Moderate exercise beats a benzo in a small experiment:)

Set-up: two similar workdays. Yesterday took a quarter of a pill of Klonopin, today did 30 minutes walking at 4.0-4.2 MPH, HR=148. Exercise performed better.

In more detail:

Yesterday started with anxiety at work, at about 6. Took Klonopin. Anxiety came down to 2-3. Was able to do repetitive tasks. Was not able to start on a project that requires some minimal creativity.

Today started with anxiety at 8, following a tough conversation with my ex. Completely exhausted the list of repetitive tasks that I can do while anxious, and could not start on the project, was frozen, had nothing to do, went to the gym. After 15 minutes of exercise, the anxiety dissipated altogether. After the exercise, the anxiety returned at 1. I was able to start on the project and even problem-solved in an area which is not my forte.

Of course, this is my small single datapoint, but I invite you to repeat the experiment and share the results.

Well I agree, I can see it with myself. I don't drive, and I have never drove so I have always walked as I don't really like public transportation. I walk quite quickly and if I don't get in some of that everyday my anxiety spikes and so does my irritability, I also start to feel down pretty quickly.

Now I do about an hour and a half of yoga a day, sometimes, more, I still walk, or bike ride, and I do other activities. I almost have no anxiety anymore, and when I do have anxiety it is usually a situation that actually warrants some.

Part of my treatment is an exercise group at least 3x a week. Along with any other exercise I 'want' to do, within moderation. I would love to learn how to ride a bike but never have.

Exercise is good because it puts your body under acute stress which is what you're physiologically able to handle. A lot of psychological stress leaves the body under a chronic state of alarm which weakens the immune system and invites it to an increased chance of disease and depression. It's okay to think about the problem within relations to present, but becomes detrimental when you start to over think the issues. (Exercise can give confidence to a person that they can achieve goals, too)

It also has a natural "anti-depressant" effect for many.

I'm glad that you're finding a natural way of handling the situation.