5 Best Therapies That Can Reduce Your Anxiety

Healing takes time, and asking for help is a courageous step. - Mariska Hargitay.

Therapy is a process that resolves an individual's bodily responses, cognitive skills, and emotional problems by establishing measurable treatment goals for anxiety and other disorders. Psychotherapy or counselling aims to improve the mental health of a person through different techniques. It leads to improvement in relationships, healthy behaviour, better emotional expressions, and builds up positivity.

You might ask, does therapy actually work? Many a time, therapy doesn't yield you results right away. It is a time-consuming process that includes multiple sessions. The symptoms slowly start to improve after a period, and you realize the change in your mental health. Although many people observe a visible positive alteration in their emotions in the first sitting itself, you should not expect your anxiety to cure overnight. If you have anxiety or other stress-related problems, then you should consider consulting a therapist. It will help you explore your inner self, and cause improvement in all the fields of your life. Therapy is too good to be restricted in a clinic. Here in this blog, you will get to know about the five best therapies that can reduce your anxiety. You can apply a few of these types of therapies for anxiety and depression at your home too. Wondering how? Let's find out.

What are the five best therapies that can reduce your anxiety?

Music therapy

Music pleases us and releases our suffering. It can calm us down and pump us up. It helps us manage pain, run faster, sleep better and be more productive. - Alex Doman.

According to the American Music Theory Association, it is the clinical and evidence-based use of music to achieve personal goals in a therapeutic relationship by an accredited professional. Too complicated, right? Let me explain it more simply.

Therapists use musical responses to assess the emotional and cognitive aspects of an individual. No matter if you are tone deaf or have any other illness, music can still affect your mind and behaviour.

The therapy sessions are designed to take into account a person's treatment objectives and anxiety level. The process can be either creative or receptive. Creation enables the individual to create and produce music. The reception process, on the other hand, relaxes the individual with a soothing music-listening experience.

Children, teenagers, adults, and elderly - people across all ages can benefit from music therapy. It can heal the pain which medicine often fails to touch. Sounds great, doesn't it?

If you feel upset and want some feel-good song recommendations to uplift your mood, join our community and get your daily dose of music shares. Join our Feel-Good Group and take a step towards self-care.

Art Therapy

Art can permeate the very deepest part of us, where no words exist. - Eileen Miller.

Art Therapy is the process by which people going through any mental, physical, or cognitive anxiety can express themselves either by creating art or perceiving it. This therapy is an amalgamation of creativity and applied psychological techniques to cope with stress and other mental disorders.

Art therapy leads to self-discovery. Colouring sketchbooks, painting, doodling, or observing beautiful art in exhibitions can manage stress and reduce anxiety and improves the relationship with oneself. It fosters your emotional well-being through creative expression, be it any form of art.

If you are an artist, you can apprehend how art communicates your thoughts to the outer world. You find new things about yourself and also gain personal insights that promote self-esteem and self-love. But it doesn't imply that you have to be an artist to take part in art therapy.

Every person can manage their anxiety problems through therapy under the guidance of a certified art therapist. If you are suffering from chronic stress or anger issues, book your session and undergo the most effective anxiety treatment. Or, take a sketchbook and brushes, or some clay and start expressing yourself.

Horticultural Therapy

Everything that slows us down and forces patience, everything that sets us back in the slow circles of nature, is a help. Gardening is an instrument of grace. - May Sarton.

What is horticultural therapy and how does it work? According to Ranch Creek Recovery, horticultural therapy is a technique in which gardening meets specific objectives in an established rehabilitative environment when facilitated by a certified horticultural therapist. These environments are commonly called therapeutic gardens.

Now, you might wonder, what is a therapeutic garden? Therapeutic gardens are plant-dominated natural spaces where the healing elements of nature help in reducing anxiety. It is usually an open space that has sensory-oriented plants. They can be of many types- healing, rejuvenating and rehabilitative.

Horticultural therapy can be both active and passive. You can either pick up the spade and start nurturing plants or stroll by nature and absorb the positivity. People suffering from anxiety can benefit a lot from this therapy-

It boosts your immunity.
Improves the sleep cycle
Enhances cognitive skills.
Relaxes stress.
Helps you gain spirituality.

If you live in urban areas, chances are, you don't get much to walk around nature. In such a situation, having a small garden on the balcony or patio and maintaining sensory plants can help you with your anxiety and stress issues.

Animal-assisted Therapy

There is no psychiatrist in the world, like a puppy licking your face. - Ben Williams.

You must have heard about Thunder and Bolt, the two miniature pigs who are no less than any other therapist across the world. They are a trained pair of pigs who assist with daily activities to reduce a person's anxiety. Now, this is what animal-assisted therapy(AAT) stands for.

In animal-assisted therapy, you spend a lot of time with a trained therapy pet. The common AATs are canine-assisted or equine-assisted. The human-animal bond can induce calmness and reduce stress. Therapy animals provide a sense of comfort and divert your thoughts away from stressful situations.

Primarily, we use dogs, equines, dolphins, and pigs as therapy pets. They help you improve your outlook on life, reduce anxiety, and make you more empathetic and social. Although people who are allergic to pets cannot participate in AAT, researchers have found it to be the most efficient alternative or complementary form of therapy.

It cannot be the fundamental treatment of anxiety but it enhances the effectiveness of other psychotherapy. Having a pet can boost your mental health anyway. Bottomline - pets are loyal and playful companions who can cheer you up in your worst moments.

picture describing types of therapy animals

Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is a caring, hands-on therapy which seeks to induce relaxation, to increase energy, to reduce the effects of stress and to restore lost balance to mind, body and soul. - Robert Tisserand.

Aromatherapy is a holistic healing technique that involves essential oils and natural extracts to reduce anxiety and insomnia. These oils activate the receptors in your nose and send messages to the limbic system of the brain.

The limbic system is responsible for controlling emotions and reinforcing behaviour. Hence, aromatherapy can produce feel-good sentiments and promote mental well-being. Apart from improving the quality of sleep, reducing irritability and managing stress, it also helps with digestion.

There are many products available that you can use to have soothing aromatherapy. They come in the form of massage oils and lotions, scented candles, aroma diffusers, bathing salts, essential oil diffusers and many more. We have made a list of the six best essential oil brands available online for your aromatherapy needs.

Scented Candles:

Omved Calm (Mogra) Natural Scented Soy Wax Candle - Blended with Essential Oils and Long-Lasting <iframe style="width:120px;height:240px;margin:0 auto" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" src="//ws-in.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=IN&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=nowandme-21&language=en_IN&marketplace=amazon&region=IN&placement=B07LFH8GZX&asins=B07LFH8GZX&linkId=ca98a5a003dbb2ff95b5a7c2412548e4&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true"></iframe>
Bella Vita Organic Aroma Candles 4 X 60g each, Vanilla, Cinnamon, Lavender & Rose <iframe style="width:120px;height:240px;margin:0 auto" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" src="//ws-in.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=IN&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=nowandme-21&language=en_IN&marketplace=amazon&region=IN&placement=B08NF8G832&asins=B08NF8G832&linkId=029f9d903b32dd2f6cce858ffbbdc773&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true"></iframe>

Bathing Salts:

INFAMA Pure Epsom Salt with lavender oil (Bathing, Relaxation, Pain Relief, Therapeutic Spa Treatment) (1kg) <iframe style="width:120px;height:240px;margin:0 auto" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" src="//ws-in.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=IN&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=nowandme-21&language=en_IN&marketplace=amazon&region=IN&placement=B089Y9Q2QY&asins=B089Y9Q2QY&linkId=5a18ded5dc77967e38186de5d52a527f&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true"></iframe>
YOGAFY- Soothe Rose Bath Salt With Epsom Salt, Pink Salt and Rose Petals - Relaxation and Aromatherapy | 250g <iframe style="width:120px;height:240px;margin:0 auto" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" src="//ws-in.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=IN&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=nowandme-21&language=en_IN&marketplace=amazon&region=IN&placement=B08L8588ZJ&asins=B08L8588ZJ&linkId=3cc07cee047c580ce3fbdf88a707a0bb&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true"></iframe>

Massage oils:

Soulflower Massage Oils (Rose Geranium Aroma Massage Oil) <iframe style="width:120px;height:240px;margin:0 auto" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" src="//ws-in.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=IN&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=nowandme-21&language=en_IN&marketplace=amazon&region=IN&placement=B00BOLAO9G&asins=B00BOLAO9G&linkId=42681a82c2623cef022e66a1bebe3308&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true"></iframe>
TERRAI | Lavender Bath & Body Massage Oil | Therapeutic Basil, SLES & Paraben Free | Luxury after Bath Oil for Glowing Skin & Relaxation For Women <iframe style="width:120px;height:240px;margin:0 auto" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" src="//ws-in.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=IN&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=nowandme-21&language=en_IN&marketplace=amazon&region=IN&placement=B07QLWNZMR&asins=B07QLWNZMR&linkId=49aac783b4d80630e1aa263cdcf73fc8&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true"></iframe>

FAQs:

What therapy is best for anxiety?

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is the most used therapy to treat anxiety disorders. Your thinking changes from "I will never get a good job," to "None of my previous jobs were good enough. I will have to work on my resume and update my skills to work my dream job." You see, it has a treatment plan for anxiety and depression which identifies and transforms destructive or unpleasant thoughts into a constructive one. Therapists across the world commonly use CBT to treat patients with depression and anxiety disorders. Hence, we can consider it as one of the best therapies that can reduce your anxiety without medication.

Why did I develop anxiety? Or, what causes anxiety?

Anxiety can develop in people of all ages. Primarily, you can categorize the causes of chronic stress into two types - medical and psychological. Medical reasons can be thyroid problems, drug withdrawal, prolonged pain or illness, medicinal side effects, etc. Psychological causes can be childhood trauma or emotional abuse, personality traits, stress at work or school, financial problems, substance misuse, etc. Short term stress, when lingers long, can convert into a generalized anxiety disorder. There might not be an identifiable trigger, but you can always consult a therapist to find the root cause of your anxiety.

Is therapy better than medication for anxiety?

Research proves that psychotherapy such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is more effective in treating anxiety than medications. Therapists often prescribe CBT sessions along with anti-anxiety medicines. You can say that both medicinal drugs and therapy are equally helpful. But if you have mild chronic stress and do not wish to take anxiety medications, then all the remedies discussed in the blog might help improve your mental health. If you don't have a pet or scented candles available in your home, and you feel the urge to vent your thoughts, Now&Me provides you with a safe place. Sign up for free and unbottle all the emotions that are disturbing you. You start using the Now&Me out of curiosity, but slowly start loving the relief factor it delivers.

Read More:

nowandme.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.