The Best Alternative to Anxiety Medication
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DISCLAIMER: This post was created for informational purposes only. Always seek the advice of a medical physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor, go to the ER, or call 911 immediately. Reliance on any information provided is solely at your own risk.
My history with anxiety:
When I first started having panic attacks my doctor prescribed two pharmaceutical drugs to me: Gabapentin and Xanax.
I wasn’t happy about it, but I was desperate so I took them. I was afraid of dreaded weight gain, foggy headedness, and an overall change to my personality.
- Gabapentin was supposed to provide a calming effect in addition to also being prescribed to stop seizures and a variety of other things. I gave it a try and was completely blindsided by its side effects. I lost my creativity, my sense of humor, I felt like a walking wall, I had zero personality. I gained weight. I had brain fog all of the time. It was absolutely terrible. I knew that this wasnt the answer to my dealing with my anxiety right away, but I gave it a try for around a year or so, eventually getting off of it.
- Xanax on the other hand, well, it worked. It worked so well that it would stop a panic attack in its tracks. Xanax made me a functional human for an hour, but usually 2hrs after taking it I felt like I needed to go to bed. So it really wasn’t a good daily option for me, plus I knew there was a chance of becoming dependent on the drug, I didn’t want to get to that point.
Allow me to introduce you to a little thing I like to call nature’s xanax.
L-Theanine is an amino acid found in tea leaves and a few types of mushrooms. This amino acid is packed with some SERIOUS relaxation properties.
Theanine works with your brain to produce additional GABA, serotonin, and dopamine. When you boost the levels of those good vibe neurotransmitters you may feel more relaxed, your emotions may be more regular, and you may feel an overall feeling of wellbeing.
After 5 years of struggling with panic disorder I discovered L-Theanine.
Theanine Capsues:- I started taking Theanine capsules daily and right away I noticed my anxiety levels begin to lower to levels I hadn’t experienced in years..
- Months later I was still using (and loving) it but decided to stop taking capsules daily and experiment with using it in a stronger dose as a Xanax replacement.
It was like a path opened up to lead me
out of the dark dreary madness I had been lost in
Using Theanine as a Xanax replacement:
- I used Theanine in a powder form from Bulk Supplements on Amazon.
- With a 1/8 TSP spoon for accurate serving size.x
- Note: for EXTREME anxiety I take two doses (two 1/8 tsps) under my tongue at once.
- I discontinued taking Theanine capsules and waited for a panic attack to come.
- Sure enough a few days later, it did.
- I immediately took 1/8 TSP of the powdered Theanine and put it under my tongue and waited for it to dissolve.
- Within 5-10mins, the anxiety and panic started to almost completely subside. I was shocked!
This is my go-to method for managing general anxiety, panic attacks, and crowded social situations in a safe, healthy, non-addicting way.
I introduce theanine to everyone that mentions they have anxiety.
Even my friends have been out and about with me and they randomly ask “Hey, can I have some of your Theanine?”
It’s such a simple supplement found in nature that is fast acting and to be totally honest with you, completely life changing.
If you’re struggling with anxiety, panic attacks, agoraphobia, or self-medicating (like described below) with an addictive or harmful substance do your own research on L-Theanine and consider giving it a try. It may not work for everyone and you may have a different experience than myself but I will never stop singing the praises for this miracle amino acid.
I am now able to go to crowded spaces again like music festivals, busy restaurants, and so much more.
L-Theanine is truly my very own xanax straight from nature and I am so thankful to have found it. I hope that my experience with theanine can help the lives of someone else too, let me know if you have tried it or if you’re going to give it a try in the comments below.
Traveling with Theanine:
I am a total anxious traveler which is hard because I love getting off the plane to explore a brand new place. Since TSA won’t let you take opened or unidentified powders through security, I travel with Theanine capsules. When I need a little bit of calm, I open up a capsule or two and dissolve those under my tongue.
Fair Warning: it’s not the best taste in the world, but I’ll happily endure it for the calm I will feel minutes afterward.
What did I try before Theanine?
I had tried everything, essential oils, relaxing music, breathing, meditation, and so many other things to attempt to stop a panic attack right away. I needed an option that was socially acceptable, that I could take at any time and not feel like it was going to impair my cognitive functions.
Remember, this won’t fix your mental health, you have to work at that, and I continue to do so every day. Theanine will just help you turn down the volume on those anxious thoughts. If you want to get rid of them all together, you have to want to put in the work.
DISCLAIMER: This post was created for informational purposes only. Always seek the advice of a medical physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor, go to the ER, or call 911 immediately. Reliance on any information provided is solely at your own risk.