Self-help for GAD

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), in its milder forms, can easily be dealt with on your own rather than by taking on a treatment plan. Self-help strategies which aim to make you lead a more relaxed life will bring down your anxiety levels under control. If, however, the GAD patient’s condition worsens, it is imperative that a doctor be consulted so that either medications or psychotherapy is prescribed. In any case, though, self-help techniques can go a long way to reducing overall stress and anxiety.

Among the forefront of these techniques are those that ask a GAD patient to deal with their anxieties in a more productive manner. By postponing worrying and learning how to accept uncertainty, a person’s anxiety levels can be brought down considerably. Similarly, if a GAD patient makes changes to his lifestyle such that he/she is able to lead a healthier and balanced life, he/she will find himself/herself far more relaxed. Since relaxation and anxiety work as opposites, a healthy lifestyle will curb anxiety. It is important that a GAD patient exercise regularly and eat the right stuff, i.e. fruits and vegetables. At the same time bad diet habits need to be stopped as well such as eliminating, or at the very least minimizing, the intake of caffeine, alcohol, and cigarettes.

Additionally, a GAD patient can also try to soothe themselves by using their five senses of hearing, smell, touch, taste and sight. For instance, to soothe the eyes, one might take a walk through a beautiful park, or to soothe the ears one might listen to a melodious symphony. Such an approach can help one relax and forget the worries of life, at least temporarily.

Alternatively, a GAD patient can take an approach to anxiety whereby he/she realizes that unnecessary worrying is the enemy and make a conscious effort to fight it off. This can be done by accepting anxiety and welcoming it, and then carefully observing the anxiety so as to make sure that it isn’t taken control of you. If at any point it is felt as if the anxiety is getting out of control, start acting as if you are not anxious at all. In other words, try and slow down your anxiety by working with it. Keep repeating this exercise and pretty soon you’ll notice that you have greater control over your anxiety and that you’re able to bring down your anxiety levels far faster and far more at will.