An
estimated 40 million Americans, about 18 percent of the population over
the age of 18, struggle with anxiety, including more than half of all
American college students
Alarmist
news, the seemingly never-ending war and threats of new wars,
recessions, social media and a swiftly changing digital landscape that
has changed how we work and interact all fuel insecurity and anxiety
The
way you breathe is intricately connected to your mental state; improper
breathing triggers anxiety by causing an imbalance in your bodily gases.
Breathing techniques and other drug-free treatment strategies are
addressed
By Dr. Mercola
Anxiety is the new depression, with more than half of all American college students reporting anxiety.1 Recent research2
shows anxiety — characterized by constant and overwhelming worry and
fear — is now 800 percent more prevalent than all forms of cancer.
A 2016 report3 by the Center for Collegiate Mental Health at Penn State confirmed the trend, finding anxiety and depression are the most common concerns among college students who seek counseling.4
Data from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) suggests the
prevalence of anxiety disorders in the U.S. may be as high as 40
million, or about 18 percent of the population over the age of 18,
making it the most common mental illness in the nation.5,6
Fortunately, there are many treatment options available, and some of
the most effective treatments are also among the safest and least
expensive, and don't involve drugs.
Anxiety — A Medical Condition Driven by Sociological Conditions?
Commenting on the featured video, Huffington Post writes:7
"A person with high functioning anxiety can look calm on the
surface, but underneath that practiced veneer, their thoughts are
churning. That's the message behind a new video from 'The Mighty,' in
which a young woman describes the experience of living with the
condition, which is characterized by persistent negative thoughts,
restlessness and even physical symptoms like muscle tension …"
But what is at the heart of all this anxiety? What's causing all
these persistent negative thoughts? Why the chronic restlessness? The
New York Times addressed the rising prevalence of anxiety in a recent
article, noting:8
"While to epidemiologists the disorder is a medical condition,
anxiety is starting to seem like a sociological condition, too: a shared
cultural experience that feeds on alarmist CNN graphics and
metastasizes through social media …
'If you're a human being living in 2017 and you're not anxious,'
[Sarah Fader, who has generalized anxiety disorder] said on the
telephone, 'there's something wrong with you' … [I]t seems we have
entered a new Age of Anxiety. Monitoring our heart rates. Swiping
ceaselessly at our iPhones …
Consider the fidget spinner: endlessly whirring between the
fingertips of 'Generation Alpha,' annoying teachers, baffling parents …
According to data from the National Institute of Mental Health, some 38
percent of girls ages 13 through 17, and 26 percent of boys, have an
anxiety disorder … Meanwhile, the number of web searches involving the
term has nearly doubled over the last five years …"
United States of Anxiety
Kai Wright, host of the political podcast "The United States of
Anxiety," attributes the current trend to the fact that we've been at
war for over a decade and a half, have faced two recessions in that same
time frame, and have had to adjust to a swiftly changing digital
landscape, which in turn has changed how we work and interact.9
"Everything we consider to be normal has changed. And nobody seems to
trust the people in charge to tell them where they fit into the
future," he says.10
Andrea Petersen, author of "On Edge: A Journey Through Anxiety,"
interviewed students at University of Michigan for her book, some of
whom revealed the internal pressure cooker was turned on far earlier
than you might expect. In his Times article, Alex Williams writes:11
"One student, who has ADHD, anxiety and depression, said the
pressure began building in middle school when she realized she had to be
at the top of her class to get into high school honors classes, which
she needed to get into Advanced Placement classes, which she needed to
get into college. 'In sixth grade,' she said, 'kids were freaking out.'
This was not the stereotypical experience of Generation X …
'In addition to the normal chaos of being a human being, there is
what almost feels like weaponized uncertainty thrown at us on a daily
basis,' said Kat Kinsman, the 'Hi, Anxiety' author. 'It's coming so
quickly and messily, some of it straight from the president's own
fingers.'
Indeed, Mr. Trump is the first politician in world history whose
preferred mode of communication is the 3 a.m. tweet … 'We live in a
country where we can't even agree on a basic set of facts,' said Dan
Harris, an ABC news correspondent and 'Nightline' anchor …"
Beware of Microwave Exposure
We have had nearly an exponential increase in electromagnetic field
(EMF) exposure from devices like our cellphones and cordless phones,
Wi-Fi routers, baby monitors, smart meters and cellphone towers, which
may turn out to be a primary driver for this increase in anxiety and
depression. How you say?
Good question. Due to the pioneering work of Dr. Martin Pall, we know
that voltage gated calcium channels are over 7 million times more
sensitive to microwave radiation than the charged particles inside and
outside our cells. This means that the safety standards for this
exposure are off by a factor of 7 million.
When the EMF from the above listed devices hit your voltage gated
calcium channels, nearly 1 million calcium ions per second are released
into the cell, which then causes the cell to release excessive nitric
oxide that then combines with superoxide to form peroxynitrate, which
then forms the dangerous hydroxyl free radical that causes massive
mitochondrial dysfunction.
Guess which tissues have the greatest density of voltage gated
calcium channels? Your nerves and tissues, like the pacemaker in your
heart and, of course, your brain. When the channels in the brain are
activated, it causes a major disruption in neurotransmitter and hormonal
balance that can radically increase the risk for not only anxiety and
depression but arrhythmias, autism and Alzheimer's.
I am going to be massively expanding on this in future articles and
interviews but in the meantime, please watch or rewatch my video below
to help start you on the process of protecting you from microwaves.
Do Fidget Spinners Work?
In his article, Williams touches on the popularity of so-called
fidget spinners, originally devised as a focusing aid primarily for
autistic children and kids with attention deficit or sensory sensitivity
disorders. The toy is now being used by all sorts of people of varying
ages. But do they really help reduce anxiety? According to psychiatrist
Pilar Trelles at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York
City, the spinners can be quite helpful.
Health Magazine quotes her as saying, "When someone is hypersensitive
to the environment they might bite their nails, pull out their cuticles
or pinch their skin. Fidget spinners offer a less harmful way to expend
that nervous energy."12
The fidget spinner falls under a stress management category called
rapid stress management technique, recommended for use in conjunction
with other forms of therapy.
That said, some schools have banned use of fidget spinners, on
account that they distract teachers and other students. Medicine Net has
also issued a warning that fidget spinners pose a choking hazard,13
as the round metal bearings could come dislodged. A 10-year-old girl
had to have a bearing surgically removed from her esophagus after she
accidentally swallowed it.
Other Common Causes of Anxiety
While genetics,
brain chemistry, personality and life events play a role in the
development of anxiety disorders, stress is a common trigger. Anxiety is
a normal response to stress, but in some people the anxiety becomes
overwhelming and difficult to cope with, to the point that it affects
their day-to-day living. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
explains how your brain reacts to stress, and how the anxiety response
is triggered:14
"Several parts of the brain are key actors in the production of
fear and anxiety … scientists have discovered that the amygdala and the
hippocampus play significant roles in most anxiety disorders.
The amygdala … is believed to be a communications hub between the
parts of the brain that process incoming sensory signals and the parts
that interpret these signals. It can alert the rest of the brain that a
threat is present and trigger a fear or anxiety response.
The emotional memories stored in the central part of the amygdala
may play a role in anxiety disorders involving very distinct fears,
such as fears of dogs, spiders or flying. The hippocampus is the part of
the brain that encodes threatening events into memories."
A number of other situations and underlying issues can also
contribute to the problem. This includes but is not limited to the
following, and addressing these issues may be what's needed to resolve
your anxiety disorder. For more information about each, please follow
the links provided:
Exposure to microwave radiation from devices like cellphones, Wi-Fi routers, portable phones, smart meters, baby monitors and cellphone towers
Food additives, food dyes, GMOs and glyphosate.
Food dyes of particular concern include Blue #1 and #2 food coloring;
Green #3; Orange B; Red #3 and #40; Yellow #5 and #6; and the
preservative sodium benzoate
Lack of magnesium, vitamin D15 and/or animal-based omega-3.
(Research has shown a 20 percent reduction in anxiety among medical students taking omega-3s16)
The way you breathe is intricately connected to your mental state.
I've previously published interviews with Patrick McKeown, a leading
expert on the Buteyko Breathing Method, where he explains how breathing affects your mind,
body and health. Here, I've chosen a video featuring Robert Litman,
where he specifically addresses the relationship between breathing and
anxiety.
According to Buteyko, the founder of the method, anxiety is triggered
by an imbalance between gases in your body, specifically the ratio
between carbon dioxide (CO2) and oxygen. In this video, Litman explains
how your breathing affects the ratio of these gases, and demonstrates
how you can literally breathe your way into a calmer state of mind.
A Buteyko breathing exercise that can help quell anxiety is
summarized below. This sequence helps retain and gently accumulate CO2,
leading to calmer breathing and reduced anxiety. In other words, the
urge to breathe will decline as you go into a more relaxed state.
Take a small breath into your nose, a small breath out; hold your
nose for five seconds in order to hold your breath, and then release to
resume breathing.
Breathe normally for 10 seconds.
Repeat the sequence several more times: small breath in through your
nose, small breath out; hold your breath for five seconds, then let go
and breathe normally for 10 seconds.
McKeown has also written a book specifically aimed at the treatment
of anxiety through optimal breathing, called "Anxiety Free: Stop
Worrying and Quieten Your Mind — Featuring the Buteyko Breathing Method
and Mindfulness," which can be found on Amazon.com.17
In addition to the book, ButeykoClinic.com also offers a one-hour
online course and an audio version of the book, along with several free
chapters18 and accompanying videos.19
Belisa Vranich, a clinical psychologist, has also written an
excellent book called "Breathe." In it, she details a program that can
help improve your physical and mental health. You can learn more about
her breathing program in this recent interview.
Nature Sounds Calm the Mind and Quell Anxiety
In addition to addressing your breathing, consider spending more time
in natural environments. Researchers at Brighton and Sussex Medical
School found that nature sounds have a distinct and powerful effect on
your brain, lowering fight-or-flight instincts and activating your
rest-and-digest autonomic nervous system.20,21,22
Nature sounds produce brain activity associated with outward-directed
focus, whereas artificial sounds create brain activity associated with
inward-directed focus. The latter, which can express itself as worry and
rumination about things related to your own self, is a trait associated
with anxiety and depression. Nature sounds also produce higher
rest-digest nervous system activity, which occurs when your body is in a
relaxed state.
Previous research has also demonstrated that listening to nature
sounds help you recover faster after a stressful event. So, seek out
parks, or create a natural sanctuary on your balcony, or indoors using
plants and an environmental sound machine. YouTube also has a number of
very long videos of natural sounds, such as the one featured above. You
could simply turn it on and leave it on while you're indoors.
EFT — A Potent Non-Drug Treatment Alternative
Another potent treatment alternative that does not involve drugs is the Emotional Freedom Techniques
(EFT), one of the most well-established forms of energy psychology.
It's akin to acupuncture, which is based on the concept that a vital
energy flows through your body along invisible pathways known as
meridians. EFT stimulates specific energy meridian points in your body
by tapping them with your fingertips, while simultaneously using
custom-made verbal affirmations.
This can be done alone or under the supervision of a qualified
therapist. By doing this, you reprogram the way your body responds to
emotional stressors, effectively "short-circuiting" the event chain that
leads to an anxiety or panic attack. Research confirms EFT can be a
powerful intervention for stress and anxiety,23,24,25
in part because it specifically targets your amygdala and hippocampus,
which are the parts of your brain that help you decide whether or not
something is a threat.26
If you recall the NIMH's explanation above about how your amygdala
and hippocampus are involved in anxiety disorders, you can see why
tapping is such a powerful tool. In the video above, EFT therapist Julie
Schiffman demonstrates how to tap for panic attacks and anxiety relief.
For serious or complex issues, you may need a qualified EFT therapist
to guide you through the process. That said, the more you tap, the more
skilled you'll become. You can also try acupuncture,27 which like EFT bridges the gap between your mind and body.
Other Treatment Options for Anxiety
Considering the risks of psychiatric drugs, I would urge you to view
them as a last resort rather than a first-line of treatment. In addition
to the breathing exercises, nature sound therapy and EFT already
mentioned, other far safer strategies to explore include:
Regular exercise and daily movement
Mindfulness training and/or a spiritual practice. Research suggests psilocybin,
also known as magic mushrooms, may be a game changer in the treatment
for severe depression and anxiety, and the spiritual intensity of the
experience appears to be a key component of the healing.
Magic mushrooms are not legal, so this is not a viable treatment as
of yet, but it highlights the importance and relationship between having
a spiritual foundation that can provide hope and meaning to your life
Optimizing your gut microbiome. Gastrointestinal
abnormalities have been linked to a variety of psychological problems,
including anxiety and depression. It is now well established that the
vagus nerve is the primary route your gut bacteria use to transmit
information to your brain,28 which helps explain why mental health can be so intricately connected to your gut microbiome.29
For example, fermented foods have been shown to curb social anxiety disorder in young adults.30,31 To learn more about this, please see "Poor Diet, Lack of Sunshine and Spiritual Anemia — Three Potent Contributors to Depression and Anxiety."
Lowering your sugar and processed food intake. Research shows your diet can have a profound effect on your mental health.32,33
Pay particular attention to nutritional imbalances known to contribute
to mental health problems, such as lack of magnesium, vitamin D, B
vitamins and animal-based omega-3
Getting plenty of restorative sleep
Being mindful of your exposure to EMFs and use of wireless technologies. At bare minimum, avoid keeping any of these gadgets next to you while sleeping
Evaluating your toxic exposures. A common
symptom of toxic mold exposure is anxiety, so ask yourself if there's
any kind of pattern; do your symptoms improve when you spend time away
from your home or office, for example?
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). They even offer CBT for young children these days.34 A number of universities offer Tao Connect35
to their students, but even if you're not a student, there are free
online programs available that you can use. Some examples include
MoodGYM,36 e-couch,37 Learn to Live38 and CBT Online39
Anxiety can significantly reduce your quality of life, so it's well
worth it to keep going until you find a proper long-term solution. Last
but not least, don't underestimate the value of social interactions —
face-to-face, that is, not via social media. Lack of social interaction
has become so widespread, some establishments have taken to turning off
their Wi-Fi in an effort to encourage human interaction.
Jimson Bienenstock, president of HotBlack Coffee in Toronto,
explained his decision to turn the café into a cellphone-free zone to
The New York Times, saying,40
"It's about creating a social vibe. We're a vehicle for human
interaction, otherwise it's just a commodity." Indeed, like mindfulness
and spiritual pursuits, social interaction helps foster meaning and
purpose in life, thereby protecting and improving your mental health.
No comments:
Post a Comment