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Hello again, dear readers,
I’ve made the decision to show up for myself, and continue to own the very real struggles I go through, and that I’m sure many of you can relate to. If you haven’t read my last piece, this is a continuation of my previous open letter about anxiety in my life. This article will detail some of the coping mechanisms and techniques I’ve experimented with, or considered on my lifelong journey to managing my anxiety!
- Xanax
For many people, medication can be a helpful, short-term solution that works miracles for them in situations of extreme stress, or in daily life. I say short-term due to the current conversation surrounding how we use medication to treat the physical symptoms caused by our mental health, and while some medications are great for lifetime use, the arguments featured in Take Your Pills: Xanax influenced my opinion. Personally, I would want to pursue other medications if I ever decide to become medicated, but I understand that this is a position of privilege for me and I have a bit more choice than many other people battling anxiety. However, I know a huge number of people who have great things to say about Xanax, so it was a must-have for this list!
- CBD
For those of you who are looking for a powerful, natural way to achieve anxiety relief, look no further. The first time I had CBD in a smoothie, I was very skeptical of if it would work at all. While I can’t say for certain whether it was a placebo effect or not, I felt extremely relaxed and comfortable for the next few hours. Totally worth it. I haven’t been able to try CBD gummies yet, but you can visit this link to check out a brand that supports bail funds and is doing important legal work to combat mass incarceration in California.
- Hum Calm Gummies
These are my personal favorites! These gummies have l-theanine and ashwagandha in them, a combination formulated to relax you. You can get a discount if you subscribe to gummy deliveries for three months. Taking them for one month allows the product to cycle through your system and build up, after which continuing the daily consumption will allow it to do its best work! I take these gummies in the morning with breakfast, and they are sweet with a faint medicinal aftertaste, but the sugar on top makes it almost unnoticeable. They work very well for me, and I feel very mellow in the evening especially, as the relaxation of not being at school on top of my comfy couch compounds. I have also noticed that, unless there is a special public speaking event or something extra I have to participate in, any obstacles in my daily routine bother me less. I think it is a combination of being more secure in myself that I can just let these things roll off my back, and a little purple gummy vitamin working wonders for my brain!
- Meditation
Meditation has always been fifty-fifty for me. It works great in short burts as a mindfulness, body check-in method and as a longer relaxation technique before sleep. For a lot of people, this is something they practice daily, and is often used in spiritual practice. There have been several studies and documentaries made about the power of meditation, likely because it is something anyone can do without any training and the technique has measured results. It is a powerful way to ground yourself, so check out what kinds of meditation work for you! The Calm app always has discounts, and is a great way for beginners to familiarize themselves with the concept, as well as for experts.
- Journaling
Unless it’s password protected or a piece of paper I can light on fire to be sure no one ever reads it, this method feeds my anxiety more than it helps it. However, if you are lacking diary related trauma, this method may be for you! This method treats the root causes of our anxieties through self reflection and analysis, enabling us to take a step back from the events of the day, or our lives, and examine them. Oftentimes, people struggling with anxiety have too much self-awareness, and I think letting your guard down and scrawling all your worries (and then why you know you’re worried about them) onto a page is a healthy way to express those emotions. This may be something required of you by particular therapists, because it is a great way to remember what happened that week and how you reacted to it so you can reach an explanation of “why” that may be eluding you.
I hope some of these techniques can help you find more peace in your daily life!