Introduction to Stress Reduction

See articles on Stress Reduction

Anxiety affects 18.1% of Americans (approximately 6.8 million people) and is one of the most frequent conditions seen by clinicians (1, 2).  The estimated cost of anxiety disorders is $46.6 billion per year (3).  With this rising cost, the cost of prescriptions and unwanted side effects from pharmaceutical medications, people are looking for natural options.  A recent research review examined multiple studies looking at nutritional and herbal supplementation for anxiety and anxiety-related conditions.  The research discovered most natural treatments were effective without serious side effects (2).

Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress, but it can become excessive and seriously affect a person’s daily life.  Anxiety is defined as a feeling of persistent worry that hinders an individual’s ability to relax (4).  Anxiety can also result in physical symptoms such as, headaches, uncontrolled trembling and sweating, muscle tension, and body aches (2).