The Best Vitamins For Stress And Anxiety
Stress is a health concern with many methods to be controlled effectively. We can reduce stress and improve mental health by getting enough sleep, eating a healthy diet, talking to friends, meditating, and exercising regularly. However, there is another stress-relieving tool that can make you feel better. Vitamins and dietary supplements help relieve symptoms of stress. Although there is no pill to eliminate stress, Sanbera supplements can help reduce stress levels, ease depression symptoms, and even help you sleep better if taken regularly. Science suggests that dietary supplements and vitamins can be a part of treatment to lower stress, together with a healthy diet and lifestyle changes. Here are the best vitamins and supplements for stress relief:
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What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Anxiety
When left untreated, anxiety can have a significant negative impact on sufferers quality of life. And the effects of anxiety are not only psychological. Anxiety often causes a range of physical effects due to its activation of the bodys stress response. Also known as the flight or fight response, our stress response is activated by the sympathetic nervous system in response to a perceived threat.
Common signs and symptoms of anxiety include:
- Excessive worry or fear
- Increased heart and breathing rates
- Avoiding situations that make you anxious
Over time, continued activation of the stress response takes a toll on the body and can result in longer-term health impacts, including increased risk of heart attack and stroke, digestive issues and weight gain.
Foods To Help Fight Depression
Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital.
One of the most overlooked aspects of mental health is nutrition. Food plays a significant role in our physical health, as well as our mental and emotional health. When you are struggling with depression, it can feel a bit overwhelming to think about eating the right foods. However, some of these small changes in your diet may help to decrease your symptoms and have a positive effect on your daily life.
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Why These Conditions Often Occur Together And How To Treat Them When They Do
Everyone experiences pain at some point, but in people with depression or anxiety, pain can become particularly intense and hard to treat. People suffering from depression, for example, tend to experience more severe and long-lasting pain than other people.
The overlap of anxiety, depression, and pain is particularly evident in chronic and sometimes disabling pain syndromes such as fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, low back pain, headaches, and nerve pain. For example, about two-thirds of patients with irritable bowel syndrome who are referred for follow-up care have symptoms of psychological distress, most often anxiety. About 65% of patients seeking help for depression also report at least one type of pain symptom. Psychiatric disorders not only contribute to pain intensity but also to increased risk of disability.
Researchers once thought the reciprocal relationship between pain, anxiety, and depression resulted mainly from psychological rather than biological factors. Chronic pain is depressing, and likewise major depression may feel physically painful. But as researchers have learned more about how the brain works, and how the nervous system interacts with other parts of the body, they have discovered that pain shares some biological mechanisms with anxiety and depression.
In addition, two neurotransmitters serotonin and norepinephrine contribute to pain signaling in the brain and nervous system. They also are implicated in both anxiety and depression.
Alternative Treatments To Pristiq
For SNRI antidepressants, Pristiq is believed to be one of the better options available. But it is not the only option. Youll want to make sure that youre looking for alternatives that come with fewer side effects and interactions.
Some choose to use the natural medicine route. Kava is an anxiolytic herb that many believe is as effective as some brand name anxiety reduction drugs, although kava may interact with other medications and should only be used in the presence of a doctor.
Others may want to go the therapeutic route. Make sure that you consider therapy even if you choose to take Pristiq, as no medication alone can reduce your anxiety forever without it likely coming back.
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Diet Plan For Depression And Anxiety
The best diet plan for depression and anxiety has multiple elements. Dont let multiple elements scare you away. In fact, the main point of a diet plan to increase mental health and wellbeing is that it be simple. A good plan is so straightforward that it doesnt feel like a diet plan at all but instead feels like a natural, and pleasant, part of your daily life.
Think of a diet plan to reduce depression and/or anxiety as a part of a balanced, healthy lifestyle. Nutrition is vital for mental health, but a fancy or fad diet isnt necessary. Often, special diets dont last, causing people to revert to unhealthy eating habits. Sometimes they can be harmful, throwing the body and brain off balance. Not only that, there is no single, special diet that has been proven to treat depression.
An effective, user-friendly, healthy diet plan for depression and anxiety involves these simple elements:
Assess The Parts Instead Of Generalizing The Whole
Depression can tinge recollections with difficult emotions. You may find yourself focusing on things that are unhelpful or perceived as difficult.
Try to stop this overgeneralization. Push yourself to recognize the good. If it helps, write down what was meaningful about the event or day. You can track what you achieved that day, and which activities were enjoyable.
Seeing the weight youre giving to one thing may help you direct your thoughts away from the whole and to the individual pieces that were helpful.
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Drink Green Tea Instead Of Coffee
Experiencing intense, short bouts of anxiety can raise your blood pressure and stress your heart. This wont hurt you once in a while, but over time it can damage your heart and blood vessels.
A compound called L-theanine, which is present in green tea, can help reduce anxiety and limit its effects on your heart and blood pressure. Instead of a morning cup of coffee, try a few cups of green tea to feel focused, energized and relaxed.
The Guilt And Shame Cycle
According to Brene Brown, social researcher and author, Shame is the intensely painful feeling or experience of believing that we are flawed and therefore unworthy of love and belonging. Shame says youre unacceptable, unlovable, and unworthy.There is a big difference between shame and guilt: the focus of guilt is behavior the focus of shame is identity. Guilt says, I made a mistake, shame says, I am a mistake. Guilt says, I did something bad, shame says, I am something bad.Legitimate guilt is a healthy emotion when it signals to us that weve unintentionally or deliberately disobeyed Godand we need to own up to the damage that our destructive words and actions caused. Wrestling with a vague sense of guilt that we cant tie into any specific words or behaviors is a version of shame that has no redemptive value.Once weve become aware that weve been rationalizing our unhealthy behaviors, we confess those sins to God, look to Him for mercy, and receive His forgiveness. However, when guilt is allowed to linger without acknowledging our specific misdeeds, this emotion often turns into shame and can begin to eat away at us.
Watch this weeks sermon to discover what the Bible says about guilt, shame, and Gods redemptive grace that can set you free from both of these life consuming emotions.
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Depression & Obsessive Compulsive Order
Obsessive-compulsive disorder is an anxiety disorder, where a person gets unreasonable thoughts and fears with unwanted compulsive behaviors.
Depression and OCD together worsen the situation. If you possess such behaviors, you should immediately call your friends, family, or even better, consult trusted health professionals. Depression over OCD can be shared among some people. However, you should put all stops before stepping into such a situation.
Unfortunately, this can also be seen in children with obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Their unwanted compulsive behavior can lead him or them to stay away from society, withdraw from friends, and eventually end up with depression.
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Why Are Anxiety And Depression Often Co
Its a cycle, says Sally R. Connolly, LCSW and therapist. When you get anxious, you tend to have this pervasive thinking about some worry or some problem. You feel bad about it. Then you feel like youve failed. You move to depression.
These two disorders anxiety and depression have a complicated relationship:
- The chance of acquiring depression is much higher when an anxiety disorder already exists. Nearly half of those with major depression also suffer from severe and persistent anxiety.
- People who are depressed often feel anxious and worried. One can easily trigger the other, with anxiety often preceding depression.
- People with post-traumatic stress disorder are especially prone to developing depression.
- A biological predisposition for both of these conditions if often at the root of an individuals battle. This seems to be true with anxiety disorders even more than with depression. Connolly explains, Some people are just worriers and pass it down.
People with an anxiety disorder should speak with a psychiatrist, therapist or other healthcare professional about their symptoms. Treatment for an anxiety disorder should not be delayed. If not caught in time, depression may find the door wide open for moving in and setting up house in those individuals.2
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Herbal Remedies For Depression And Anxiety
Herbal remedies have been used to treat depression and anxiety for centuries around the globe. Western societies, in particular, have moved away from traditional herbal treatments towards prescription medications. There are some proven herbal options that may be worth a try.
One in four women in the United States now takes a psychiatric medication.
According to a report from the National Center for Health Statistics , the rate of antidepressant use in this country among teens and adults increased by almost 400% between 19881994 and 20052008.
The federal governments health statisticians figure that about one in every 10 Americans takes an antidepressant. And by their reckoning, antidepressants were the third most common prescription medication taken by Americans in 20052008, the latest period during which the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey collected data on prescription drug use.
Here are a few other stand-out statistics from the report on antidepressants:
So is it a good thing that so many more Americans are taking antidepressants? Many mental health professionals would say, yes, because depression has been undertreated and because antidepressants are effective.
But there are also plenty of critics, as shown by this review in the New York Review of Books, who say the benefits have been overstated and that pharmaceutical company marketing is responsible for the surge in prescriptions.
2. SAM-e
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Massage Therapy For The Mind Body And Spirit
Because massage therapy focuses greatly on fostering and strengthening a positive mind-body connection, it can be of great aid as a complement to treatment in those who struggle with a psychological condition that is seemingly separate from their physical selves. This is because massage focuses on somatic sensations and their connection to specific emotions, helping you to become more acutely aware of how the two are linked and more easily able to recognize what you are feeling. Understanding both your positive and negative emotions and how they manifest in both your mind and body through massage can help you recognize and manage the symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Massage can also have an impact on our relationship to our physical selves, allowing us to feel more present and aware in our bodies. Because touch activates our skins pressure receptors and they consequently release oxytocinotherwise known as the cuddle hormonemassage therapy helps to promote feelings of trust and attachment. Struggling with depression and severe anxiety can cause sufferers to withdraw socially and emotionally from others, and regenerating the ability to function healthily in those ways can begin with a massage from a trusted professional.
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What Are Ssris And Snris
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors like Zoloft and Prozac, and serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors like Effexor and Pristiq are antidepressant medications, but they can help with anxiety symptoms as well. For this reason, many providers will prescribe an SSRI or SNRI if you have a combination of depression and anxiety.
SSRIs and SNRIs are not an instant fix for symptoms associated with an anxiety disorder, nor do they even provide immediate relief, Alonzo said. They work by interacting with the neurotransmitters and receptors in your brain, which can help regulate mood, sleep and energy levels. It is important for patients to understand that these medications may take four to six weeks for full effect.
Some patients may respond better to one of these medications than others. If after taking the medication for two weeks and symptoms have not improved, talk to your provider to have your medication regimen adjusted. Treatment trials with more than one medication are not uncommon.
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Anxiety: What It Is What To Do
- By Francesca Coltrera, Editor, Harvard Health Blog
While anxiety symptoms vary widely, odds are good that at some point youve experienced occasional physical and emotional distress signals such as panicky breathing, your heart pounding in your chest, trouble sleeping, feelings of dread, or even loops of worry. Thats normal.
Experiencing anxiety is normal, says Dr. Gene Beresin, executive director of the Clay Center for Healthy Young Minds at Massachusetts General Hospital. A certain amount of anxiety can even be helpful. The problem is that sometimes the systems underlying our anxiety responses get dysregulated, so that we overreact or react to the wrong situations.
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Can Antidepressants Cause Anxiety
Dr. Shelton says that SSRIs typically dont cause anxiety symptoms. However, if a patient is very anxious its a good idea to start on a very low dose to allow the patient to adjust to the medication slowly.
Dr. Plummer says that a patient starting an SSRI may notice an initial increase in anxiety. It takes a minimum of two to four weeks, sometimes longer, for SSRIs to reach the serotonin levels needed to relieve the depression or anxiety, she says.
Muse S Brain Sensing Headband
Courtesy: Muse
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Digital sleep tracking and assistance with night wakings
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May have occasional tech difficulties
If your loved one with anxiety is technology-savvy, you might want to spoil them with the Muse S Brain Sensing Headband, which will make them feel like theyre indulging in some seriously futuristics insights into their sleep habits and overall health. The headband is designed to maximize the meditative experience for users with soundscapes that actually respond to health metrics like heartbeat and breathing rate, the headband helps you train yourself to pay more attention to your anxiety levels throughout the day.
It can also be a powerful sleep tool, and since sleep is closely connected to anxiety , we love that the Muse not only tracks your sleep habits, providing important insights into your sleep cycles and sleep health, but comes packaged with relaxing nighttime meditations to help you fall asleep faster.
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Dealing With The Winter Blues
For some people, the reduced daylight hours of winter lead to a form of depression known as seasonal affective disorder . SAD can make you feel like a completely different person to who you are in the summer: hopeless, sad, tense, or stressed, with no interest in friends or activities you normally love. No matter how hopeless you feel, though, there are plenty of things you can do to keep your mood stable throughout the year.
Do Something You Enjoy
Depression can push you to give in to your fatigue. It may feel more powerful than preferred emotions.
Try to push back and do something you love something thats pleasurable or meaningful. It could be playing an instrument, painting, hiking, or biking.
The byproduct of engaging in meaningful activities can be a lift in your mood or energy, which can further motivate you to continue to engage in helpful activities that help with navigating symptoms.
Research suggests that walks in nature may improve depressive symptoms in people with clinical depression.
Time in natural spaces may improve mood and cognition, and lower the risk of mental health disorders. However, theres only limited research on the direct effect of nature on those with clinical depression.
Consider taking a walk at lunch among the trees or spending some time in your local park. Or plan a weekend hike. These activities can help you reconnect with nature and soak in some rays at the same time.
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Nutrients That Can Lift Your Spirits
Correction: An earlier version of the story misstated the recommended daily allowance of folate for adults. The amount is 400 micrograms, not 400 milligrams. This version has been corrected.
If you want some pep in your step or a dash of good cheer, look no further than the grocery stores shelves. Not only are foods rich in vitamins, minerals and fatty acids healthful, but studies show they can also increase happiness, lessen symptoms of depression and quell anxiety.
How can foods improve our moods? It all comes down to the brain. A healthy cognitive system is essential to regulating mood, and certain nutrients have a profound impact on maintaining normal brain function. Researchers have studied the association between foods and the brain and identified 10 nutrients that can combat depression and boost mood: calcium, chromium, folate, iron, magnesium, omega-3 fatty acids, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D and zinc. Try foods containing these nutrients for a midday pick-me-up, to promote long-term happiness or to ward off the nagging worry that you forgot to lock the front door.
The most abundant mineral in the body, calcium plays an important role in maintaining strong bones and healthy blood vessels, and in reducing the risk of Type 2 diabetes. Low levels of calcium may play a role in premenstrual-syndrome-related depression in particular. Calcium deficiency affects more women than men, so women should take special care to meet the daily requirements.
Broccoli : 11 mcg