do things at home like eating right, getting a good amount of sleep, yoga, and speaking to a friend. By taking care of your mental health, you will have a successful pregnancy.

Located on the shore of Southern New Jersey, Enlightened Recovery is a recovery center that uses evidence-based therapies and holistic healing to treat addiction and mental illness. With the opportunity to learn about therapies that are keyed in to healing the human spirit and learning about new stress reducing techniques centered around a 12 step network, you will be ensure a lasting recovery. For more information, please call us at 833-801-LIVE as we are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.