This post is all about gifts for anxiety sufferers.
Chances are, whether you’re aware of it or not, someone you care about has anxiety. Maybe you even have anxiety and you’re looking for the chance to take a breath.
For those of us with anxiety, a breath is all we want. We want the chance to slow down, focus on our well-being, and do our best to silence our anxiety long enough to experience calm.
If you’re new to this blog or the conversation around anxiety, you can start here. But, if you’re ready to help yourself or a friend of yours out with some amazing gifts, this is place for you.
These tools will give you or your loved one the chance to slow down and truly relax.
This post is all about gifts for anxiety sufferers.
COMFORTING GIFTS:
1. Weighted blanket
Weighted blankets will forever be a staple of calming people with anxiety. Not only does it provide that comfort with some light weight, but it hugs to the shape of your body and gives you that sense of security people with anxiety need.
2. Essential oil diffuser
There’s nothing more satisfying than falling asleep to a diffuser spreading lavender or chamomile or peppermint in your room. Essential oil diffusers are the perfect way to experience the physical effects of calm when your mind won’t let your body calm down.
Your diffuser will make it easy to transform your environment into a calming atmosphere that prioritizes your comfort when it feels the most impossible to focus on that.
3. Aromatherapy essential oil set
What’s better than a diffuser? Getting a diffuser with a set of essential oils already included. Whether you pick them out yourself or you get a set, an essential oil set is the perfect addition to a diffuser.
You can consider oils like lavender, bergamot, or frankincense.
4. Yoga mat
A yoga mat is a great way to help someone with anxiety change up their routine. Anxiety can suck us into a downward spiral to the point where we don’t want to do anything, let alone take time to move our body in ways that feel good and rewarding.
That’s why a yoga mat is one of the best gifts for anxiety sufferers. Yoga is a gentle exercise that can jumpstart a change in our routine and a yoga mat is a practical and thoughtful gift for anyone who enjoys yoga or is interested in trying it out.
5. Mindfulness journal
People with anxiety are already stuck in their heads, so why not give them something to write all of those thoughts down on? Anxiety works by getting us to lie to ourselves about the danger around us. The worst part is that anxiety convinces us to believe those lies.
However, sometimes, the easiest way to get a new perspective on our thoughts and process our emotions is by writing them down. There’s something powerful about the act of taking the thoughts in your head and putting them in a journal.
A mindfulness journal encourages users to reflect on their emotions in a non-judgmental way. Plus, there are so many great journals out there to help you along your journaling journey. Take a look and get one for you or your loved one.
6. Fidget toy
While fidget toys, like any other mental health tool, are not going to get rid of anxiety or stress, they can help you channel your anxiety and fidgeting into an object.
If you’ve ever had a conversation in which you couldn’t stop moving, you might have benefitted from having a fidget toy. It can be as simple as clicking a pen or getting a fidget toy.
Using of these devices will help you focus your anxiety by giving it something to do instead of making you worry about everything you say and do. All in all, fidget toys, such as stress balls or sensory rings, can provide a distraction and help users feel more grounded.
7. Adult coloring book
Coloring forces you to slow down. When you’re coloring intricate drawings, you get to tap into your creativity while engaging in a meditative activity.
Even though we typically think of coloring as something for children, it’s clear why it benefits adults and has increased in popularity over the recent years. Coloring has a calming effect over the body and it’s a fun and relaxing way to unwind.
8. Noise-cancelling headphones
When over-stimulated and anxious, sometimes you just need to shut the world out. Anxious brains are loud enough with all of our conflicting thoughts. So, noise-cancelling headphones are an easy way to make the world quieter and focus on the goals we set for ourselves.
Whether you use them to work, journal, or sleep, noise-cancelling headphones will prove to you how much you’re capable of when you set yourself up to succeed in a peaceful environment.
9. Lavender scented candle
Simple but effective, a lavender-scented candle will give the exact environment you want with some calming mood lighting and a lovely, calming scent in the air.
Light one and set it a few feet away so you can enjoy the flicker of the light and smell. Lavender is proven to calm the body whether or not your mind will let you. So, get one and try it out.
10. Herbal tea set
A hot beverage to warm you from the inside out is one of the best ways to calm anxiety. Even if it doesn’t solve all of the issues causing your anxiety, you can at least calm your body down and find comfort in the warmth of an herbal tea.
That’s why you’ll want to get an herbal tea set for either you or your loved one. Think of teas like chamomile and valerian root. You’ll be glad you got it for your or your loved one because a set of herbal teas is a thoughtful and practical gift when considering gifts for anxiety sufferers.
11. Stress ball
We’ve all had those moments when we wish we could squeeze a stress ball instead of reacting to someone by yelling at them or screaming into a pillow. Stress balls give people the chance to express their emotions in a satisfying yet harmless way.
You can choose any time that suits you or even opt for a putty that will never dry out. Either way, you’ll be able to focus on your energy on something that will work out the anxiety rather than let it fester.
12. Aromatherapy necklace or bracelet
For those of us on the move, wearable aromatherapy is where it’s at. We’ll be able to take our calm and get it on-demand, which is really when it’s most necessary.
It’s one thing to be comfortable and calm in our own homes, but we have to acknowledge that the things in our lives that cause anxiety are usually outside of the home. That’s why these necklaces and bracelets are the way we can care for ourselves when we need it the most.
You could even get a roll-on essential oils if jewelry isn’t for you.
13. Self-help book on anxiety
Self-help books can provide life-changing shifts in perspectives. So much of the time, people with anxiety don’t realize they’re dealing with anxiety because they’ve experienced a healthy brain without anxious thoughts.
When you want to dive into self-help books, you want to start small and work from there. You can also start listening to podcasts that resonate with you. Use Libby to get free audiobooks from your local library.
The world is your anxiety oyster, so self-help books can provide practical tips and strategies for managing anxiety the moment you get started.
14. Stress-relieving massage oil
Stress-relieving massage oil combines two of the most relaxing activities you can do: take care of your body and get a massage. For those of you who aren’t aware, massages work by manipulating blood flow to make your body feel that comfort and euphoria.
Massage oil simply makes it more enjoyable and easier. Plus, the moment you take time for yourself and focusing on your pleasure, you are giving yourself a powerful gift.
That means that the moment you gift it to someone else, you’re sending them the message that they deserve to take care of themselves and their mental health. That’s why this is one of the most beautiful gifts for anxiety sufferers.
15. Guided meditation app
While meditation can feel more like work than a lot of items on this list, it’s still one of the most crucial. Meditation allows us to unpack those stresses from the day. Plus, it’s a way to train our brains how to respond to the thoughts we have.
Really, if we’re being honest, meditation is basically the process of having a thought, scolding yourself for having a thought, then realizing you’re talking to yourself negatively, and working to improve that negative self-talk.
So, get your friend a subscription to a meditation app (my favorite is Calm).
16. Personalized relaxation audio
As much as the stigma around mental health has improved because we have full-on spaces for caring about it, we also live in a time when mental health related gifts, whether you’re thinking about gifts for anxiety sufferers or not, can be met with resistant.
Maybe a friend will think you’re judging them or making a statement about their health when we should be thinking about these gifts as kindness. So, along that line of thought, one of the most kind ways to help out a friend is giving them a calming audio.
Think about the types of calming visualizations they’d appreciate or the affirmations they’d like to hear.
17. Yoga or meditation classes
When all else fails, yoga prevails. Okay, so yoga, like everything, is not going to fix all of your problems. Neither is meditation. But, a class, in which you specifically take the time to dedicate yourself to something that’s good for you? Revolutionary.
That’s why gifting a class to someone is one of the most meaningful, calming gifts for anxiety sufferers you could give. Buy local if you can find a studio near you or your friend.
18. Acupuncture or massage gift certificate
When in doubt, get your friend a massage gift certificate because no one will refuse it. While your friend might be nervous to get naked for a masseuse, they’ll quickly release all of that stress and anxiety when their masseuse starts going in on those back knots.
Find someone local with great reviews and go for it. You and your friend both deserve it. You could even take the time, during the massage or acupuncture, to meditate.
19. Calming music playlist
Make the 21st century version of a mixtape and add songs to a Spotify playlist. Find every song that speaks to you. You can also do research to find music that other people find calming.
This is especially helpful if you don’t have anxiety and can’t relate to the type of music your friend might prefer. Remember, music can have a powerful effect on our mood and emotions.
20. Meditation cushion
When you go out of your way to get you or your friend a meditation cushion, it means that you take meditation so seriously, you’re willing to spend money on it. Now, to be clear, spending money doesn’t automatically equate to positivity and value.
But, in this case, you’re sending the message that meditation is important enough, you’re willing to allocate your money towards it. So, get you or your friend a cushion.
Keep yourself accountable and schedule time out of your day to meditate (and make sure you have the cushion with you).
21. Comfortable slippers
There’s nothing better than sliding your feet into the perfect pair of comfy slippers. You want the ones with enough fluffiness that you’re walking on a cloud with enough support that you don’t wreck your feet doing it.
Slippers are great to avoid hardwood or tile flooring, quick trips outside, or just plain comfort around the house.
22. Herbal bath salts
Baths are always on the list of comforting activities. Herbal bath salts come right along with them because they fill your bathroom air with pleasant, relaxing scents while benefitting your skin.
Baths are relaxing as is, but, when you add lavender or chamomile, you’re in for a whole new level of comfort.
23. Indoor plants or succulents
While indoor plants and succulents can be as equally disheartening as they are comforting because they can die, there’s something uniquely satisfying about a different kind of lifeforce in your home.
Do your research and find the right plants for you. But, more than that, make sure you tend the plants everyday because they can teach you a lot about how to take care of your own mental health.
