While there are many suggestions for dealing with anxiety and depression, there’s still a disconnect. Maybe a holistic approach to these mental impairments could bridge the gap.

Every day, I learn a new way to deal with my multiple mental illnesses. I use meditation, essential oils, and even therapy. No matter how many tools I use, however, I am always open to new strategies. I appreciate any holistic approach to anxiety and depression because, with these tools, it’s natural and focuses on all of you.

Focusing on your entire being is exactly what’s needed for mental illness.

Choosing the holistic approach

When you choose the holistic approach to anxiety, you automatically offer your anxious feelings a sanctuary from the world. With depression, you allow yourself to feel the darkness and yet move toward the light in the same instant.

I offer a few new ways to utilize the holistic approach.

1. Lemon Balm and other herbals

One way to cure anxiety is to cure insomnia. There are several herbs used to help you find restful sleep, including lemon balm.

This herb has been around since the middle ages and has worked wonders with calming the nerves and inducing a restful mind. It can be taken in tincture form, capsule, or as a tea. If you’re unsure of how to use lemon balm, then please research beforehand, as too much of this remedy could have the opposite effects.

2. Prebiotics and Probiotics

Most people understand how probiotics work. They actually regulate your “good gut bacteria”. But before you can self-medicate with probiotics, it’s important to use prebiotics.

Essentially, prebiotics are the foods which nourish the probiotics. In other words, prebiotics are fibers which create good bacterias by way of fermentation. Probiotics regulate the digestive system afterward and balance these bacterias.

3. Nutritional research

In order to effectively treat anxiety and depression, you must take a closer look at your gut health. Yes, I just touched on this when discussing pre and probiotics.

There are other ways to balance the bacteria in your digestive system as well. As you understand the role of different foods and how they affect your digestive system, you will learn what should be avoided when eating meals and snacks.

For instance, too much refined sugar can damage the colon, as well as processed foods and the like. If your gut is already damaged, you might be suffering from IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) and you may even have problems consuming dairy or gluten.

So obviously, paying attention to the food you eat is imperative, considering the link between your physical and mental wellbeing is strong.

4. Emotional Freedom (EFT)

This modern “noninvasive” form of acupuncture, or “tapping”, works wonders for calming anxiety. EFT uses a combination of locating meridians and using mindfulness to access feelings of comfort and confidence.

Utilizing this technique helps reduce PTSD symptoms and cortisol, the stress hormone.

“Using tapping with fingertips to input energy into specific meridians as a person thinks about a specific problem, they can continue tapping and gently move toward positive affirmations.”

-Dr. Linda Miles

5. Pet therapy

Why help only help yourself when you can help an animal as well. Pets can help you relieve stress in a few ways and you can offer them a home.

I have found that stroking an animals’ fur helps calm anxious feelings pretty quickly. While cuddling, your body will release hormones like oxytocin, dopamine, and serotonin. Wow!

I have also found that playing with them can soothe the mind as well. Running with a dog can also improve your physical health too! This is a perfect holistic approach to dealing with mental illness and is used by those who suffer from PTSD.

6. Floral Scents

Plants have some amazing benefits for anxiety, and this is why we use essential oils to calm and invigorate. Flower essences can prove helpful in targeting specific issues with your depression and anxiety, however.

For instance, on particular floral scent may help you reduce feelings of sadness while another could eliminate fear. These floral essences do not contain any plant extracts. This ensures no adverse effects which could arise when in use.

7. Volunteer work

One way to reduce or eliminate anxiety and depression is by doing volunteer work. When you focus on your own problems, they seem to grow. When you start to focus on the issues of others, your problems will start to seem much smaller.

Volunteer work helps you put things into perspective and also helps you distract yourself from your worries. Try it out! It does work.

8. Activity

Any form of physical activity is beneficial to your overall health. It’s definitely a holistic approach to the reduction of negative emotions.

With physical activity, you get a workout for the body, a distraction for the mind and a health boost for your hormones. You can also enjoy activities with others, which promotes social connection.

You can enjoy activities such as walking, swimming, dancing, or any other form of movement. There are literally hundreds of ways to keep moving.

Although motivation can be hard and your insecurities may keep you away, once you break the barrier of procrastination, you will see a marked improvement in anxiety and depression.

9. Warm baths

Soaking in a tub of nice warm water immediately releases tension. At least, that’s how it works for me.

You can also include green or white tea to your bath to infuse antioxidants with the water. You can balance your PH levels with a bit of vinegar and baking soda.

Also, just the warm feeling of the water will help you take your mind from your problems, at least for a moment. Go ahead, enjoy a nice bath.

10. Grounding with the earth

One simple technique will get you going right from the start. As soon as you wake, walk outside barefoot and let the earth greet the soles of your feet. It’s called “grounding” or “earthing” and it connects you with the cycles of the earth itself.

“As humans, we are fundamentally connected and wired to be in rhythm with the planet.”

-Four Moon Spa’s, Dr. Amy E. Chadwick, ND

How do you kill anxiety?

The holistic approach has many ways of eliminating the symptoms of anxiety and depression. In fact, it considers the entire being and gets to the root of the problem through calming techniques.

Feel free to include any of these remedies into your daily regime.

So, what holistic approaches do you use?

References:

  1. https://www.bustle.com
  2. http://www.health.com

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This Post Has 3 Comments

  1. J

    Excellent article, brief, concise and to the point of opening other areas in life that can help in dealing with anxiety and depression. In fact I do believe that today’s world is far disconnected from the earth and holistic ways of living causing these epidemics of anxiety, depression etc. Most recently I have been applying grounding with the earth as I water her parched crust in this heat wave…. and felt so much better…..after a long sojourn of being too busy to reconnect….. thank you for this article I feel validated that indeed I am not so far off the mark.

    1. Sherrie

      You are on the right track, of course. Grounding and being one with the earth is the key. The natural way, the spiritual, the simple, yet complex beauty of all that surrounds us unfettered and uninfluenced by what we have created – nothing compares.

  2. Dora Ross

    I appreciate this article. It is direct to the point, it doesn’t emphasize only a specific area of interest. She tackled all aspects, both physical and mental approaches. I consider myself a victim of anxiety, even today. I have limited resources, and a lot of stress almost every day. Your article provides diversion options and how to get away from them. Hoping for more interesting and helpful articles.

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