Anxiety

Does anyone have an advise and tips on foods and exercises that help with anxiety. I find being more active helps my mood. What does everyone else do to improve yours?
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Replies

  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Does anyone have an advise and tips on foods and exercises that help with anxiety. I find being more active helps my mood. What does everyone else do to improve yours?

    CBT was really good for my husband
  • katherineleggett
    katherineleggett Posts: 129 Member
    Does anyone have an advise and tips on foods and exercises that help with anxiety. I find being more active helps my mood. What does everyone else do to improve yours?

    CBT was really good for my husband

    I’ve just started cbt :) it sounds like a great way of helping your thoughts.
  • katherineleggett
    katherineleggett Posts: 129 Member
    I see a therapist every other week.

    That's not sarcasm, it's just what I have to do. Yeah you hear all the time about diet and workouts helping, and I would say it does, to a point, but I personally need more than that, and so to the therapist I go.

    I have done previously as well as being on medication, I’ve got to a point now where I’m fine without these methods and want to try more self care
  • vanmep
    vanmep Posts: 410 Member
    St Johns Wort and mindfulness / meditation
  • MichelleSilverleaf
    MichelleSilverleaf Posts: 2,027 Member
    edited January 2018
    double post, sorry!
  • emjay6x3
    emjay6x3 Posts: 213 Member
    I have chronic depression and social anxiety. I find that any type of activity improves my mood! I like kickboxing and running if I'm looking for something more intense, or just a walk if I'm not feeling up to it. I am on prescription medication personally (for the past 15+ years), which has helped to improve my mood a lot, as well.
  • DebLaBounty
    DebLaBounty Posts: 1,169 Member
    I second the advice to consult your doctor before using St. John’s wort. It’s not a benign supplement.

    I’m a generally happier and calmer person after a 30 minute walk outside. Luckily my town has some nice trails and parks, but a stroll around the neighborhood helps, too. I’m usually walking by myself, but most weekends I’ll call my friend and we do a nice hike and chat nonstop.



  • knightreader
    knightreader Posts: 813 Member
    Does anyone have an advise and tips on foods and exercises that help with anxiety. I find being more active helps my mood. What does everyone else do to improve yours?

    CBT was really good for my husband

    what is CBT?
  • DebLaBounty
    DebLaBounty Posts: 1,169 Member
    CBT is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. It’s often a short term counseling approach to talk through your challenges and discuss different approaches to solving problems or addressing behaviors and habits you want to change.
  • Rickster1967
    Rickster1967 Posts: 485 Member
    I had CBT, utterly useless for me

    nutrition, exercise, going outside, switching off devices earlier in the evening, getting better sleep
    check e-mail FAR less often... all helped me enormously (I was very ill it has to be said)

    Magnesium (transdermal)
    Vit D
    EPA / DHA (from fish oil)
    Mucuna puriens
  • katherineleggett
    katherineleggett Posts: 129 Member
    vingogly wrote: »
    More on how CBT works: it's based on the observation that it's often what we think about situations that causes us problems, rather than the situations themselves. It involves identifying the distorted, negative messages we're sending to ourselves, and replacing them with more realistic assessments. It's been proven over the years to be highly effective for both anxiety and depression.

    I’m reading a book on it at the moment. It’s a little confusing still at the moment. I understand he concept just trying to get round how to adapt it to my life
  • lay011
    lay011 Posts: 25 Member
    I cut out caffeine and that seemed to help tremendously. I have also been seeing an acupuncturist for lower back pain 1x/week for the last five weeks and I think that is helping as well (but could be all in my mind).
  • dave_in_ni
    dave_in_ni Posts: 533 Member
    I was agoraphobic and one stage and suffered panic attacks daily. What worked for me was cutting out caffeine totally along with alcohol. There are no real food that help anxiety. There is a brilliant book called Dare by Barry McDonagh that got me over my anxiety issues. Check out the reviews on Amazon
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
    I highly recommend exercise, CBT, therapy, and medication to get you out of the anxiety spiral.

    I take medication (diazepam) when I feel the tight chest feeling of an anxiety attack.

    I'm a firm believer in challenging your thoughts (or CBT). Don't believe everything you think!

    This approach got me into critical thinking and logic, and science-based medicine, fitness, and weight loss.

    Applying it to myself has led me to be almost medication-free.

    I just have the diazepam on hand because I like to do big scary fitness events and I get nervous several days out, and need a tiny bit of help. Therapy/Counselling goes hand-in-hand with medication.

    Walking, running, yoga (not meditation, that makes me anxious), and swimming let me "Zen out" and think through my current thoughts, and keep myself balanced and very happy. That's pretty much all I need these days, with the therapy and medication as emergency backup.
  • August2444
    August2444 Posts: 31 Member
    I did one thing which stopped my anxiety issues. It was so simple I wish I had of done it a decade earlier. I stopped drinking COFFEE!!
  • ClosetBayesian
    ClosetBayesian Posts: 836 Member
    Meds and making a conscious effort to stay connected socially are the most important things for my mental health. I have found that, no matter what I do/don't eat/drink and/or do/don't do for exercise, my psych conditions require meds. That said, if I take those meds as directed, I am much more likely to put conscious effort into meal planning and staying relatively active.
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
    helene4 wrote: »
    People may not believe me but Candida overgrowth or parasites can cause depression/anxiety/other mental health disorders
    (Along with other issues like IBS)
    Candida and/or Parasites are pretty common but modern medicine hasn't really treated them or hospitals just shove medication at you

    There are a lot of books and research out there about candida and parasites and different cleanses and diets that rid ur body of them

    Check out a diet that gets rid of candida or eliminate sugar from your diet to start

    There's a "die-off" period as the fungus/parasite/bad bacteria die and leave your system, but it's worth it!!! Def a way, over the course of a few months, rid yourself of anxiety
    and any extra lbs

    I don't believe you.
  • kenyonhaff
    kenyonhaff Posts: 1,377 Member
    For me?
    Caffeine is usually good for me in moderation.
    Starting the day with a stretch is good.
    Avoid hangry...protein is good.
    Sunshine on my shoulder makes me happy.
    Some days anxiety may make it difficult to make homemade meals. I have some simple healthy dinners on hand to work around this on these days.
  • MaybeLed
    MaybeLed Posts: 250 Member
    I find prioritising sleep helps, the days after a bad night are much worse. CBT has helped somewhat too. A walk (for me with a podcast) also distracts. Days I don't move enough I find myself really antsy. So get moving.

    Candida overgrowth is bull so listen to the others.

    Self care is not selfish, it's taking me a long time to learn that.
  • debtay123
    debtay123 Posts: 1,327 Member
    I needed CBT at one point as well. I am still on medicine prescribed by my doctor. I do feel better mentally and physically after some form of exercise as well as stress relief such as music, prayer,etc. But there is nothing wrong with therapy or medicine IF you need it.
  • ckdprevent
    ckdprevent Posts: 105 Member
    I find keeping myself busy helps. Exercise is very helpful, I am also on daily medication. And keeping what I think positive. We are so much what we tell our selves.
  • _lora
    _lora Posts: 117 Member
    Excess caffeine, sugar, carbs can all increase my anxiety. Small amounts of each are good for me, but too much and my anxiety symptoms increase quickly. Meditation and journaling help me
  • mph323
    mph323 Posts: 3,565 Member
    Meds and making a conscious effort to stay connected socially are the most important things for my mental health. I have found that, no matter what I do/don't eat/drink and/or do/don't do for exercise, my psych conditions require meds. That said, if I take those meds as directed, I am much more likely to put conscious effort into meal planning and staying relatively active.

    +1