A Collection of Anxiety Self Help Tips

By Robert Smith

There is an assortment of anxiety self help books on the market. I have read many of them myself. The one thing that you really need and probably don't have is patience. Of course, there is something that I would call a "magic pill" and that is fish oil, but I'll get to that later.

So, you're scared and worried. That should basically describe how you feel. There are thousands of different things to be afraid of and worried about. What you need to realize is that none of this is real.

If there were a person standing in front of you with a gun aimed at your head, then there would be reason to be worried. But, when it comes to worrying about things over which you have no control, you need to stop.

One of the most effective techniques is to buy a rubber band large enough to fit around your wrist. Whenever you start worrying about something, pull it out. The pain that you feel in your wrist distracts your mind for a second and "stops" the worry. This is also effective for panic attacks.

A good anxiety self help book will tell you about muscle relaxation techniques. These involve muscle flexing, alternating with muscle relaxing. If you do not have a regular physical activity program, such as walking, strength training or yoga, you need to find one. Exercise is an invaluable tool for reducing feelings of anxiety and depression.

Now, this may be a little hard for some people to do, but if you are an anxious person, you need to reduce and eventually eliminate your caffeine intake. White sugar is bad, too. But, there are a number of anxiety self help doctors who believe that "caffeinism" is common. The symptoms are exactly like those of anxiety. Most doctors prescribe anti-anxiety meds, when what they should actually tell their patients is to stop drinking caffeinated beverages.

A small amount of caffeine might be okay. But, if you are anxious, any more than an 8 ounce cup of coffee or tea is too much. Most soft drinks contain caffeine, as do many over the counter meds. You may need to look at your daily caffeine intake and start cutting back.

If your caffeine intake is high, you can't cut it out all at once, without experiencing withdrawal symptoms, such as headaches. But, any anxiety self help guide will tell you to cut back.

Fish oil provides omega3 fatty acids. The brain is composed primarily of fat and omega3 fats account for 40% of those. Finding, buying and taking a good fish oil supplement can help you do the other things that are necessary to reduce your feelings of panic, anxiousness, worry and fear, especially if you are a person that rarely eats fish.

Any nutrient deficiency can cause feelings of anxiety. So, take a good multi-nutritional supplement, too. I hope that these anxiety self help tips will help you, as they have helped me.