I have had GAD and mania for as long I can remember starting in my young adult life up until now (29m). My first anxiety attack I had driving on the highway and I was certain I was going to die (unknowing at the time what was happen to me). From then until pre pandemic I have had issues with my anxiety, but current pandemic has brought my anxiety to a major head. Driving anxiety rampant more than ever before, constantly in my head, every ache and pain in my body triggering my agoraphobia, also having constant fear of being alone that something bad would happen to me and nobody would know. With all of this happening I decided enough is enough and took to research to help me, and in all my studies I have actually found something that has worked for me.

I’m my research I took a look at major factors of anxiety and treatment approaches. Since I am on medication, doing things to calm my mind daily, and deep breathing to help ground myself with no permanent results I began looking into alternative sources of anxiety that stem beyond brain chemistry imbalances. That is where I came across some medical books in my local library about anxiety treatments. What I found was instead of focusing on my brain chemistry, I should focus on my gut chemistry. 

The micro biome of the gut has so much play in all the daily functions of our day to day lives and with all of this COVID stress, agoraphobia, the lack of open and accessible restaurants, and DoorDash pushing unhealthy online delivery, I found that my eating habits were a wreck. I pieced two and two together. My anxiety ramped up when the pandemic started and my food choices were altered. Eating junk out of convince was curbing my hunger but ruining my stomach (and impart, deteriorating my mental health as a result of a ruined gut biome). My stomach would constantly hurt, I would feel bloated all the time, rampant acid reflux where I would go through bottles of Pepto and unable to sleep if I didn’t cure the acid reflux. It left me foggy headed and unable to do anything because of my constant anxiety and fear from the stomach pain. I realized when I relieved some bloating I would feel okay but shortly after I would eat more junk again and be back at square one. 

So I decided to take this pain by the horns and drastically change. I altered my diet buy only drinking warm lemon/apple cider vinegar water, and increase my water intake to 4-6 liters a day of WARM water. Never cold. As well as that, whenever I ordered out I ONLY ate salad! No other foods. I would also drink a cleanse tea at night before bed. I was/am (because I am still doing it) detoxing my body to basically hard reboot my gut biome. After a week of this, I would essentially do the same thing but also incorporate more probiotic rich foods (Greek yogurt, spinach smoothies, kimchi with everything, and warm apple cider vinegar water with every meal). Before I knew not only was my bloating gone, but my mind fog was erased. As well as other unexpected things to happen (asthma basically ceased, acid reflux no more, headaches gone, etc.) I currently feels as if I am “normal”.

I will clarify, I still get anxiety some days, but it is so much more minuscule now that I am able to ground myself quickly. I know this is not a end all be all, but I wanted to share what gave myself a major boost in hopes to help others who may be in a similar spot. I hope someone reads this and can learn a new method to help themselves and others that may be suffering. Please comment any questions you many have, I’d be happy to give more insight on anything.