With different levels of intensity, Anyone can find themselves in a state of anxiety, more or less motivated; Despite its primarily psychological causes, anxiety can also manifest itself with physical symptoms and/or actual anxiety attacks, which are debilitating and decidedly uncomfortable. Combating anxiety is possible with the right measures.
It is possible to try to combat the onset of anxiety and/or to calm anxiety or panic attacks with natural methods, using food supplements, But let's start from the basics...
What is anxiety and what is it for?
Anxiety is a rather common emotional state, a defense mechanism, represented by the set of cognitive, behavioral and physiological reactions that manifest themselves following a triggering stimulus and which serve to remedy it or to pay due attention to it.
The term derives from Latin anghere, what does it mean "squeeze" and is representative of the psychophysical tension that it generates, of a state of worry and anxiety, which sometimes leads to fear.
What is the difference between anxiety and fear?
Anxiety and fear can manifest themselves with similar symptoms, but the substantial difference between these two states of mind is to be found in the triggering cause.
The substantial difference between anxiety and fear, in fact, is that the latter is activated in the face of a real and tangible danger and, once the threat has ceased, fades away, while anxiety does not.
A state of anxiety can in fact also be activated following a perceived threat, not real, sometimes not even explainable in words.
But how do you recognize anxiety? Let's see.
What are the physical symptoms of anxiety?
An anxiety attack can manifest itself in various ways; generally, the symptoms of anxiety are distinguished between:
- general symptoms, such as a sense of fear and impending danger (fear of dying, losing control or going crazy for example), avoidance, tension, inability to relax, apprehension, hypervigilance and restlessness.
- Psychological symptoms, such as irritability, excessive worry, impatience, disturbances in concentration, sleep or memory, depersonalization and derealization.
- Neurovegetative symptoms, such as shortness of breath and chest pain, dizziness, fainting, loss of balance, cold sweats, hot flashes, chills, rapid heartbeat, dry mouth, and diarrhea.
Are there any long-term consequences of anxiety as a recurring mood? Let's see how, in some cases, anxious individuals can also suffer from depression.
Anxiety attacks and depression
Sometimes, anxiety and depression coexist: the so-called anxious-depressive syndrome It is a widespread condition, which can manifest itself and develop in different ways depending on the individual.
There depression In most cases it manifests itself as a consequence of anxiety and – only more rarely – the opposite occurs.
In addition to the symptoms related to the anxiety state, in this case the subject often tends towards social isolation or substance abuse.
When we talk about anxiety, however, we must also try to make appropriate distinctions between different types of anxiety…
Pathological Anxiety or Physiological Anxiety?
Often, when we talk about anxiety attacks and anxiety in general, we tend to distinguish, based on the triggering causes, two types of anxiety: Physiological Anxiety and Pathological Anxiety.
Physiological anxiety it is considered a normal form of psychophysical tension, an “alarm” reaction, which involves the activation of all the resources available to the organism and it is used to produce behaviors that are useful for adapting to or solving the impending problem.
Anxiety that affects the individual's mental abilities is instead defined as pathological., thus generating a reaction opposite to the previous one, significantly affecting the subject's adaptive and cognitive abilities, leaving him totally "shocked".
Pathological anxiety is also often expressed as a vague sensation, for which it is difficult or even impossible to identify an objective trigger.
Eliminating or even reducing anxiety can be done. There are several actions you can take to address the underlying causes of the problem, such as: psychological/psychotherapeutic paths, meditation, breathing techniques, etc.
However, they can be of great help in dealing with anxiety states. also some drinks and supplements.
Supplements to combat anxiety, for mental relaxation and to improve mood
Some natural supplements, such as Librans, can help manage temporary states of anxiety and prevent its onset, leading to gradual mental relaxation with a consequent improvement in mood.
Food supplements to combat anxiety They exploit natural elements such as theanine, valerian, California poppy, lemon balm and magnolia.
Theanine
There theanine it's a amino acid, naturally present in tea, known for its psychoactive, sedative and anxiolytic properties.
The characteristics of theanine are therefore often exploited for the treatment of anxiety, stress and hypertension, to regain calm and psychophysical well-being.
Valerian and Californian poppy
There valerian officinalis It is a herbaceous plant known for its phytotherapeutic properties; thanks to the valepotriates it contains, it has excellent calming properties and acts as a sedative on the brain and nervous system.
THE'Californian poppy It is a plant belonging to the Papaveraceae family, also used in homeopathic medicine and exploited for the treatment ofinsomnia, mild anxiety states and the resulting psychosomatic symptoms.
Melissa
There lemon balm officinalis Finally, it is an aromatic herbaceous plant, used in the preparation of natural supplements and/or herbal teas, for its many properties: sedative, antispasmodic, antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal and healing.
