ANXIETY TREATMENT

If it feels as if the causes of your anxiety are all around you, take heart: so are the cures. There are herbs and oils to add to a soothing warm bath, worry-calming teas and even some classic comfort foods. For those times when you feel anxious, here are some ways to be kind to yourself and lessen the worries.

Soak away your cares

• A warm bath is one of the most pleasant and reliable ways to soothe your senses. To enhance its effects, add some lavender oil (or dried flowers if you have them) to the tub and soak to your heart's content. Although no one knows what gives this wonderfully scented herb its ability to calm, lavender has been used for around 2,000 years to relax and soothe the nerves. If you have no time for a bath, try dabbing a little lavender oil on your temples and forehead and sitting quietly for a few minutes. 

Breathe slowly and deeply

• Regulating your breath can help to bring your anxiety swiftly under control. To slow and deepen your breathing, sit down, put one hand over your abdomen, and slowly inhale so that your belly expands under your hand but your shoulders do not rise. Hold your breath for four or five seconds, then very slowly exhale. Repeat until you feel calmer. 

Sip something soporific 

• An old-fashioned remedy for insomnia, drinking a glass of warm milk really works — and at any time of day. Milk contains tryptophan, an amino acid used in the production of the brain chemical serotonin, which enhances feelings of well-being. Bananas and turkey are also rich in tryptophan.

• Hops, which give beer its distinctive flavour, have a long history as a sedative. In fact, workers who harvested hops used to suffer from sleepiness known as hop-pickers' fatigue. Place 2 teaspoons of the dried herb in a cup of very hot water, and drink up to three cups a day of this 'anti-anxiety tea'. 

• Three flowers used to make relaxing teas are Seville (bitter) orange blossom, lavender and lime tree. Any of these sweetly scented teas taken at bedtime will help to encourage a good night's sleep.

Don't make the symptoms worse

• Limit yourself to a single cup of coffee, tea or cola drink per day. Studies suggest that people with anxiety symptoms may be especially sensitive to caffeine.

• Watch your intake of wine, beer and other alcoholic drinks. While they seem to subdue anxiety at first, when the alcohol wears off, anxiety can actually increase. 

Speed up and slow down

• Aerobic exercise is a great anxiety reliever. Taking a brisk 30 minute walk spurs the release of endorphins, chemicals that block pain and improve your mood. 

• Whether it's meditating, praying, pruning the roses or watching your goldfish, do some sort of meditative activity for 15 minutes several times a day. 

Try a natural anxiety soother 

• A pleasant smell isn't something you can expect from the herb valerian, but if you are looking for relief from anxiety, Icou might forgive the stench. Research suggests that the active ingredients in valerian attach to the same receptors in the brain that are affected by the anti-anxiety drug diazepam, better known as Valium. Take 250mg twice a day and up to 500mg before bedtime. 

Anxiety or panic attacks 

• Unlike general worry, anxiety attacks come on suddenly and with overwhelming force. The heart begins to race, the blood pressure rises, it becomes a struggle to breathe and the victim may feel dizzy or faint.The symptoms can even be confused with those of a heart attack. Anxiety attacks are most kely to occur after a period of unusual stress, such as a death or divorce.The best way to handle them is to see them for what they are: harmless, if frightening, emotional states. Remind yourself that you'r not in any danger; it is only a panic attack, and it will soon end. Stay as calm as you can, try to regulate your breath, as described above, and let the attack run its course. 

• Take a B-complex multivitamin each day. Studies show that B vitamins are natural stress-reducers — the body requires vitamin B6 to make serotonin, for example — and not getting enough of the vitamins can contribute to anxiety. 

• 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) can replenish your supply of serotonin, an anxiety-calming brain chemical. The 5-HTP in your body comes from the amino acid tryptophan, but small quantities are also found in the seeds of an African plant, Griffonia simplicifolia. Supplements of 5-HTP are made from extract of the plant or produced synthetically. You can buy them in health-food shops or online. Take 50mg three times daily with meals. But consult your doctor if you're also taking any prescription antidepressant, such as Prozac, Lustral or Seroxat as these drugs also affect serotonin receptors, and the combined effect could be dangerous. Do not drive or do hazardous work until you determine how 5-HTP affects you. It can cause drowsiness in some people.