115 WAYS TO REDUCE ANXIETY: Strategies for Dealing with an Anxiety Disorder

* Persistent agitation or irritation for no apparent reason?
* Shortness of breath, twitching, tingling, sweating, shaky hands?
* A persistent, low-level uneasiness with no apparent explanation?
* Not sleeping well?
* Avoiding particular situations or experiences for fear that something may "fall apart" in you?
* Feeling you are flawed on a structural level?
* Being obsessed with finding a one and only "right way" to do things?
* Using the approval of others to medicate yourself?
* Being bothered when something isn't done "perfectly"?
* The fear that asserting yourself will cause you to "fall apart"?
* Experiencing anxiety as the only (or one of the few) emotions you feel?
* Being prone to emotional outbursts?
* Thinking of yourself as "cool" or "calm" despite having outbursts of anger from time to time, or in secret?
* Other people telling you they walk on eggshells around you?

Are these symptoms constant, persistent, and time-consuming? Do they result in frustration, isolation, or a lower standard of living? Do they keep you from having the kind of life you have always wanted?

If any of these occur with you, you may be suffering from anxiety. Anxiety is our reaction to a perceived, imagined, or anticipated danger. When anxiety ceases to function as a warning system, it becomes an anxiety disorder instead.

115 Ways to Reduce Anxiety is a comprehensive approach to treating anxiety, both the symptoms and the underlying causes. The author presents approaches from a variety of disciplines--cognitive therapy, nutrition, spirituality, exercise, and more.

Many of the ways, such as practicing breathing exercises, will look familiar. They all attack anxiety symptoms from different angles. Some are very helpful to some people, while other methods are not helpful. However, many people find that combining several approaches works best for them.

There are dozens and dozens of ways to deal with anxiety effectively. If the familiar, tried-and-true methods don't work for you, try the unfamiliar methods, such as those explained in these chapters:

* Study Philosophy
* Are You an Approval Junkie?
* Assert Yourself
* The Power of Genuine Emotions
* Learn a Martial Art
* Do Repetitive Activities
* Work Outdoors
* Eat Whole Grains
* Avoid Dehydration
* Feel Your Pain