Drug Induced Anxiety – 5 Ways to Combat Anxiety in Withdrawal
One of the worst problems with withdrawal is the anxiety that most drugs produce when you stop using them. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration, the majority of the drugs out there have anxiety as a symptom of withdrawal. This anxiety sparks a fear response in the body and is said to be one of the worst feelings in the world. Fortunately there are ways to combat this anxiety.
1. Identify the Source
Although one source is the withdrawal, there might be another source of anxiety in your life. By sitting down, breathing, and calmly analyzing the source of the anxiety, many times you can reduce it. If you find another problem aside from the withdrawal, you can deal with the problem or let the problem go at that point.
2. Reassurance
It is amazing what simple reassurance can do for anxiety. You know the cause of the anxiety, you know that it is drug related and that it will stop. By reassuring yourself of these facts you can combat the anxiety of withdrawal. Knowing your withdrawal symptoms and the withdrawal timeline will also help to reassure you.
You will also find that having the reassurance of someone else is important as well. Many times if you explain to a friend, family member, or therapist what you are going through they can help you by providing you with the reassurance that you need. Although this is not always possible, it is good to have a person that understand the withdrawal process and what you will be experiencing.
3. Try to get Enough Sleep, exercise, and Nutrition
It might not seem like it but eating right, sleeping well, and exercising helps drug induced anxiety as well as your overall health. Most people who suffer from anxiety need a balanced diet and sleep in order to keep the anxiety from controlling their life.
4. Relaxation Techniques
There are a variety of relaxation techniques that help with anxiety. These techniques are:
- meditation – meditation is the practice of clearing your mind and focusing on breat
Meditation can greatly reduce feelings of anxiety.
hing and your body. Meditation has been used for centuries to calm and focus the mind and body.
- deep breathing – deep breathing slows the heart rate and gives you something to focus on. By practicing deep breathing or counted breathing, you can calm the mind.
- counting – the simple act of counting or doing math in your head gives you something besides the anxiety to focus on. This technique also allows you to improve your math skills.
There are hundreds of relaxation techniques that you can use. Try different ones until you find the one that works for you.
5. Keep Busy
According to the National Library of Medicine, one of the best ways to reduce any anxiety is to keep busy. Keeping busy accomplishes what needs to be done and distracts you from your anxious feelings. Sometimes when the anxiety is particularly bad, you might have to force yourself to do something but start small. Pick one small thing and finish it, then pick another, and keep going until you are finished. By breaking things down into small tasks you can make it seem less insurmountable.
For more tips on reducing withdrawal induced anxiety give us a call at 888-647-0051 (Who Answers?)
