Growing up with Autism was not easy for me or my parents. Along the way, I developed anxiety, stress, and depression. Because I developed those symptoms I was put on medication for that. Today I am going to talk about how to treat stress and anxiety without medication.
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What Are Stress And Anxiety?
Stress is when your mind and body are reacting to a threat or a problem. Anxiety is when your body reacts to stress.
What Are The Stress And Anxiety Symptoms?
Everyone has different symptoms when they experience stress and anxiety. I am going to share how I feel as an Autistic individual when I am experiencing stress and anxiety.
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Poor sleep
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Negative thinking
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Moodiness - sad, mad, empty, etc.
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Sweaty palms
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Upset stomach
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Headaches
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Chills
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Heavy breathing
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Frequent illnesses
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Racing heartbeat
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Loss of appetite
What Can Stress And Anxiety Do To The Body?
When I experienced a lot of stress and anxiety growing up it had a lot of negative effects on my body. This is how stress and anxiety can affect our bodies.
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It can cause pimples outbreaks on your body
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Severe tension headaches
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Unexpected weight gain
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Body pains
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Lack of sleep
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Unexpected weight loss
What Are Some Stress And Anxiety Coping Mechanisms?
When I was treating my stress and anxiety my therapist gave me medication that caused me to gain weight. Another reason why I hate medication and I try to stay away from them. So I am going to provide alternatives tips and tricks for managing anxiety and stress. Treating anxiety does not need to be hard or expensive.
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Essential oils - lavender oil is my favorite
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Exercise
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Read a book
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Write in a journal
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Talk to family
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Talk with friends
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Talk with neighbors
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Go shopping online
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Go shopping in-store
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Listen to music
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Listen to podcasts - CrazyFitnessGuy podcast
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Play a board game
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Do a puzzle
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Start an art project
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Cuddle with your pets
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Cuddle with your kids
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Watch your favorite movie - mine is Harry Potter and Happy Gilmore
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Watch your favorite TV show - mine is Avatar The Last Airbender and iCarly
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Get rid of clutter - mental, digital, and physical
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Meditate
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Bake
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Cook
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Listen to an audiobook
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Visit a museum
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Go for a hike
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Take your pets for a walk
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Talk to a therapist
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Start a hobby
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Go on a fishing trip
Related: How to cope with Generalized Anxiety Disorder - VeryWellMind
Can Anxiety Keep You Awake?
From past experience, I can tell you that anxiety does keep you awake at night. Eventually, I will fall asleep but I can tell you that the sleep will not be restful sleep. Usually, I toss and turn all night, and sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night covered in sweat.
When I woke up covered in sweat I felt like I ran a marathon in my sleep. My bed covers are usually messed up like I was fighting ninjas in my sleep. Even my parents joke me with about my sheets being a rumpled mess. Though thankfully I haven't been anxious in a while so I have been sleeping more soundly.
Related: Is Anxiety Keeping You Up at Night? - EveryDayHealth
Can Anxiety Keep You Awake?
From past experience, I can tell you that anxiety does keep you awake at night. Eventually, I will fall asleep but I can tell you that the sleep will not be restful sleep. Usually, I toss and turn all night, and sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night covered in sweat.
When I woke up covered in sweat I felt like I ran a marathon in my sleep. My bed covers are usually messed up like I was fighting ninjas in my sleep. Even my parents joke with me about my sheets being a rumpled mess. Though thankfully I haven't been anxious in a while so I have been sleeping more soundly.
Related: Is Anxiety Keeping You Up at Night? - EveryDayHealth
Are Stress And Anxiety Curable?
In my opinion stress and anxiety is not curable because they eventually can come and go as they please. They are emotions that happen in certain situations. However, there are ways that could help combat anxiety and stress on a daily basis that may help in the long run.
How To Relieve Stress And Anxiety Without Medication?
Here are some simple tips and tricks to help manage the anxiety that may help reduce anxiety so you don't have to rely on medication.
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Join a martial arts class to let all the emotions out
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Cover your room with lavender oil by using a diffuser
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Make sure you are hydrated because I know I start feeling stressed when I am not drinking enough water
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Write down all of your negative thoughts and throw them away
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Let go of the negative thinking by writing in a journal before bed
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Create a daily routine that works for you and stick with it
When Stress And Anxiety Is Too Much For Me
Anxiety and stress feel like something heavy is weighing me down. There are times that the weight gets so heavy that I want to break down and cry because it's too much for me. Over the years I learned what triggers stress and anxiety for me and perhaps you may be able to relate.
What Are Some Stress And Anxiety Coping Mechanisms That I Use?
Treating anxiety and stress can be hard if there are no coping mechanisms involved. Sometimes these coping mechanisms can also help prevent anxiety. The mechanisms that I use are:
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Listening to music
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Read a few pages in my book
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Talk to friends and family members
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Sometimes I listen to audiobooks depending on the availability of the current book that I want to read
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I love using stress-away essential oils
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Taking a walk around my neighborhood
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During the summer months, I like riding my bike down at the shore
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I love sitting by the beach or a pool
Keep in mind what helps stress and anxiety for me may be different for you. It all depends on each individual because we are all unique individuals.
How To Combat Stress And Anxiety At Work?
I know what you are probably thinking, Jimmy you don't work for a boss what do you know about being stressed at work? Well that is true I do work for myself but I used to work for other bosses. Some made me do some things that really put me outside my comfort zone.
When I was working other jobs before I started my career as a motivational speaker I had to overcome social anxiety. I was worried about how to ask my boss for help or guidance. To prevent anxiety at work I made sure I did the following:
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Made sure to show up early and on time
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Cleaned up my workstation from the night crew
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Greeted my boss as he came into the restaurant
I made this my daily routine when I was working part-time at the shore. By doing this I kept on my boss's good side and we had a good working relationship. By having good days at work it helped me to stop the poor sleep that I was getting because I was feeling anxious and stressed at the same time.
Recap: How To Deal With Stress And Anxiety Without Medication?
Let's have a recap, shall we? We covered a lot of ground in this article about stress and anxiety. To deal with anxiety and stress without medication you need to remember these important tips and tricks:
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Use essential oils before you go to work
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Don't suffer from social anxiety when talking to your boss and co-workers - start building a working relationship with them
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If you always think negative then your brain will always remember those negative remarks - so stop negative thinking
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Stick with your daily routine even if it is out of order
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When in doubt use some lavender oil before going to bed to prevent poor sleep
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Listen to music when you get home to leave work at work so you are not bringing it home with you
Conclusion:
Treating anxiety can be a tricky process but know you are not alone. Sometimes I still get anxiety symptoms because there are upcoming tests and quizzes in college. I will also admit that my daily routine sometimes gets messed up during the summer months when I am down at the shore.
Even when my daily schedule is messed up I still somehow magically finish everything on my to-do list before the end of the day or at least close enough. That's how to treat stress and anxiety without medication. Believe me that it took me many years to figure out what triggers stress and anxiety for me.
If you are stuck with figuring out your triggers perhaps you should start writing in a journal to help keep track of all the times you were feeling stressed and anxious. I hope you found this article helpful.
