Alternative treatments for anxiety often work best alongside therapy and medication. It’s important to speak with your healthcare professional about treatment plans.
Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental health conditions in the United States. It’s estimated that 40 million adults ages 18 years and older, or 18% of the country’s adult population, experience some kind of anxiety disorder.
If you’re experiencing mild anxiety that doesn’t require traditional treatment, you may want to try alternative therapies. Also, with your doctor’s approval, you can use alternative treatments as a complement to traditional treatment.
The basic goal of alternative therapy is to improve your general health and relieve anxiety symptoms with few or no side effects.
Keep in mind
Alternative therapies may help reduce anxiety, but it may take some time before you see results. If you’re having a panic attack or other severe symptoms of anxiety, alternative therapy alone will likely not be enough.
Alternative therapies often work best when used with traditional treatment, such as medication and counseling. It’s always best to consult a healthcare professional before beginning any alternative treatment program.
Here are some alternative treatments that may help with anxiety.
Limit your caffeine intake
That morning cup of coffee might help you get out of bed, but having too much can give you the jitters and decrease your ability to handle anxiety well.
A 2017 research reviewTrusted Source suggests some people can experience anxiety from consuming caffeine in amounts as low as 200 milligrams (mg) per day. This is the amount in about 2 cups of coffee. Most of the studies in this review involved people under psychiatric treatment or people with a preexisting anxiety disorder.
Avoid alcohol and nicotine
Some people use alcohol and nicotine to relieve symptoms of anxiety. This relief is only temporary, however. Alcohol and nicotine can make the symptoms of anxiety worse and more frequent.
A 2019 studyTrusted Source involving teenagers suggests that the use of alcohol and nicotine was associated with higher instances of mental health conditions. Those who used alcohol and nicotine were in more distress than those who did not.
Eat a balanced diet
A 2021 study Trusted Source suggests that following eating patterns that align with dietary recommendations and nutrient requirements may help prevent and treat depression and anxiety. The emerging field of nutritional psychiatry explores the relationships among nutrition, stress, mental health, and mental function.
To help avoid anxiety, experts suggest the following dietary measures:
- Eat a well-balanced diet: Fill up with adequate fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and healthy fats.
- Avoid processed foods: Processed foods often contain minimal nutrition and harmful ingredients.
- Avoid foods high in sugar: A sugar rush can mimic or trigger a panic attack.
- Eat regular meals: Regular meals can help reduce low blood sugar, which can produce anxiety symptoms.
- Avoid sodas: Many sodas contain caffeine and have a high sugar content, both of which can contribute to anxiety.
- Avoid smoking: Nicotine can raise blood pressure and heart rate and mimic symptoms of anxiety.
- Drink more water: According to a 2018 study, drinking 6 to 8 large glasses of water or other hydrating liquids daily helps your body perform properly and can relieve stress.
Get regular exercise
Getting regular exercise is good for relieving stress. Cardiovascular exercise has been shown to help lower stress levels and anxiety and improve immune system function.
The Anxiety and Depression Association of America says even 5 minutes of aerobic exercise can begin to stimulate anti-anxiety effects. A 10-minute brisk walk can provide several hours of relief.
Get plenty of sleep
One 2019 studyTrusted Source found that sleep can help calm and reset an anxious brain.
Try to get at least 6 to 8 hours of quality sleep every night. If you have trouble sleeping, try to support your body’s natural sleep schedule by:
- going to sleep and waking up at the same time each day
- taking only short naps for 15 to 20 minutes in the early afternoon if you need to
- exposing yourself to bright sunlight in the morning
- spending more time outside during the day in natural light
- avoiding bright screens 1 to 2 hours before bed and making sure you sleep in a darkened, cool room
- getting regular exercise
Practice relaxation techniques
Research Trusted Source shows that relaxation techniques can be a great way to reduce anxiety. Meditation, yoga, and breathing are a few techniques that can help with relaxing.
Read on to see what relaxation techniques might work best for you.
Meditation
Meditation doesn’t change the world around you, but it can change the way you respond to it. Successful meditation can possibly help you better understand the source of your anxiety and overcome it.
According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative HealthTrusted Source, studies and clinical trials suggest that meditation can help reduce anxiety and improve sleep. Meditation may even physically change the brain and body. This may help improve many physical and mental health issues.
Breathing techniques
Breathing techniques can help you learn to control your breathing and may help prevent you from hyperventilating during an anxiety-producing event. This can help keep you calm.
Yoga
Yoga combines breathing techniques, meditation, and stretching through both moving and stationary postures.
According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, yoga is one of the top 10 alternative practices used to treat a variety of disorders, including anxiety and depression.
A 2018 studyTrusted Source showed that 12 sessions of Hatha yoga exercise significantly reduced anxiety among study participants. Yoga also helped improve other health conditions, including stress and depression. Researchers recommended further investigation into yoga’s long-term effects.
When you practice yoga regularly, you are more likely to experience its relaxing benefits. You can try following along to yoga videos at home or signing up for a yoga class.
Supplements
Studies continue to examine the effects of herbal remedies to treat mild to moderate anxiety. While some research shows positive associations between the symptoms of anxiety and the use of certain herbs, there’s no strong evidence that herbal remedies are helpful for anxiety.
If you have an anxiety disorder, it is important to use supplements only as additions to your primary treatment, not substitutions.
Supplements are regulated by the FDA as food, not as drugs, which have stricter requirements. Any supplement that promises to improve or cure an anxiety disorder is going against FDA regulations.
Always check with your doctor before starting any supplements. Some can have dangerous side effects or interact negatively with medications or health conditions. Also, some supplements are not safe during pregnancy.
Nutritional supplements and herbs often used to relieve anxiety include:
- Vitamin B12: This vitamin plays a key role in the nervous system and may help reduce feelings of anxiety and depression.
- Chamomile: This herbal tea can have a soothing, anti-anxiety effect. A large 2016 clinical trialTrusted Source found that using chamomile long term significantly reduced moderate to severe generalized anxiety symptoms. However, it didn’t significantly lessen relapse.
- Passionflower: This is a climbing vine native to the southeastern United States that was used as a sedative by Indigenous peoples. It is currently used to promote anxiety relief and sleep. According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative HealthTrusted Source, it hasn’t been studied enough to make conclusions about its effectiveness in reducing anxiety.
- L-theanine: This is an amino acid naturally found in green and black tea, as well as mushrooms. It is often taken as a supplement to reduce stress and anxiety. One 2019 clinical trialTrusted Source found that 4 weeks of use improved stress-related symptoms, such as anxiety and depression.
- Omega-3 fatty acids: Omega-3s are necessary for nervous system development. A 2018 research review of 19 studiesTrusted Source found that omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids significantly helped reduce anxiety symptoms.
Essential oils
Some supplements, such as chamomile and valerian, are also available as essential oils that can be diffused and used as aromatics. Some researchTrusted Source also shows evidence that lavender oil can be beneficial for anxiety disorders.
Takeaway
It’s always a good idea to talk with a doctor before beginning a new treatment regimen, whether conventional or alternative. This will help minimize potential complications.
If your goal is to feel better, incorporating these practices into your anxiety treatment plan may be helpful.
What to Know About Exposure Therapy for Anxiety
If you’re living with a specific phobia, exposure therapy can be an effective treatment for managing your anxiety.
Exposure therapy is a kind of behavioral therapy that healthcare professionals typically use to help people living with phobias and anxiety disorders. It involves a person facing what they fear, either imagined or in real life, but under the guidance of a trained therapist in a safe environment. Healthcare professionals can use exposure therapy with people of all ages, and research has found it to be effective.
Learning more about exposure therapy can help you make an informed decision about treatment and prepare you for what to expect.
How exposure therapy works
In exposure therapy, a therapist exposes a person to a situation, event, or object that triggers anxiety, fear, or panic for them. Over a period of time, controlled exposure to a trigger by a trusted person in a safe space can lessen the anxiety or panic.
There are different kinds of exposure therapies. They can include:
- In vivo exposure: This therapy involves directly facing the feared situation or activity in real life.
- Imaginal exposure: It involves vividly imagining the trigger situation in detail.
- Virtual reality exposure: This therapy may be useful when in vivo exposure isn’t realistic, like if someone has a fear of flying.
- Interoceptive exposure: This therapy involves purposefully triggering a physical sensation that is feared but harmless.
A 2015 research reviewTrusted Source showed that within those kinds of exposure therapies, there are different techniques, including:
- Prolonged exposure (PE): This includes a combination of in vivo and imaginal exposure. For example, someone might repeatedly revisit a traumatic event by visualizing it while simultaneously talking about it with a therapist and then discussing it to gain a new perspective on the event.
- Exposure and response prevention (EX/RP, or ERP): This technique is typically used for people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). It involves doing exposure homework, such as touching something considered “dirty” and then refraining from performing the compulsive behavior that the exposure triggers.
How effective is it?
Exposure therapy is effective for the treatment of anxiety disorders. According to EBBP.org, about 60% to 90% of people have either no symptoms or mild symptoms of their original disorder after completing their exposure therapy.
Combining exposure therapy with CBT, relaxation techniques, and other treatments may enhance the effectiveness as well.
Amie Grant, LPCC, founder of Take Up Space Therapy Services, noted that the practice of holding space creates deeper relationships and a sense of trust. It can also combat loneliness.
“When someone feels seen and heard, it can be a profoundly healing experience,” she said.
Grant further explained that holding space for ourselves allows us to connect with our own emotions and values, moving us toward greater authenticity.
“This practice strengthens emotional resilience and helps us regulate stress by interrupting the cycles of shame and guilt that can arise when we don’t feel ‘enough,’” she said.
Grant pointed out that this can be especially important for those who are marginalized, such as women and LGBTQIA+ individuals.
“When we hold space for ourselves, we actively resist the narratives that tell us to prioritize productivity, conformity, or perfection and instead affirm our humanity and inherent worth,” she said.
In other words, “holding space” is a form of mindfulness, the practice of focusing your awareness, calming busy thoughts, and being rooted in one’s body in the moment.
Mindfulness can be practiced in various ways, including meditation or everyday activities such as walking, cooking, or listening to a favorite song.
In fact, mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) has been associated with numerous physical and mental health benefits.
A 2021 meta-analysisTrusted Source suggested that MSBR may help lower diastolic blood pressure.
A 2018 studyTrusted Source also found that MBSR could boost mental health by lowering work stress, anxiety, and depression.