Stress

Been signed off work due to stress, possible burnout, long term masking in a busy, noisy customer facing environment.

I'm wondering if anyone has tried any natural remedies for anxiety, I realise that what works for one doesn't work for all, just wanted some suggestions.

Thank you.

  • i know what you mean I used to run a business and work silly hours it burnt me out big time.

    i find taking an afternoon nap helps me as I don't always sleep brilliantly at night

  • Thank you Iain for your detailed reply. I will work through your suggestions. Have arranged a meeting with my boss for next week to discuss my support needs and my return to work.

  • I'm wondering if anyone has tried any natural remedies for anxiety

    1 - get a biggish paper notepad and dump everything you are thinking about in as much detail as you can manage onto the page(s). Don't worry about getting it 100%, just dump the info.

    2 - go for a long walk to clear your head. Keep off stimulants (booze, nicotine and anything stronger) and let your body begin to find its own pace.

    3 - look at the page - add anything else you can think of and have a cup of tea or mild coffee - then start to look through it and rationalise what is an issue and what isn't.

    4 - for each issue, get a new page, write the issue in the centre and write around it all the things that relate to it directly - get all that info out of your head and lock it onto the page - take its power away and freeze it where you can treat it like a logic puzzle.

    5 - have another brisk walk and ideally a nights sleep - see if the stress levels are any different.

    6 - go back to the pages and start to think what can you reasonably do about them - start writing up thoughts on a way forward in a rough form - no need to be complete now.

    7 - Revisit this a few times and feel if your stress levels are lower - hopefully you are getting there now you have it locked down with solutions appearing. You have taken its power and are starting to exert your own.

    8 - With a road map under way, try to relax, replenish your energy by doing things you like and take time to enjoy life.

    9 - Go back and finish the road map, put things in motion to get the steps happening and plan when is a suitable time to head back to work. If you can afford to, have a few more days off just to recharge.

    10 - Go back to work, have a meeting with HR if needed and with your manager to talk about how you plan to tackle the stress and how they can help you. Be sensible with your ask (ie 100% work from home probably isn't realistic) and work on a plan to take the stress out of the things that cause most of an issue for you.

    I've had 32 years of experience with customer facing support and with the help of others here we can come up with some suggestions you can consider if you let us know what triggers you the most.

    It takes you to step up and do the work here but this builds confidence so is worthwhile in my opinion.

  • i had around 20 days off for stress last november. took me the first 2 weeks to forget about work and stop thinking ans worrying about it all the time. the last 2 weeks were ok. i found doing kickboxing every day helped me. but yeah the first 2 weeks was just wasted and me thinking on work all the time. was at the back end of alot of conflict and attempts to get rid of me though lol

  • Hi

    i find eating healthy, hardly any alcohol and exercise helps. Also meditation has helped me hugely, it takes a while to get into it but it helps me.

    I love the sound of diffusers but for me I struggle with them and scented candles especially. 

    good luck

  • I had to buy another Tisserand aromatherapy spa diffuser today as I used too much oil today in it and it seems to be broken. I got it from Amazon and it was cheaper than on Tisserand's website as well. I also remembered that I used to use Frankincense and Roman Chamomile essential oils for both stress and sleep as well. I bought those two essential oils today as well.

    Edited to add:

    Lol, my diffuser is now working. I just used the recommended amount of drops this time. Anyway, another one as spare may come in useful as well.

  • Chamomile tea is good too, I was going to say what the others have too.

  • Was just going to say the same!

  • Thank you for your suggestions, they are appreciated.

  • I like to use Lavender Essential oil on me at night on my pulse points. I also have an electric aromatherapy oil burner a Tisserand one. I also use something on my pillow called Sleep Better by Tisserand and that is a mist spray. I think both of these are quite helpful for me and help me to rest. I have used the burner in the day time as well to try and make my mind restful. I also have a Blue stars light by Bliss Lights which projects to my ceiling which I got a couple of years ago now at least. I don't use that all the time, but have found it quite soothing at times at night.

  • CBD capsules help my anxiety