Anxiety is one of the most common mental illnesses in the U.S, affecting at least 40 million adults. During this time of COVID-19, anxiety disorders are more prevalent than ever. Anxiety is treatable, but most people who suffer will not seek treatment. Without treatment, anxiety can be debilitating with major implications to a person’s daily life.
Here are 6 tips to help successfully navigate through episodes of anxiety:
1. Get an anxiety journal: Set a specific time each day to write down your worries. Don’t think about it until the time comes and then write it all out in a journal. Try to see if your worries are based on evidence, and then challenge those beliefs.
2. Breathing: Deep belly breathing has been used as a way to help calm the body. Lie down on the floor, put one hand on your belly, and then take deep long breaths and remember to exhale for a few seconds.
3. Exercise: Working out is one of the best ways to naturally boost your mood. The endorphins from the workout will immediately make you feel better. Even going for a walk outside has been known to boost moods.
4. Eat whole, nutrient-dense foods: Processed foods and sugar can increase inflammation and affect your mood and energy levels. Eating whole, nutrient-dense foods will give you more energy and help take care of your gut. Take a note the difference you feel when eating a home cooked meal vs. eating out at a restaurant.
5. Having friends and family to visit and have around: Your family and friends will support you when you feel down and lift your mood when you see them—even if via Zoom meeting or other virtual technology. Having “dinner” with them can even distract you from your anxiety for a little while!
5. See a therapist: Professional help is one of the most effective ways to treat anxiety disorders. A good mental health professional can treat the underlying cause of your anxieties by using techniques like cognitive behavioral therapy. Your therapist can help you change your thoughts, which leads to changing your feelings. Most therapists are offering counseling sessions via Telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic, and many are still offering in-person appointments on a limited basis.
For many, these treatments aren’t enough to alleviate chronic symptoms of anxiety. For those who have resisted these and other pharmacological interventions, ketamine infusion therapy may be a lifesaver…literally. Ask your primary care physician about ketamine, or contact our ketamine treatment center in Chicagoland for more information and to learn if you’re a candidate. Just complete the brief form below and a member of our team will contact you for a free phone consultation.
Contact Renew Ketamine
Renew Ketamine is Chicagoland’s leading provider of ketamine infusions for depression and pain. Contact us today for a free consultation and find out if you or a loved one is a candidate for ketamine infusion therapy.
