Health & Medical Anxiety

Coping With Mental Anxiety

If you are struggling with mental anxiety you should take a close look at the rest of your family.
It probably comes as no surprise that one out of every four people with mental anxiety have a close family member with the same condition.
So don't be shocked if Aunt Martha or Uncle Al are floating around in the same boat filled to the brim with nervous tension as you are.
But once you get past the genetic part of the equation, and boil it down to brain chemicals, research has found that those who continually fall victim to excessive worry or feeling blue don't have enough serotonin bouncing around in their brains.
Serotonin is one of the brains neurotransmitter chemicals which bridge the gap for synapse to communicate with one another.
Other notable neurotransmitter chemicals include norepinephrine and dopamine.
Some brain research seems to suggest that when too little serotonin is available either norepinephrine or dopamine pick up the slack leading to function without balance.
In other words you perceived events differently than you normally would.
There are numerous medications formulated to treat mental anxiety with some of the most popular being selective serotonin uptake inhibitors.
These drugs work by increasing levels of serotonin at the nerve synapses by inhibiting the reabsorption of serotonin into the nerve cells.
SSRIs as they are known are used to treat serious mental anxiety conditions such as agoraphobia, generalized anxiety disorder (most common), obsessive compulsive disorder, panic attacks, panic disorders, post traumatic stress disorder, specific phobias, and social phobias.
These drugs are widely prescribed, and may include some names you will recognize including Celexa, Luvox, Paxil, Prozac, and Zoloft.
While often times effective, you should know that these medications have a long list of side effects.
So the bottom line is to talk to your doctor in depth about the benefits and risks before committing to a lifelong regime of prescription SSRIs.
What five non prescription steps can I take to relieve my mental anxiety? *Exercise: When you exercise not only do you burn off the fight or flight hormone adrenaline but your body produces more of the feel good brain chemicals including serotonin.
About 30 minutes a day is suggested but even ten minutes can help.
*Get enough sleep: The less quality sleep you get the more you deplete your already depleted serotonin levels.
Eight hours nightly combined with a consisting pattern of going to be at the same time and getting up at the same time seems to be the most beneficial.
*Talk it up: By talking you create a mental distraction that allows the brain to get a rest from the constant weight of worry.
If the conversation is uplifting or humorous it can produce amazing results leaving you feeling relaxed, more accepting, and may encourage a more positive outlook moving forward.
*Take ten minutes just to relax: Take a hot bath, listen to some great music, have a cup of your favorite decaffeinated coffee, or stroll through your favorite bakery.
Anything that makes you forget about your mental anxiety for a few minutes will help.
* Herbal remedies for anxiety: Sometimes you may feel you need that little extra bit of help to overcome mental anxiety but may not be interested in prescription medications.
In these instances herbal remedies for mental anxiety have proven to be a safe and effective option worth considering.


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