Anxiety & other mood disorders

 

For those of you that have ever suffered from anxiety or are currently suffering from anxiety; know how heartbreaking it is; to not feel right or comfortable in your own skin or circumstances.

Some well known facts about Anxiety...

• The root meaning of the word anxiety is 'to vex or trouble'; in either presence or absence of psychological stress, anxiety can create feelings of fear, worry, uneasiness and dread.

• Anxiety is considered to be a normal reaction to a stressor. It may help someone to deal with a difficult situation by prompting them to cope with it. When anxiety becomes excessive, it may fall under the classification of an anxiety disorder.

• Anxiety is a generalized mood condition that can often occur without an identifiable triggering stimulus.

 After I had my first child, I started to get worried about things.  Overly worried about things I could not change.  I would create horrible accidents in my head and would be obsessively worried that they would come to happen.  I would lay awake at night, crying, not even knowing why.  I would feel so stressed, with an uncontrollable heart rate, and have no clue why.  The list goes on.  I finally decided to read a book, called 'The Mood Cure'.  Possibly one of the best decisions of my life.  It gave me hope that I could change my fate- and that I didn't need to suffer or feel like this anymore.  Here is a list of what I used (from the book and researched other ways) that seriously worked.

• SAM-e - a supplement that you can find at your local health foods store.  It is short for S-adenosyl-L-methionine.  It's found naturally in the body and is increases levels of neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine.
• Folic Acid - found in green leafy vegetables, other vegetables, fruit, beans and fortified grains.  Also found in a B-complex supplement.  FYI: Folic Acid is one of the most common vitamin deficiencies because of poor diet, but also because chronic conditions and various medications such as aspirin and birth control pills can also lead to deficiency.
• 5-HTP - a supplement that you can find at your local health foods store.  It is produced naturally in the body and is used to make the neurotransmitter serotonin.  It is short for 5-hydroxytryptophan.  FYI: Experts say that it should not be combined with antidepressants.
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids - this is the good fat needed for normal brain function.  Our bodies can't make omega-3's on their own, so we must obtain them through our diet.  I obtain mine through 'golden flax seeds'.  I grind them up and put them in a fruit smoothie (they work best when they are ground or "opened" - flax meal also does not work as proficiently, as it is best when you grind right before consumption).  
•  Gaba Calm - a subliminal supplement that you can find at your local health foods store.  It is a synergistic blend of the very nutrients upon which your body relies to combat stress and remain in a serene state when faced with over stimulation: the key neurotransmitters GABA, Taurine, and Glycine.
• Rescue Remedy - found at your local health food store (I have also seen it at Harmon's, in Utah).  It is a spray formula that is made up of a five individual flower remedies that help you cope with the different emotional aspects of stressful situations

These honestly worked miracles with my anxiety (I know I say that a lot).  I noticed a difference in the way I felt almost immediately.  I would pop a 'Gaba Calm' tablet into my mouth if I started having any ill feelings or emotions.  Now it has been more than a year and I don't have to take any of these anymore and feel great!  They cured me!  I have talked with numerous people that have used these same remedies with depression, postpartum depression, postpartum psychosis (after receiving medical attention), addiction to drugs, baby blues, and so on.  Here is another small list of things I didn't personally try, but know people that have.

• St. Johns Wart
• Magnesium
• Vitamin B6
• Avoiding Caffeine and Alcohol
• Reducing or cutting out intake of sweets

Be patient with yourself and be diligent when you decide what you're going to use.  Don't give up after a day or two.  Best of luck.