The Daily Mind

Daily Steps To Mindful Living

Mental Health

How to Deal with Anxiety without Taking Medication

Anxiety is a normal emotion everyone feels in response to perceived threats. It is something we all have to deal with on a day to day basis and, though always an uncomfortable feeling, can actually be beneficial for us since it can make us more focused and be more motivated to solve problems in a more efficient manner.

xanax anxiety meds

Photo Credit: Dean

The problem with anxiety is, therefore, not the feeling itself but a person’s inability to cope with it in a healthy manner on a day to day basis resulting in chronic anxiety. For many, having chronic anxiety means seeking relief through medication. Unfortunately, this tack often brings with it a new set of problems as its many adverse side effects end up affecting the patient’s quality of life. While in some extreme cases medication is undoubtedly essential, a more natural approach to anxiety reduction is often enough and may even be more beneficial in the long run. Furthermore, whether taking medicines or not, it is critical that you acquire other tools to deal with anxiety if you don’t want to be dependent on your anxiety meds all your life.

So just how can you deal with anxiety without taking medication?

[Read more…] about How to Deal with Anxiety without Taking Medication

Originally posted on August 9, 2013 @ 11:09 pm

How Your Garden Is Great for Your Health

gardening-for-healthy-eating-587x350

Doctors of the modern age have coined a term that last century’s practitioners might have a difficult time understanding: ecotherapy. Partly a prescription to just go out and enjoy the sunshine, ecotherapy is the process of easing stress, anxiety, depression, and other typical psychological ailments through nature walks and time outdoors in the sun.

It’s a method of holistic medicine that focuses on treatments that are not necessarily based on chemical intrusions as a means of healing, but rather on attaining a healthy body through natural means, like water, massage, and vitamin supplements. Ecotherapy is too new to be backed by exhaustive scientific testing, but it has received great reviews from many patients.

Despite the lack of concrete scientific evidence, many medical professionals are hopeful that a walk through nature will soon become what the doctor orders. [Read more…] about How Your Garden Is Great for Your Health

Originally posted on August 4, 2013 @ 9:22 am

Blues or Depression? Knowing When to Seek Treatment

self medicate depression or not

Advances in the study of the brain have led to a greater understanding of depression. It’s not just a bad day, but a host of symptoms caused by chemical imbalances that can more deeply root the neural pathways of the brain in a cycle of depression.

Studies have shown the depressed brain can atrophy and change over time if not treated. However, recognizing when depression has set in is one of the trickier parts to overcome because the symptoms go beyond sadness. [Read more…] about Blues or Depression? Knowing When to Seek Treatment

Originally posted on July 22, 2013 @ 2:33 am

4 Fitness Tips to Get Your Mind and Body in a More Positive Frame

Mindful living is a journey we all have to take one step at a time, with every turn and every circumstance challenging us to respond in a more positive manner. If we are to be honest with ourselves though, sometimes (or maybe oftentimes) we just want to let loose and give ourselves a “break”.

warrior pose yoga class

What I have noticed is that the days when I feel like giving the mindful living a break and instead give people a piece of my mind, are also usually the days when I feel really tired and crappy. No matter how I try to zen out, I still get just a bit (or a lot) cranky and are easily irritated when I’m feeling ill. Of course, I know that I’m not alone in this.

As humans living in a body that experiences both pleasurable and uncomfortable, even painful, sensations, it is inevitable for our mood to be affected by our physical health. This is why keeping healthy and fit is important to anyone who’s on the quest for greater mindfulness. If you wish to better control your thoughts and emotions, you’d try to be as fit as possible to help you stick to a better frame of mind.

[Read more…] about 4 Fitness Tips to Get Your Mind and Body in a More Positive Frame

Originally posted on July 5, 2013 @ 12:35 pm

Self belief and mastering your mindset

water runner

About six months ago I took up running and have found it to be really
helpful for beating stress and improving my overall fitness. Six weeks
ago a friend of mine invited me to take part in a competitive race –
something I’ve never done before – and I accepted the challenge.
However, now that the race day is looming, I’ve been crippled with
self doubts and worries that I won’t be able to complete the distance.
During my last few runs my mindset has been terrible and I can’t seem
to silence the voice in my head that keeps telling me that I can’t do
it or that I’m too tired.

This is something that affects a lot of competitive athletes (not that
I’m saying I’m one – far from it). Overcoming a negative mindset can
make the difference between a good athlete and an award-winning one.
And not just athletes – it applies to all walks of life. Having self
belief and a positive mindset can give you the confidence to realise
your dreams and achieve all the things you want to do in life.

I’ve been doing some research into how to master your mindset, and
here are some things I’ve discovered.

[Read more…] about Self belief and mastering your mindset

Originally posted on June 27, 2013 @ 5:56 pm

How to stop beating yourself up

So it recently occurred to me that I’ve been indulging in rather a bit too much negative self-talk lately. I’ve been cross with myself about all kinds of things from eating too much junk food to making errors at work – and that critic inside my head has been having a field day.

 

Well, I’ve decided to put a stop to this, and I’ll be dedicating this particular blog post to some of the techniques I’ve been using to stop emotionally beating myself up.

[Read more…] about How to stop beating yourself up

Originally posted on April 24, 2013 @ 3:11 pm