This article is for informational purposes only. None of the information here should be taken as medical advice. If you suspect you may have an anxiety disorder, seek medical help. You may try the complementary approaches listed below if you and your doctor determine that they could be appropriate for you. Discuss the strategies listed here with your doctor.
Lifestyle
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive-behavioral therapy can improve anxiety disorders such as generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and social phobia, especially if combined with medication [R].
Different forms of behavioral therapy, such as in-person, internet-based, and self-guided, are a part of standard care for anxiety — consult with a healthcare professional about your options [R, R].
Mindfulness
Research suggests that mindfulness is the only form of meditation that reliably improves anxiety [R].
Mindfulness meditation reduced stress and anxiety with similar effectiveness to cognitive-behavioral therapy in several studies [R].
Applied Relaxation
Applied relaxation techniques can reduce general anxiety, excessive worry, and tension. The improvements may be maintained for up to one year after initial treatment [R, R, R].
A study reported that computer-delivered applied relaxation can be as effective as therapist-guided applied relaxation in reducing emotional stress and improving relaxation [R].
Yoga
A large body of evidence supports the benefits of yoga in reducing anxiety [R, R, R, R].
Exercise
People who exercise regularly experience lower levels of neuroticism, anxiety, and depression, while lack of regular physical activity has been associated with an increased risk of anxiety [R, R].
Aerobic exercise may be most effective at reducing anxiety in both healthy people and those diagnosed with disorders such as generalized anxiety, panic disorder, and PTSD [R, R, R].
Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback Training
A lower heart rate variability from a normal “baseline” heart rate indicates a dominance of the “fight-or-flight” (sympathetic) nervous system, which is associated with increased stress and many forms of anxiety [R, R].
A handful of studies have shown that heart rate variability biofeedback training can reduce overall anxiety and perceived stress [R, R, R, R].
Cognitive Bias Modification
People with anxiety issues
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