If you have been experiencing anxiety lately or have been for a long time you are not alone.

According to the National Institute of mental health anxiety disorders are one of the most common mental illnesses in the US affecting over 40 million adults between the ages of 18 and older.

Anxiety disorders develop from risk factors that are complex including personality, genetics, brain chemistry and life events.

While anxiety is addressed almost always with medications after seeing a doctor– that will most likely make you feel ‘weird’ or change your behavior in a negative way,  you need to know that that anxiety medications are not the only way out.

You know it, some medications help you manage the symptoms of one condition but more often than not, they create another issue. The end result is a cocktail of medications that may make you feel good one day– and horrible the next.

Oh but you are no doctor. How do you know this—you maybe thinking…

You are right. No, I am not doctor, but I have been there.

I was experiencing first hand — full blown anxiety. In my case, I had it right after my son was born.  Ugly animal indeed!

Not to say that I hadn’t experience mild anxiety in the past — you know, right before an interview, during finals in college, buying a house or car, a break up etc…  However, this time was different: It wasn’t going away.

I wasn’t able to concentrate, I dreaded starting a new day with so much to do and little time, then doing it all over again.  {Later on I learned that those are symptoms  of experiencing anxiety and lack of sleep} not a great combo; for new moms.

The National Institute of Mental Health has a very good graphic showing the statistics.  60% of women are more like to develop anxiety in her lifetime vs men.

I felt that I wasn’t able to accomplish much, I wasn’t sleeping or eating much, and the cycle continued. The easiest tasks seemed so hard…. from keeping schedules in place, to working while handling a child to the daily tasks of being a new momma, while handling a brand new website was overwhelming to say the least.

On that note, I learned that lack of sleep, low levels of Vitamin D, and of course all of those pregnancy hormone levels falling, and even gluten were part of the culprit.

If you are experiencing anxiety after giving birth or any of the life events below and medications are not an optiong this technique is for you.

What Causes Anxiety or Depression?

Most of us experience different levels of anxiety according to the circumstances. However, some of the life events that can trigger anxiety are :

• The loss of a loved one
• Illness
• Giving birth
• Purchasing a home or car
• Moving to a different country/state/college
• Starting a new job
• Break up for divorce

These are all normal triggers for stress and anxiety.   However, when anxiety or depression, social phobias and “change triggered emotions”- as I like to refer to them –become part of your daily struggle, you must take a few steps back and figure out what is causing all of this.

Are Antidepressants and Anti-Anxiety Medications Effective And Safe?

We all have a friend or relative (or even yourself) has been on anti-anxiety, anti-depressants for years.  Where the body and brain get used to the medications, they eventually become ineffective and relief is almost non-existent at some point.  Then the well meaning doctor  switches to “a better” depression or anxiety medication, and the cycle continues.

Don’t take it from me.  Here is an excellent video from one of my favorite holistic medicine physicians and amazing women’s advocate– Dr. Kelly Brogan a Holistic women’s health psychiatrist,board certified in psychiatry, psychosomatic medicine, and integrative holistic medicine and author of best seller A Mind of Your Own.

Here is Dr. Brogan’s perspective on Antidepressants and other psychotropic medications:

Here’s How to Get Rid of Anxiety Naturally Without Drugs

A couple of years ago, I was scheduled a business meeting  with a group, whose decision after our interview would potentially change my life forever.

Naturally,  the night before I was extremely nervous and anxious (normal) and couldn’t sleep.

After much tossing and turning I got up, and off I went to research why I was feeling this way and how to get rid of anxiety symptoms right now.

I knew there had to be something to help me cope with these anxiety symptoms… but what?

After a couple of hours, and two not very attractive dark circles under my eyes– I found the best natural non-invasive therapy ever:  The Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)

As most of us, I was skeptical at first. {Insert your best mom’s voice}: If it sounds too good to be true, maybe it is.

Well it wasn’t!

I decided to play the video and figured, what have I got to lose?  I begin the therapy with my best skepticism face while simultaneously wondering… hmm if someone walked on me  while I am tapping on my head, I am pretty sure they’d call the psych ward pronto… I don’t care I am trying this!

So I start the tapping therapy. I am 10 minutes into tapping and listening to her, and simply following along.  It is late and I am getting tired… All of a sudden I come back to earth and my heart isn’t pounding anymore, and I no longer have that heaviness in my chest.  {The anxiety was slowly disappearing… This can’t be happening.!}

So I stopped and only listened to her (I said it must be her “talking” doing the trick). Nope! The anxiety started coming right back. No way!

I had to start all over again, and learned the technique as best I could.  Voila!

At the end of the session I felt so calmed and relieved.

I was literally in tears because I had just found yet another technique that was natural, without medications that would help others suffering from severe anxiety, depression, social phobia etc…  EFT has been my go to method if and when anxiety rears its ugly head like when I lost my father last year.

This fantastic technique works like a charm.   The EFT technique is going to  save you a ton of money, time, side effects and the headache of potentially developing other conditions.

See how an Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) Practitioner of Dr. Mercola’s Center for Natural Health Julie Schiffman shows a tool to help you cope with anxiety, negative emotions, stress, and even social phobia.

In addition to EFT you can try herbs and natural remedies to ease anxiety.  Here is a great 5 Herbs To Calm Anxiety Without Being Drowsy you will definitely find helpful.

In Conclusion

The most important thing for you to remember is to take time for you, to nourish your body and mind. Each of us experience hardships, and you must understand that you don’t have to be perfect all the time. Learning this, has substantially helped others decrease their daily anxiety (It’ll definitely help you, too!).

Question: Have you used the EFT technique for anxiety or other techniques?  Did they work? You can leave a comment below.