Drug-Free Solutions for Mental Health Issues
The National Alliance on Mental Illness’s theme for Mental Health Awareness Month this May is “You Are Not Alone.” One in five adults experiences mental health illnesses each year, and finding effective treatments can be challenging. However, encouraging mental health awareness brings solutions to the forefront of the conversation, allowing people to choose what’s right for them.Â
Drug-Free Options for Mental HealthÂ
Just like our physical health, our mental health can benefit from treatments and lifestyle changes. Medication might be necessary for some mental health conditions. In these cases, a doctor may order prescription medication for anxiety or depression. Some people may choose natural anxiety medication instead. Treatment decisions are a personal choice and should be between you and your therapist or physician.Â
Not all mental health interventions need a prescription or a drug. The following are a few medication-free options that could work for you.
Talk Therapy
Psychotherapy, also known as talk therapy, is a variety of communication techniques. Most talk therapy occurs with a licensed mental health professional who helps a person identify and manage distressing feelings, thoughts, and behaviors — like how to calm anxiety or deal with anger.Â
Cognitive Behavioral TherapyÂ
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on thinking and how it affects our emotions and behaviors. During CBT therapy, a licensed mental health professional works to help identify and change negative thinking patterns. CBT works well as a natural remedy for anxiety and depression because distorted thought processes often cause both.Â
EMDR and BrainspottingÂ
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) and brainspotting both utilize eye movements to treat anxiety and trauma. Both use the neural networks in the brain to desensitize a person’s response to a distressing memory or trigger. Â
Meditation and Yoga
When people discuss how to deal with anxiety naturally, meditation and yoga often enter into the conversation. It’s not surprising because research into both shows that they help with anxiety and depression.Â
Breathing RegulationÂ
When it comes to breathing regulation, it’s the simplest practical method to manage emotions. Research into how to get rid of anxiety fast identifies breathing as a significant factor. Many other treatments — including yoga and meditation — involve controlled breathing as part of their methods. In short, using controlled breathing for anxiety and stress can have a tremendous impact on the body and mind.Â
CalmiGo
However, changing the way you breathe may take some practice. Practice makes perfect, and anxiety breathing exercises can help you to regulate your breathing. If you feel like you could use some help, a device like CalmiGo can prompt you on how to breathe when you have anxiety. Recommended by healthcare professionals, CalmiGo uses multi-sensory prompts for breathing to help anxiety. The device can also decrease your heightened response to stress, relieving feelings of distress.Â
The best part about CalmiGo? You’re never alone. CalmiGo can be there for you whenever you need it. Small, portable, and convenient, it may just be the calming companion you’re looking for. In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, you can get your own CalmiGo companion with a $30 discount using the discount code FORYOU30. Whether you use CalmiGo alongside other treatments or by itself, you’ll always have help at your fingertips.Â
