Anxiety can cause nervousness, excessive worry and fear that may seem irrational to others. Anxiety is something that we all experience at one time or another in our lives. However, it can sometimes interfere with our daily lives. There are several ways to calm the symptoms of an anxiety attack, including cognitive behavioral therapy, relaxation and aromatherapy and massage.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one way to calm anxiety attacks. However, it is usually reserved for more serious cases of anxiety. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, CBT can help teach you how to replace anxious thoughts with healthy ones. CBT works very well if you suffer from social anxiety disorder, panic attacks or anxiety attacks caused by obsessive-compulsive disorder. CBT techniques enable you to control and calm these attacks as they occur.
Relaxation Techniques
Relaxation techniques can be an excellent way to control and calm anxiety attacks. One type of relaxation technique is deep breathing. Concentrating on your breathing and taking deep cleansing breaths can help you relax, enabling you to focus and calm yourself naturally. Another relaxation technique is yoga. Yoga has become a very popular exercise and involves many relaxation poses that can help you combat and calm anxiety. A third technique is meditation. According to the University of Sydney, meditation helps you relax both physically and mentally.
Aromatherapy and Massage
According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, the combination of aromatherapy and massage can help to stimulate positive emotions in the brain and initiate a relaxation response. Specifically, scents such as lavender and sandalwood can help you relax during a massage. However, massage alone or simply using these scents at home in a darkened room can also help to calm anxiety.
References
- Aromatherapy can also be very beneficial for helping to calm anxiety. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, aromatherapy and massage combined can help to stimulate positive emotions in the brain and helps to initiate a relaxation response. (reference 4) Specifically, scents like lavender and sandalwood can actually help to relax the person receiving the massage. However, using these same scents at home in a darkened room can also help to calm anxiety.
- The University of Maryland Medical Center; Relaxation Techniques;
- The University of Sydney; Reducing Anxiety and Stress;
- The University of Maryland Medical Center; Aromatherapy;
