Finding Drug-free ways to work with Anxiety

 Anxiety disorders are on the rise in the United States. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America:

• Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older, or 18.1% of the population every year.
• Anxiety disorders are highly treatable, yet only 36.9% of those suffering receive treatment.
• Anxiety disorders develop from a complex set of risk factors, including genetics, brain chemistry, personality, and life events

These stats don’t really surprise me. I discovered first hand that it can happen to anyone…including me. Nearly 25 years ago now, my “good” life got the better of me. On the outside, all things looked perfect: I had a great new relationship, a vibrant social life, a challenging and fun job as a national account manager for a large managed health care company, and I was one year into owning a home within blocks of the beautiful Minneapolis lakes.

Despite the outer appearance of fabulous, I started to notice some changes. I was having trouble getting on planes – my mind and body went crazy whenever the “Fasten Seatbelts” sign was on. I was spending more time and a lot more energy preparing for presentations and feeling more nervous. And, I found myself seeking comfort in cocktails while I was out socializing. My digestive track was in turmoil, too. I was seeing a lot of GI specialists without conclusive results.

Even with all these physical experiences of anxiety, I was shocked when my primary care physician wrote a prescription for anti-anxiety medication. I didn’t see myself as someone who needed drugs for this. I refused to have it filled. And then, I had a massive anxiety attack while trapped in 12 lanes of traffic backed up at the Cumberland toll booth outside O’Hare Airport in Chicago. I felt like I was going to die and had no where to run.

That day, I filled the prescription. Finally, it was clear to me that I would need the immediate relief the pills would provide while I got serious about exploring other options. With fewer resources than what is available today, I found a book called The Panic Attack Recovery Book  and started making the changes the author suggested.  Over the next six months, I began feeling better and found myself better able to manage my mind and body. Below is a list of the most potent changes I made:

1. Drink Decaf. I loved coffee. I drank it all day. Even so, I made the switch. Keep in mind this was 25 years ago. Starbucks was just getting started. Finding good decaf coffee was a great challenge back then. For more than ten years, I didn’t waiver. Now, I can occasionally drink a cup of caffeinated coffee without issue, but only one and only occasionally.
2. Do Yoga. I found my first yoga class through Minneapolis Community Ed and, lucky for us, our teacher was amazing. We learned a very simple sun salutation, which I used for years. The dim light, the deep breathing, the meditative flow, the shivasana all appealed to me deeply. It was so opposite of my life and pace at the time. Our teacher was a real-life wellness example. She shared often how her practice helped her to manage the stress of her big corporate job.
3. Eat better. Being on the road 50% of the time for business meant my diet was indulgent. Guided by the book I ate in a more balanced way. I also followed their suggestion to eat a complex carb with a bit of protein before going into anxiety-inducing activities. This was my first direct experience with the healing power of food.
4. Find quiet. I had to learn to quiet my mind. I was lucky to have an acupuncturist at the time who made and sold recorded meditations. I listened to her kind voice and the beautiful music incessantly and they worked. The road to a formal meditation practice would take years but this was a good start.
5. Learn new ways. I found a skilled mental health therapist who helped me find some new ways to balance and channel my mental activity in more generative ways.

I went off the daily medications after six months. I carried on-demand meds for 18 more months. I used them when the intensity rose and I didn’t have time to work it through. And, in most cases, it was enough to know the pills were there. Sticking with the changes helped. I felt better and went longer and longer between episodes. Even today I occasionally experience a significant wave of anxiety. It always alarms me initially and then I remember, “I’ve got this.”

If I knew then what I know now, I would have sought out the services of a skilled bodyworker to support me as I made the changes. As a bodyworker today, I help clients suffering as I did. Back then, I didn’t know how helpful bodywork could be to the anxiety sufferer.  Now I know bodywork is so beneficial.

This post was written by Barb Ryan, LMT, CSD & Myofascial Release Practitioner at Bhakti Wellness Center. Barb Ryan’s work as a therapeutic bodyworker and spiritual director is grounded in her own life journey. Launched on a healing journey by a car accident in 1990, Barb has pursued well-being via a wide-ranging healing path that encompassed explorations and remedies for body, mind and spirit. She has learned the importance of self-care and self-discovery in pursuit of health. Connecting with, supporting and collaborating with the body is a key tenet of overall well-being. Clients’ needs guide each session. Barb incorporates her knowledge of myofascial release, craniosacral, therapeutic massage, healing touch energy medicine and spiritual direction. She specializes in clients experiencing chronic pain, limited range of motion, anxiety and other emotional challenges who seek improved well-being. Click here for contact information