Sometimes you really need to slow down a little and get a grasp of reality to counter the stress that has been building up. Have a good laugh, go for a run, watch the sunset, or listen to your favorite track.
Life surely can get overwhelming at times, even for the strongest of people it can become a little too hard to handle. We all fall in and out of anxiety/depression, but for some, it becomes a lingering black cloud that is impossible to get rid of.
There isn’t much I can say about why one gets anxious or depressed, but for what I know, it mainly comes for stress. Stress that is either emotional or physical, is the feeling of being cornered and able to do nothing.
Don’t lose heart though! It’s not the end of the line. A majority of the people find their way back into life and overcome stress. And to help you out in sorting your mess up, here are some of the natural stresses busting ways that I have found to be most helpful.
Just Keep Breathing!
Because it comes naturally to us, we spend most of our lives without acknowledging the peace and calm of observing your own breath. It has been an integral part of meditations around the world for thousands of years because of its relief.
Even though it may not seem like an out of the box solution for your problems but what can you do about them anyway? If there was anything you could’ve done to solve your problems you wouldn’t have found yourself drowning in the abyss.
All you have to do is take note of a breathing exercise that you find relieving and try making it a part of your routine. Whenever you feel stressed out, just take a pause, practice a few cycles of deep breaths and you’ll feel the tension leaving your body.
Some people find deep inhales and exhales to be helpful whereas others take the benefit from merely observing their breathing as it is. But whatever floats your boat, you don’t have to specifically choose a breathing trend with most followers, you need to choose only the one that works out the best for you.
Meditate
I have always been running away from the thought of meditation myself. Because how can one pretend to be calm amidst the chaos of life and actually feel good about the show that we put to ourselves right?
But I have never been more wrong, I guess the entire point of meditation (that I take from it) is to fake it until you make it, and it works!
Meditation is hardly going to require 10-30 minutes of your day and is powerful enough to introduce a change in your lifestyle and thought patterns. Struggling to concentrate is what every beginner goes through but that is where you have to hold on to it.
Many kinds of research and studies show for meditation to alter the normal brain activity and make room for new neural pathways to be created. In terms of a layman, it means breaking free of compulsive behavior and old habits to make room for better new ones.
There is also no limit to the forms and types of mediations. You can start off with guided mediation programs to get the hang of it and can then solely focus on your breathing. Or you can also focus on sounds, but whatever you focus on has to be happening in the now. You will surely feel much relaxed and relieved after your very first mediation practice, and it’s all an upward progress from there.
Watch What Goes Into Your Body
The most common tendency of people suffering from anxiety and depression is to find a coping strategy to reduce stress. For some, it is drugs, alcohol, and prescribed medication and for some, it is overeating or under-eating.
As we went through it in the beginning, depression, and anxiety both stem out of stress (emotional/physical), so the more you are going to stress your body out by unnatural coping mechanisms, the more depressed and anxious you are going to feel.
Try not to skip meals at all and make sure you get your required caloric intake for the day. It is not a bad thing to munch on some popcorns and sodas while watching a show but too much of these during the day is definitely going to mess your digestion.
Drugs, alcohol, and prescribed medicine will initially numb the physical and emotional tension but will aggravate it over time. Too much caffeine induces hyperactivity and will eventually trigger panic attacks. Overeating or eating junk food will have you put extra pounds and all that accounts for more depression and anxiety.
This is why it is always very helpful to keep track of your diet. It will always lighten your mood up to know you took care of your body today. You can also use chamomile tea and red Bali kratom as they are one of the mildest and affective natural anti-depressants and relaxants.
Workouts and Exercise
Working out is probably the only action that forces you to work faster than you can think. The one hour or two that you spend at the gym or a park is when your mind is free of all the worries that otherwise fog your productivity.
It goes without saying that working out boosts your mood and gives you a feeling of accomplishment every day. Other than the obvious health benefits, it puts you in a much more controlling position of your emotions.
Studies show that people suffering from depression and anxiety had a comparatively lively and light mood after workouts. That is partly because you get to channel your energy into something, which would’ve been otherwise going all into overthinking.
The recommended time for working out is somewhere between two and five hours a week but in consistency. Working out daily in small portions is much better than working out in bulk once a week. This helps you develop a routine and organize yourself a little.
You can make the exercise even easier by partnering up with a friend, listening to your favorite podcasts, or music while working out.
Reach Out For Help
Dealing with depression and anxiety is exhausting and one can easily lose motivation. If none of your own methods of dealing are working then it may be time for you to ask people around you for help. Involving your friends and family in your struggle will hold up your accountability to your new practices and will even develop a deeper bond.
Though nothing beats speaking to a therapist. Now, of course, a professional would know the best way to deal with all the stress and tension. There are usually underlying traumas or phobias that trigger depression/anxiety, and a therapist will identify them easily.
You will find out that talking to a professional about your life is less like being vulnerable and more like unwinding. It helps you separate the problems and set priorities for the tasks at hand. You can look up a top rated therapist near you that specializes in depression, anxiety, and stress or ask out your social circle for any good recommendation.
