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Calculated Shard: 40 (from laksa187)

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curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa040.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/mental-health/how-to-reduce-anxiety-without-medication/\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/mental-health/how-to-reduce-anxiety-without-medication/\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/mcpress.mayoclinic.org\/mental-health\/how-to-reduce-anxiety-without-medication\/","crawl_time":1775020750,"first_indexed_time":1752847251,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"org,mayoclinic!mcpress,\/mental-health\/how-to-reduce-anxiety-without-medication\/ s443","src_root_hash":"1608882045018104440","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"How to reduce anxiety without medication - Mayo Clinic Press","meta_descriptions":[],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"Living with anxiety can be like living in a house with an alarm system that misfires. That’s how psychologist Craig N. Sawchuk, Ph.D., L.P., co-chair for clinical practice in the Mayo Clinic Department of Psychiatry & Psychology, describes it. And that alarm system can misfire in a few different ways.\n“One is that, when the alarm goes off, it’s too loud,” says Dr. Sawchuk. For example, a situation that typically creates some nervousness or worry — such as an upcoming work deadline — might instead cause debilitating panic attacks that make it hard to focus. This, in turn, ratchets up the time pressure and stress level.\nAnother way is when the alarm sounds and it’s hard to turn off. “It’s that persistent feeling of anxiety,” says Dr. Sawchuk. “For example, a stressful situation came up in a in a relationship, and you’ve been ruminating about it for days and days, and weeks on end. And you’re losing sleep over it — even though the situation may be done and over with.”\nAnd a third way the alarm system can misfire is to sound false alarms. “There’s no apparent threat, yet we’re incredibly anxious, we’re incredibly worried, we’re incredibly stressed out,” says Dr. Sawchuk.\nFortunately, there are effective ways to turn down the volume, persistence and sensitivity of that internal alarm system. And many of the treatment approaches don’t require medication.\nWhat are some self-care tips to manage anxiety?\nSteps that support general wellness also create a solid foundation for managing your anxiety. Think of the basics:\nGet enough sleep.\nExercise and be physically active.\nEat a nutritious diet.\nLimit your intake of sugar, caffeine and alcohol.\nConnect with friends, family and community for social support.\nWhat are some mind-body techniques to reduce anxiety?\nPractices that build relaxation skills\nalso are beneficial in managing anxiety. These practices engage you in physical or mental exercise and can help improve mood and anxiety. Examples include:\nDeep breathing, also called diaphragmatic breathing.\nProgressive muscle relaxation.\nMeditation\/mindfulness.\nYoga\n.\nTai chi\n.\nThese are low-cost or no-cost techniques and can be accessed almost anytime, anywhere through in-person or virtual classes, videos and apps. The techniques are largely self-driven, so Dr. Sawchuk recommends asking family or friends to help you create accountability in doing them consistently over time.\nHow does cognitive behavioral therapy help with anxiety?\nFor a more intense level of care, consider seeing a mental health professional. There are a variety of psychotherapy techniques that can help people with anxiety. The most common approach is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). “There’s decades of research that has shown its effectiveness,” says Dr. Sawchuk.\nIn CBT, your therapist acts as a kind of coach. The therapist helps you learn how your anxiety works — how it creates cycles of thinking, feeling and behaving — and helps you develop specific skills to address it.\nDr. Sawchuk likens CBT to physical therapy, where people need to do exercises at home between visits to see progress. “In between your appointments, that’s where the real work of cognitive behavioral therapy happens,” he says. By learning to identify the patterns your anxiety creates, you’re developing a healthier early-warning system that may help you head off anxiety cycles before they get going.\nCognitive behavioral therapy is typically time limited and can range from a small number of sessions to several weeks or months, depending on your treatment goals. In fact, says Dr. Sawchuk, making sure you’ll have homework and treatment goals is important when trying to find a therapist who practices CBT. “Some questions to ask might be, ‘Are there treatment goals that we’re working on? Do you provide homework to work on skills? What are the typical skills that we would learn?’ If they can answer that, that sounds closer to CBT.”\nAs start your search for a CBT therapist, your primary care team can be a good resource. They may ask you a brief series of questions to assess how anxiety is affecting you. This will help them connect you to the right level of mental health care. There are find-a-therapist locators at\nAssociation for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies\nand\nAnxiety and Depression Association of America\nwebsites. Additionally, apps and platforms such as BetterHelp, Headspace and NOCD offer video visits with therapists.\nWhat can you do for severe anxiety?\nSometimes, anxiety can be extremely debilitating. To treat more severe anxiety, there are intensive outpatient programs (four or five days a week of focused treatment, akin to going to school) as well as inpatient programs. Medication can be part of the mix. “The combination of medication and psychotherapy is certainly an option and can lead to really good outcomes,” says Dr. Sawchuk. He emphasizes that learning the skills to manage anxiety can carry you forward in life. “We know from our treatment outcome literature, people that have done cognitive behavioral therapy maintain their gains longer than those that have just done medication alone.”\nRelevant reading\nMicrobiome\nFrom the time we're born, we acquire bacteria, fungi, viruses and other microbes from other people, everything we touch and everything we eat. Together, these make up what some call a superorganism: the human microbiome. It includes an estimated 10 trillion to 100 trillion microbial cells in and on the…","attrs_markdown":"Auto-scroll\n\n[Skip to content](https:\/\/mcpress.mayoclinic.org\/mental-health\/how-to-reduce-anxiety-without-medication\/#main)\n\nToggle menu\n\nToggle search\n\nClose the drawer\n\n[Register \/ Log In](https:\/\/mcpress.mayoclinic.org\/my-account\/?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fmcpress.mayoclinic.org%2Fmental-health%2Fhow-to-reduce-anxiety-without-medication%2F)\n\n- Shop\n  - Shop\n    - Health & Wellness Guidebooks\n      - Health & Wellness Guidebooks\n      - [Healthy Aging](https:\/\/mcpress.mayoclinic.org\/product-category\/healthy-aging\/)\n      - [Healthy Brain](https:\/\/mcpress.mayoclinic.org\/product-category\/healthy-brain\/)\n      - [Living Well](https:\/\/mcpress.mayoclinic.org\/product-category\/living-well\/)\n      - [Parenting](https:\/\/mcpress.mayoclinic.org\/product-category\/parenting\/parenting-parenting\/)\n      - [Pregnancy](https:\/\/mcpress.mayoclinic.org\/product-category\/pregnancy\/)\n      - 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Not valid on previous purchases or when combined with any other promotional offers.\n\n[Close]()\n\n[Home](https:\/\/mcpress.mayoclinic.org\/) \/ [Mental Health](https:\/\/mcpress.mayoclinic.org\/mental-health\/) \/ How to reduce anxiety without medication\n***\nArticle \\| Mental Health\n\n# How to reduce anxiety without medication\nJuly 18, 2025\n\n[Save Content](https:\/\/mcpress.mayoclinic.org\/mental-health\/how-to-reduce-anxiety-without-medication\/ \"Bookmark This\")\n\nPlease login to bookmark[*Close*](https:\/\/mcpress.mayoclinic.org\/mental-health\/how-to-reduce-anxiety-without-medication\/ \"Click to close bookmark panel\/modal\")\n\n[Log in](https:\/\/account.mayoclinic.org\/account.mayoclinic.org\/b2c_1a_consumer_signup_signin\/oauth2\/v2.0\/authorize?response_type=code&scope=openid&domain_hint=&client_id=1a13414f-0a63-4c40-bd02-a35a74f4938f&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fmcpress.mayoclinic.org%2Fwp-login.php&state=%7B53B0237D-A2E7-AB6D-A32B-6916CEB1AC95%7D&nonce=%7B53B0237D-A2E7-AB6D-A32B-6916CEB1AC95%7D)\n\n![](https:\/\/mcpress.mayoclinic.org\/uploads\/2025\/07\/NaturalWayManageStressxGettyImages-1007231676-1120x640.jpg)\n\n©GettyImages\n\nSHARE:\n\nListen to article now\n\nPowered by [ReadAlong.ai](https:\/\/readalong.ai\/?utm_source=mcpress.mayoclinic.org&utm_campaign=How+to+reduce+anxiety+without+medication)\n\n.75x\n\n1x\n\n1\\.25x\n\n1\\.5x\n\n0:00\n\n\/\n\n0:00\n\n1x\n\nPowered by [ReadAlong.ai](https:\/\/mcpress.mayoclinic.org\/mental-health\/how-to-reduce-anxiety-without-medication\/https%3A%2F%2Freadalong.ai%3Futm_source%3Dmcpress.mayoclinic.org%26utm_campaign%3DHow+to+reduce+anxiety+without+medication)\n\nLiving with anxiety can be like living in a house with an alarm system that misfires. That’s how psychologist Craig N. Sawchuk, Ph.D., L.P., co-chair for clinical practice in the Mayo Clinic Department of Psychiatry & Psychology, describes it. And that alarm system can misfire in a few different ways.\n\n“One is that, when the alarm goes off, it’s too loud,” says Dr. Sawchuk. For example, a situation that typically creates some nervousness or worry — such as an upcoming work deadline — might instead cause debilitating panic attacks that make it hard to focus. This, in turn, ratchets up the time pressure and stress level.\n\nAnother way is when the alarm sounds and it’s hard to turn off. “It’s that persistent feeling of anxiety,” says Dr. Sawchuk. “For example, a stressful situation came up in a in a relationship, and you’ve been ruminating about it for days and days, and weeks on end. And you’re losing sleep over it — even though the situation may be done and over with.”\n\nAnd a third way the alarm system can misfire is to sound false alarms. “There’s no apparent threat, yet we’re incredibly anxious, we’re incredibly worried, we’re incredibly stressed out,” says Dr. Sawchuk.\n\nFortunately, there are effective ways to turn down the volume, persistence and sensitivity of that internal alarm system. And many of the treatment approaches don’t require medication.\n\n## **What are some self-care tips to manage anxiety?**\nSteps that support general wellness also create a solid foundation for managing your anxiety. Think of the basics:\n\n- Get enough sleep.\n- Exercise and be physically active.\n- Eat a nutritious diet.\n- Limit your intake of sugar, caffeine and alcohol.\n\nConnect with friends, family and community for social support.\n\n## **What are some mind-body techniques to reduce anxiety?**\n[Practices that build relaxation skills](https:\/\/mcpress.mayoclinic.org\/mental-health\/integrative-therapies-for-depression-and-anxiety-that-can-complement-medication-and-talk-therapy\/) also are beneficial in managing anxiety. These practices engage you in physical or mental exercise and can help improve mood and anxiety. Examples include:\n\n- Deep breathing, also called diaphragmatic breathing.\n- Progressive muscle relaxation.\n- Meditation\/mindfulness.\n- [Yoga](https:\/\/mcpress.mayoclinic.org\/living-well\/not-flexible-no-problem-yogas-aim-is-empowerment-not-touching-your-toes\/).\n- [Tai chi](https:\/\/mcpress.mayoclinic.org\/living-well\/the-healing-art-of-tai-chi\/).\n\nThese are low-cost or no-cost techniques and can be accessed almost anytime, anywhere through in-person or virtual classes, videos and apps. The techniques are largely self-driven, so Dr. Sawchuk recommends asking family or friends to help you create accountability in doing them consistently over time.\n\n## **How does cognitive behavioral therapy help with anxiety?**\nFor a more intense level of care, consider seeing a mental health professional. There are a variety of psychotherapy techniques that can help people with anxiety. The most common approach is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). “There’s decades of research that has shown its effectiveness,” says Dr. Sawchuk.\n\nIn CBT, your therapist acts as a kind of coach. The therapist helps you learn how your anxiety works — how it creates cycles of thinking, feeling and behaving — and helps you develop specific skills to address it.\n\nDr. Sawchuk likens CBT to physical therapy, where people need to do exercises at home between visits to see progress. “In between your appointments, that’s where the real work of cognitive behavioral therapy happens,” he says. By learning to identify the patterns your anxiety creates, you’re developing a healthier early-warning system that may help you head off anxiety cycles before they get going.\n\nCognitive behavioral therapy is typically time limited and can range from a small number of sessions to several weeks or months, depending on your treatment goals. In fact, says Dr. Sawchuk, making sure you’ll have homework and treatment goals is important when trying to find a therapist who practices CBT. “Some questions to ask might be, ‘Are there treatment goals that we’re working on? Do you provide homework to work on skills? What are the typical skills that we would learn?’ If they can answer that, that sounds closer to CBT.”\n\nAs start your search for a CBT therapist, your primary care team can be a good resource. They may ask you a brief series of questions to assess how anxiety is affecting you. This will help them connect you to the right level of mental health care. There are find-a-therapist locators at [Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies](https:\/\/services.abct.org\/i4a\/memberDirectory\/index.cfm?directory_id=3&pageID=3282) and [Anxiety and Depression Association of America](https:\/\/findyourtherapist.adaa.org\/) websites. Additionally, apps and platforms such as BetterHelp, Headspace and NOCD offer video visits with therapists.\n\n## **What can you do for severe anxiety?**\nSometimes, anxiety can be extremely debilitating. To treat more severe anxiety, there are intensive outpatient programs (four or five days a week of focused treatment, akin to going to school) as well as inpatient programs. Medication can be part of the mix. “The combination of medication and psychotherapy is certainly an option and can lead to really good outcomes,” says Dr. Sawchuk. He emphasizes that learning the skills to manage anxiety can carry you forward in life. “We know from our treatment outcome literature, people that have done cognitive behavioral therapy maintain their gains longer than those that have just done medication alone.”\n\n![](https:\/\/mcpress.mayoclinic.org\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Microbiome_FrontCover-1400x1400-1.jpg)\n\nRelevant reading\n\nMicrobiome\n\nFrom the time we're born, we acquire bacteria, fungi, viruses and other microbes from other people, everything we touch and everything we eat. Together, these make up what some call a superorganism: the human microbiome. It includes an estimated 10 trillion to 100 trillion microbial cells in and on the…\n\n[Buy Now](https:\/\/mcpress.mayoclinic.org\/mental-health\/how-to-reduce-anxiety-without-medication\/?buy_now=151878) [Shop Now](https:\/\/mcpress.mayoclinic.org\/product\/microbiome\/)\n\n## You May Also Enjoy\n[View More from Mental Health](https:\/\/mcpress.mayoclinic.org\/mental-health\/)\n\n[![](https:\/\/mcpress.mayoclinic.org\/uploads\/2025\/05\/BVandMalePartnersxGettyImages-1159473797-608x348.jpg) Article Bacterial vaginosis: How treating male partners can help May 22, 2025 Learn More – Bacterial vaginosis: How treating male partners can help](https:\/\/mcpress.mayoclinic.org\/women-health\/bacterial-vaginosis-how-treating-male-partners-can-help\/)\n\n[![](https:\/\/mcpress.mayoclinic.org\/uploads\/2024\/07\/MASH2xGettyImages-909208850-608x348.jpg) Article Have you checked up on your liver? 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In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Sawchuk’s main research aim is to improve the treatment of anxiety and depression in primary care.\n\nInterested in more content like this?\n\nReceive free access to exclusive content, a personalized homepage based on your interests, and a weekly newsletter with the topics of your choice.\n\n[Register](https:\/\/mcpress.mayoclinic.org\/my-account\/?registration)\n\n**Already have an account?** [Log In](https:\/\/mcpress.mayoclinic.org\/my-account\/?redirect_to=\/my-account\/my-topics\/)\n\n[![](https:\/\/mcpress.mayoclinic.org\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Cover-1400x1400-1-300x300.jpg) SALE Taking Care of You by Mary I. O'Connor, M.D., Kanwal L. Haq, M.S. 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All Rights Reserved.\n\n## Privacy Policy\nWe've made some updates to our [Privacy Policy.](https:\/\/mcpress.mayoclinic.org\/privacy-policy\/) Please take a moment to review.\n\nOkay\n\n[Read Our Privacy Policy.](https:\/\/mcpress.mayoclinic.org\/privacy-policy\/)\n\n**[Create a new list](https:\/\/mcpress.mayoclinic.org\/mental-health\/how-to-reduce-anxiety-without-medication\/)**\n\nx\n\nFeedback","attrs_readable_markdown":"Living with anxiety can be like living in a house with an alarm system that misfires. That’s how psychologist Craig N. Sawchuk, Ph.D., L.P., co-chair for clinical practice in the Mayo Clinic Department of Psychiatry & Psychology, describes it. And that alarm system can misfire in a few different ways.\n\n“One is that, when the alarm goes off, it’s too loud,” says Dr. Sawchuk. For example, a situation that typically creates some nervousness or worry — such as an upcoming work deadline — might instead cause debilitating panic attacks that make it hard to focus. This, in turn, ratchets up the time pressure and stress level.\n\nAnother way is when the alarm sounds and it’s hard to turn off. “It’s that persistent feeling of anxiety,” says Dr. Sawchuk. “For example, a stressful situation came up in a in a relationship, and you’ve been ruminating about it for days and days, and weeks on end. And you’re losing sleep over it — even though the situation may be done and over with.”\n\nAnd a third way the alarm system can misfire is to sound false alarms. “There’s no apparent threat, yet we’re incredibly anxious, we’re incredibly worried, we’re incredibly stressed out,” says Dr. Sawchuk.\n\nFortunately, there are effective ways to turn down the volume, persistence and sensitivity of that internal alarm system. And many of the treatment approaches don’t require medication.\n\n## **What are some self-care tips to manage anxiety?**\nSteps that support general wellness also create a solid foundation for managing your anxiety. Think of the basics:\n\n- Get enough sleep.\n- Exercise and be physically active.\n- Eat a nutritious diet.\n- Limit your intake of sugar, caffeine and alcohol.\n\nConnect with friends, family and community for social support.\n\n## **What are some mind-body techniques to reduce anxiety?**\n[Practices that build relaxation skills](https:\/\/mcpress.mayoclinic.org\/mental-health\/integrative-therapies-for-depression-and-anxiety-that-can-complement-medication-and-talk-therapy\/) also are beneficial in managing anxiety. These practices engage you in physical or mental exercise and can help improve mood and anxiety. Examples include:\n\n- Deep breathing, also called diaphragmatic breathing.\n- Progressive muscle relaxation.\n- Meditation\/mindfulness.\n- [Yoga](https:\/\/mcpress.mayoclinic.org\/living-well\/not-flexible-no-problem-yogas-aim-is-empowerment-not-touching-your-toes\/).\n- [Tai chi](https:\/\/mcpress.mayoclinic.org\/living-well\/the-healing-art-of-tai-chi\/).\n\nThese are low-cost or no-cost techniques and can be accessed almost anytime, anywhere through in-person or virtual classes, videos and apps. The techniques are largely self-driven, so Dr. Sawchuk recommends asking family or friends to help you create accountability in doing them consistently over time.\n\n## **How does cognitive behavioral therapy help with anxiety?**\nFor a more intense level of care, consider seeing a mental health professional. There are a variety of psychotherapy techniques that can help people with anxiety. The most common approach is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). “There’s decades of research that has shown its effectiveness,” says Dr. Sawchuk.\n\nIn CBT, your therapist acts as a kind of coach. The therapist helps you learn how your anxiety works — how it creates cycles of thinking, feeling and behaving — and helps you develop specific skills to address it.\n\nDr. Sawchuk likens CBT to physical therapy, where people need to do exercises at home between visits to see progress. “In between your appointments, that’s where the real work of cognitive behavioral therapy happens,” he says. By learning to identify the patterns your anxiety creates, you’re developing a healthier early-warning system that may help you head off anxiety cycles before they get going.\n\nCognitive behavioral therapy is typically time limited and can range from a small number of sessions to several weeks or months, depending on your treatment goals. In fact, says Dr. Sawchuk, making sure you’ll have homework and treatment goals is important when trying to find a therapist who practices CBT. “Some questions to ask might be, ‘Are there treatment goals that we’re working on? Do you provide homework to work on skills? What are the typical skills that we would learn?’ If they can answer that, that sounds closer to CBT.”\n\nAs start your search for a CBT therapist, your primary care team can be a good resource. They may ask you a brief series of questions to assess how anxiety is affecting you. This will help them connect you to the right level of mental health care. There are find-a-therapist locators at [Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies](https:\/\/services.abct.org\/i4a\/memberDirectory\/index.cfm?directory_id=3&pageID=3282) and [Anxiety and Depression Association of America](https:\/\/findyourtherapist.adaa.org\/) websites. Additionally, apps and platforms such as BetterHelp, Headspace and NOCD offer video visits with therapists.\n\n## **What can you do for severe anxiety?**\nSometimes, anxiety can be extremely debilitating. To treat more severe anxiety, there are intensive outpatient programs (four or five days a week of focused treatment, akin to going to school) as well as inpatient programs. Medication can be part of the mix. “The combination of medication and psychotherapy is certainly an option and can lead to really good outcomes,” says Dr. Sawchuk. He emphasizes that learning the skills to manage anxiety can carry you forward in life. “We know from our treatment outcome literature, people that have done cognitive behavioral therapy maintain their gains longer than those that have just done medication alone.”\n\n![](https:\/\/mcpress.mayoclinic.org\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Microbiome_FrontCover-1400x1400-1.jpg)\n\nRelevant reading\n\nMicrobiome\n\nFrom the time we're born, we acquire bacteria, fungi, viruses and other microbes from other people, everything we touch and everything we eat. Together, these make up what some call a superorganism: the human microbiome. It includes an estimated 10 trillion to 100 trillion microbial cells in and on the…","meta_canonical":null}

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Boilerpipe Text	Living with anxiety can be like living in a house with an alarm system that misfires. That’s how psychologist Craig N. Sawchuk, Ph.D., L.P., co-chair for clinical practice in the Mayo Clinic Department of Psychiatry & Psychology, describes it. And that alarm system can misfire in a few different ways. “One is that, when the alarm goes off, it’s too loud,” says Dr. Sawchuk. For example, a situation that typically creates some nervousness or worry — such as an upcoming work deadline — might instead cause debilitating panic attacks that make it hard to focus. This, in turn, ratchets up the time pressure and stress level. Another way is when the alarm sounds and it’s hard to turn off. “It’s that persistent feeling of anxiety,” says Dr. Sawchuk. “For example, a stressful situation came up in a in a relationship, and you’ve been ruminating about it for days and days, and weeks on end. And you’re losing sleep over it — even though the situation may be done and over with.” And a third way the alarm system can misfire is to sound false alarms. “There’s no apparent threat, yet we’re incredibly anxious, we’re incredibly worried, we’re incredibly stressed out,” says Dr. Sawchuk. Fortunately, there are effective ways to turn down the volume, persistence and sensitivity of that internal alarm system. And many of the treatment approaches don’t require medication. What are some self-care tips to manage anxiety? Steps that support general wellness also create a solid foundation for managing your anxiety. Think of the basics: Get enough sleep. Exercise and be physically active. Eat a nutritious diet. Limit your intake of sugar, caffeine and alcohol. Connect with friends, family and community for social support. What are some mind-body techniques to reduce anxiety? Practices that build relaxation skills also are beneficial in managing anxiety. These practices engage you in physical or mental exercise and can help improve mood and anxiety. Examples include: Deep breathing, also called diaphragmatic breathing. Progressive muscle relaxation. Meditation/mindfulness. Yoga . Tai chi . These are low-cost or no-cost techniques and can be accessed almost anytime, anywhere through in-person or virtual classes, videos and apps. The techniques are largely self-driven, so Dr. Sawchuk recommends asking family or friends to help you create accountability in doing them consistently over time. How does cognitive behavioral therapy help with anxiety? For a more intense level of care, consider seeing a mental health professional. There are a variety of psychotherapy techniques that can help people with anxiety. The most common approach is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). “There’s decades of research that has shown its effectiveness,” says Dr. Sawchuk. In CBT, your therapist acts as a kind of coach. The therapist helps you learn how your anxiety works — how it creates cycles of thinking, feeling and behaving — and helps you develop specific skills to address it. Dr. Sawchuk likens CBT to physical therapy, where people need to do exercises at home between visits to see progress. “In between your appointments, that’s where the real work of cognitive behavioral therapy happens,” he says. By learning to identify the patterns your anxiety creates, you’re developing a healthier early-warning system that may help you head off anxiety cycles before they get going. Cognitive behavioral therapy is typically time limited and can range from a small number of sessions to several weeks or months, depending on your treatment goals. In fact, says Dr. Sawchuk, making sure you’ll have homework and treatment goals is important when trying to find a therapist who practices CBT. “Some questions to ask might be, ‘Are there treatment goals that we’re working on? Do you provide homework to work on skills? What are the typical skills that we would learn?’ If they can answer that, that sounds closer to CBT.” As start your search for a CBT therapist, your primary care team can be a good resource. They may ask you a brief series of questions to assess how anxiety is affecting you. This will help them connect you to the right level of mental health care. There are find-a-therapist locators at Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies and Anxiety and Depression Association of America websites. Additionally, apps and platforms such as BetterHelp, Headspace and NOCD offer video visits with therapists. What can you do for severe anxiety? Sometimes, anxiety can be extremely debilitating. To treat more severe anxiety, there are intensive outpatient programs (four or five days a week of focused treatment, akin to going to school) as well as inpatient programs. Medication can be part of the mix. “The combination of medication and psychotherapy is certainly an option and can lead to really good outcomes,” says Dr. Sawchuk. He emphasizes that learning the skills to manage anxiety can carry you forward in life. “We know from our treatment outcome literature, people that have done cognitive behavioral therapy maintain their gains longer than those that have just done medication alone.” Relevant reading Microbiome From the time we're born, we acquire bacteria, fungi, viruses and other microbes from other people, everything we touch and everything we eat. Together, these make up what some call a superorganism: the human microbiome. It includes an estimated 10 trillion to 100 trillion microbial cells in and on the…
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[Close]() [Home](https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/) / [Mental Health](https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/mental-health/) / How to reduce anxiety without medication *** Article \\| Mental Health # How to reduce anxiety without medication July 18, 2025 [Save Content](https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/mental-health/how-to-reduce-anxiety-without-medication/ "Bookmark This") Please login to bookmark[Close](https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/mental-health/how-to-reduce-anxiety-without-medication/ "Click to close bookmark panel/modal") [Log in](https://account.mayoclinic.org/account.mayoclinic.org/b2c_1a_consumer_signup_signin/oauth2/v2.0/authorize?response_type=code&scope=openid&domain_hint=&client_id=1a13414f-0a63-4c40-bd02-a35a74f4938f&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fmcpress.mayoclinic.org%2Fwp-login.php&state=%7B53B0237D-A2E7-AB6D-A32B-6916CEB1AC95%7D&nonce=%7B53B0237D-A2E7-AB6D-A32B-6916CEB1AC95%7D) ![](https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/uploads/2025/07/NaturalWayManageStressxGettyImages-1007231676-1120x640.jpg) ©GettyImages SHARE: Listen to article now Powered by [ReadAlong.ai](https://readalong.ai/?utm_source=mcpress.mayoclinic.org&utm_campaign=How+to+reduce+anxiety+without+medication) .75x 1x 1\.25x 1\.5x 0:00 / 0:00 1x Powered by [ReadAlong.ai](https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/mental-health/how-to-reduce-anxiety-without-medication/https%3A%2F%2Freadalong.ai%3Futm_source%3Dmcpress.mayoclinic.org%26utm_campaign%3DHow+to+reduce+anxiety+without+medication) Living with anxiety can be like living in a house with an alarm system that misfires. That’s how psychologist Craig N. Sawchuk, Ph.D., L.P., co-chair for clinical practice in the Mayo Clinic Department of Psychiatry & Psychology, describes it. And that alarm system can misfire in a few different ways. “One is that, when the alarm goes off, it’s too loud,” says Dr. Sawchuk. For example, a situation that typically creates some nervousness or worry — such as an upcoming work deadline — might instead cause debilitating panic attacks that make it hard to focus. This, in turn, ratchets up the time pressure and stress level. Another way is when the alarm sounds and it’s hard to turn off. “It’s that persistent feeling of anxiety,” says Dr. Sawchuk. “For example, a stressful situation came up in a in a relationship, and you’ve been ruminating about it for days and days, and weeks on end. And you’re losing sleep over it — even though the situation may be done and over with.” And a third way the alarm system can misfire is to sound false alarms. “There’s no apparent threat, yet we’re incredibly anxious, we’re incredibly worried, we’re incredibly stressed out,” says Dr. Sawchuk. Fortunately, there are effective ways to turn down the volume, persistence and sensitivity of that internal alarm system. And many of the treatment approaches don’t require medication. ## What are some self-care tips to manage anxiety? Steps that support general wellness also create a solid foundation for managing your anxiety. Think of the basics: - Get enough sleep. - Exercise and be physically active. - Eat a nutritious diet. - Limit your intake of sugar, caffeine and alcohol. Connect with friends, family and community for social support. ## What are some mind-body techniques to reduce anxiety? [Practices that build relaxation skills](https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/mental-health/integrative-therapies-for-depression-and-anxiety-that-can-complement-medication-and-talk-therapy/) also are beneficial in managing anxiety. These practices engage you in physical or mental exercise and can help improve mood and anxiety. Examples include: - Deep breathing, also called diaphragmatic breathing. - Progressive muscle relaxation. - Meditation/mindfulness. - [Yoga](https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/living-well/not-flexible-no-problem-yogas-aim-is-empowerment-not-touching-your-toes/). - [Tai chi](https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/living-well/the-healing-art-of-tai-chi/). These are low-cost or no-cost techniques and can be accessed almost anytime, anywhere through in-person or virtual classes, videos and apps. The techniques are largely self-driven, so Dr. Sawchuk recommends asking family or friends to help you create accountability in doing them consistently over time. ## How does cognitive behavioral therapy help with anxiety? For a more intense level of care, consider seeing a mental health professional. There are a variety of psychotherapy techniques that can help people with anxiety. The most common approach is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). “There’s decades of research that has shown its effectiveness,” says Dr. Sawchuk. In CBT, your therapist acts as a kind of coach. The therapist helps you learn how your anxiety works — how it creates cycles of thinking, feeling and behaving — and helps you develop specific skills to address it. Dr. Sawchuk likens CBT to physical therapy, where people need to do exercises at home between visits to see progress. “In between your appointments, that’s where the real work of cognitive behavioral therapy happens,” he says. By learning to identify the patterns your anxiety creates, you’re developing a healthier early-warning system that may help you head off anxiety cycles before they get going. Cognitive behavioral therapy is typically time limited and can range from a small number of sessions to several weeks or months, depending on your treatment goals. In fact, says Dr. Sawchuk, making sure you’ll have homework and treatment goals is important when trying to find a therapist who practices CBT. “Some questions to ask might be, ‘Are there treatment goals that we’re working on? Do you provide homework to work on skills? What are the typical skills that we would learn?’ If they can answer that, that sounds closer to CBT.” As start your search for a CBT therapist, your primary care team can be a good resource. They may ask you a brief series of questions to assess how anxiety is affecting you. This will help them connect you to the right level of mental health care. There are find-a-therapist locators at [Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies](https://services.abct.org/i4a/memberDirectory/index.cfm?directory_id=3&pageID=3282) and [Anxiety and Depression Association of America](https://findyourtherapist.adaa.org/) websites. Additionally, apps and platforms such as BetterHelp, Headspace and NOCD offer video visits with therapists. ## What can you do for severe anxiety? Sometimes, anxiety can be extremely debilitating. To treat more severe anxiety, there are intensive outpatient programs (four or five days a week of focused treatment, akin to going to school) as well as inpatient programs. Medication can be part of the mix. “The combination of medication and psychotherapy is certainly an option and can lead to really good outcomes,” says Dr. Sawchuk. He emphasizes that learning the skills to manage anxiety can carry you forward in life. “We know from our treatment outcome literature, people that have done cognitive behavioral therapy maintain their gains longer than those that have just done medication alone.” ![](https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/uploads/2025/11/Microbiome_FrontCover-1400x1400-1.jpg) Relevant reading Microbiome From the time we're born, we acquire bacteria, fungi, viruses and other microbes from other people, everything we touch and everything we eat. Together, these make up what some call a superorganism: the human microbiome. It includes an estimated 10 trillion to 100 trillion microbial cells in and on the… [Buy Now](https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/mental-health/how-to-reduce-anxiety-without-medication/?buy_now=151878) [Shop Now](https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/product/microbiome/) ## You May Also Enjoy [View More from Mental Health](https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/mental-health/) [![](https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/uploads/2025/05/BVandMalePartnersxGettyImages-1159473797-608x348.jpg) Article Bacterial vaginosis: How treating male partners can help May 22, 2025 Learn More – Bacterial vaginosis: How treating male partners can help](https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/women-health/bacterial-vaginosis-how-treating-male-partners-can-help/) [![](https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/uploads/2024/07/MASH2xGettyImages-909208850-608x348.jpg) Article Have you checked up on your liver? Diagnosing MASH and steatotic liver disease July 25, 2024 Learn More – Have you checked up on your liver? 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Readable Markdown	Living with anxiety can be like living in a house with an alarm system that misfires. That’s how psychologist Craig N. Sawchuk, Ph.D., L.P., co-chair for clinical practice in the Mayo Clinic Department of Psychiatry & Psychology, describes it. And that alarm system can misfire in a few different ways. “One is that, when the alarm goes off, it’s too loud,” says Dr. Sawchuk. For example, a situation that typically creates some nervousness or worry — such as an upcoming work deadline — might instead cause debilitating panic attacks that make it hard to focus. This, in turn, ratchets up the time pressure and stress level. Another way is when the alarm sounds and it’s hard to turn off. “It’s that persistent feeling of anxiety,” says Dr. Sawchuk. “For example, a stressful situation came up in a in a relationship, and you’ve been ruminating about it for days and days, and weeks on end. And you’re losing sleep over it — even though the situation may be done and over with.” And a third way the alarm system can misfire is to sound false alarms. “There’s no apparent threat, yet we’re incredibly anxious, we’re incredibly worried, we’re incredibly stressed out,” says Dr. Sawchuk. Fortunately, there are effective ways to turn down the volume, persistence and sensitivity of that internal alarm system. And many of the treatment approaches don’t require medication. ## What are some self-care tips to manage anxiety? Steps that support general wellness also create a solid foundation for managing your anxiety. Think of the basics: - Get enough sleep. - Exercise and be physically active. - Eat a nutritious diet. - Limit your intake of sugar, caffeine and alcohol. Connect with friends, family and community for social support. ## What are some mind-body techniques to reduce anxiety? [Practices that build relaxation skills](https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/mental-health/integrative-therapies-for-depression-and-anxiety-that-can-complement-medication-and-talk-therapy/) also are beneficial in managing anxiety. These practices engage you in physical or mental exercise and can help improve mood and anxiety. Examples include: - Deep breathing, also called diaphragmatic breathing. - Progressive muscle relaxation. - Meditation/mindfulness. - [Yoga](https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/living-well/not-flexible-no-problem-yogas-aim-is-empowerment-not-touching-your-toes/). - [Tai chi](https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/living-well/the-healing-art-of-tai-chi/). These are low-cost or no-cost techniques and can be accessed almost anytime, anywhere through in-person or virtual classes, videos and apps. The techniques are largely self-driven, so Dr. Sawchuk recommends asking family or friends to help you create accountability in doing them consistently over time. ## How does cognitive behavioral therapy help with anxiety? For a more intense level of care, consider seeing a mental health professional. There are a variety of psychotherapy techniques that can help people with anxiety. The most common approach is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). “There’s decades of research that has shown its effectiveness,” says Dr. Sawchuk. In CBT, your therapist acts as a kind of coach. The therapist helps you learn how your anxiety works — how it creates cycles of thinking, feeling and behaving — and helps you develop specific skills to address it. Dr. Sawchuk likens CBT to physical therapy, where people need to do exercises at home between visits to see progress. “In between your appointments, that’s where the real work of cognitive behavioral therapy happens,” he says. By learning to identify the patterns your anxiety creates, you’re developing a healthier early-warning system that may help you head off anxiety cycles before they get going. Cognitive behavioral therapy is typically time limited and can range from a small number of sessions to several weeks or months, depending on your treatment goals. In fact, says Dr. Sawchuk, making sure you’ll have homework and treatment goals is important when trying to find a therapist who practices CBT. “Some questions to ask might be, ‘Are there treatment goals that we’re working on? Do you provide homework to work on skills? What are the typical skills that we would learn?’ If they can answer that, that sounds closer to CBT.” As start your search for a CBT therapist, your primary care team can be a good resource. They may ask you a brief series of questions to assess how anxiety is affecting you. This will help them connect you to the right level of mental health care. There are find-a-therapist locators at [Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies](https://services.abct.org/i4a/memberDirectory/index.cfm?directory_id=3&pageID=3282) and [Anxiety and Depression Association of America](https://findyourtherapist.adaa.org/) websites. Additionally, apps and platforms such as BetterHelp, Headspace and NOCD offer video visits with therapists. ## What can you do for severe anxiety? Sometimes, anxiety can be extremely debilitating. To treat more severe anxiety, there are intensive outpatient programs (four or five days a week of focused treatment, akin to going to school) as well as inpatient programs. Medication can be part of the mix. “The combination of medication and psychotherapy is certainly an option and can lead to really good outcomes,” says Dr. Sawchuk. He emphasizes that learning the skills to manage anxiety can carry you forward in life. “We know from our treatment outcome literature, people that have done cognitive behavioral therapy maintain their gains longer than those that have just done medication alone.” ![](https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/uploads/2025/11/Microbiome_FrontCover-1400x1400-1.jpg) Relevant reading Microbiome From the time we're born, we acquire bacteria, fungi, viruses and other microbes from other people, everything we touch and everything we eat. Together, these make up what some call a superorganism: the human microbiome. It includes an estimated 10 trillion to 100 trillion microbial cells in and on the…
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