I had a melt down at work and have not be back, I have seen my GP and work doctor had told me I have anxiety and work stress, I do feel a lot better and will be going back to work next week, the only to still in my mind is the doctor is wanting the put me on mediation, I do not want to go on mediation worried about side effects and get stuck on them, looking for alternatives to mediation, thank all
I have anxiety and am unable to be treated with medication (tried 13 with no luck) so might be able to help. Can I say firstly though, that medication is a good short term option if you are really struggling with your symptoms and haven't yet worked out a support plan for managing your anxiety? I'm not saying go and take it, just consider all of your options because your wellbeing is most important. The best thing I have found works for me is Mindfulness meditation. I completed a Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction course every year that is brilliant for managing the anxiety symptoms. Very simple really but hugely effective for me, especially for warding off panic attacks. I've also tried acupuncture, diet change, lifestyle changes and natural remedies. Diet and exercise and sleep routine are key for me to keep anxiety under control. Sometimes though life just gets hectic and that's when my breathing exercises really support me. Also knowing what situations are stressful for me and then being able to rearrange my schedule to accommodate things I can't avoid. Hope some of that helps. Let us know if you find something that works for you.
Hi Ben, a good place to start would be the beyondblue booklet A Guide To What Works For Anxiety. It lists out a wide range of available treatments and rates them based on the evidence available for their effectiveness.
