Anxiety is a potentially debilitating condition, ranging from feeling "on edge" to full-blown panic attacks. It can present as an overactive “fight or flight” response, flooding the body with adrenaline and making sufferers feel nauseous and faint or experience palpitations. In daily life, anxiety can impact work, social relationships, and family life. Estimates suggest that over 19% of Americans experience some form of anxiety. There are many prescription medicines and treatments, and some people complement these with mindful practices and essential oils for anxiety and depression.
When you care for someone with anxiety, you want to support them in any way you can. Sometimes, that means lending a helping hand with daily tasks. Other times, a thoughtful gift can lift their spirits and let them know you care.
Read on to learn more about anxiety and the perfect gifts you could give the anxious person in your life.
The Nature of Anxiety
Anxiety is a common mental health concern, often connected to other mental disorders. For example, someone who experiences depression may also display anxiety symptoms.
Initially, anxiety can be mistaken for a physical health problem due to how it presents itself. Physical symptoms of anxiety include:
- Stomach pain
- Fatigue
- Insomnia or troubled sleep
- Sweating
- Rapid breathing
- Shaking
However, anxiety also affects emotional well-being. Feelings of anxiety can include feeling nervous, tense, scared, sad, or panicky. Anxiety is also associated with trauma and fears of specific situations, such as heights.
People often wonder what the source of anxiety is, and there’s no simple answer to that question. While trauma can be a factor, some forms of anxiety could be genetic. Supporting someone with anxiety means listening to them and their needs, as everyone experiences this disorder differently. Being there for someone, helping them with tasks such as going to the grocery store or cooking, and talking could all be useful.
It's also nice to treat the person with anxiety in your life with a little extra something from time to time. A gift can help lift anyone’s mood, especially when chosen with thought and care.
Selecting the Perfect Gift
Gifts for people with anxiety should always be personalized to the individual. Consider what they need most — do they love to explore calm moments, or are they looking for a distraction from the stressors in their life? Would you like to encourage them to take a self-care break?
Think about their lifestyle and the amount of free time they have. Buying someone with a high-pressure job a two-day spa break could cause them more anxiety if they can’t take time off work to enjoy it.
You should also take their interests into account. If they love nature, a wildlife-themed gift or natural aromas might be appreciated. Or, if they’re into video games, an app they can use might be the best gift.
Gift Ideas to Alleviate Anxiety
Whatever you choose, remember that mental health gifts don’t have to be serious. They can be fun, lighthearted, or simply focused on relaxation. Here are some ideas for anxiety relief gifts you could consider for your friends or loved ones.
Weighted Blankets
Weighted blankets can be comforting to people with a range of mental health conditions thanks to the potential impact of deep pressure stimulation. Some scientists think this is effective because it emulates the security of a hug. Others speculate that it allows anxiety sufferers to focus on the physical sensation of softness and weight rather than their racing thoughts.
Whatever the cause, studies indicate that weighted blankets do appear to reduce the symptoms of anxiety. They come in a variety of weights, sizes, and colors and can be used for relaxation or sleep.
Aromatherapy Essentials
Aromatherapy experts suggest many essential oils for anxiety and depression. Here are just a few:
- Mandarin — Associated with relaxation and reduced anxiety
- Sweet orange — Encourages sleep and relaxation
- Cedarwood — May increase brain activity for additional focus and lower anxiety
- Lavender — Linked to improved sleep, better mood, and reduced anxiety
Always remember to dilute your oils before use with a neutral carrier like almond oil. If you apply directly to the skin, do a small patch test, and if irritation occurs, discontinue use immediately. You can also use essential oil diffusers. Always check the manufacturer's instructions to ensure safe use.
For a simpler way to introduce calming essential oils for anxiety and depression symptoms, consider calming patches. These are stickers that you simply place onto your clothing that release soothing, natural oils for up to eight hours. The combination of oils works directly on the limbic system to promote emotional regulation.
For those whose anxiety impacts their sleep, there’s a sleep patch for adults infused with aromas associated with improved rest. There’s even a sleepy patch for kids to help the whole family get a good night’s kip.
Subscriptions for Mindfulness Apps
People with anxiety can benefit from taking regular mindful moments to ground themselves and focus on something external. A mindfulness app can be a helpful tool for this, especially if the user sets reminders to use it every day.
Headspace is a meditation app that teaches mindfulness from a foundational level. It can also help with sleep issues and general relaxation.
Insight Timer is a free app with a premium plan. It’s packed with meditations, sleep tracks, and visualization. It also includes positive affirmations, making them one of the more helpful gifts for anyone whose anxiety is getting them down.
Calm also has free and premium plans. This app has a “Daily Calm” feature which encourages the listener to take a moment to breathe before focusing on a self-care or meditation topic.
If you’re not sure which app is most suitable, try them out yourself before gifting one.
Expressive Journals
Journaling can be a powerful tool for self-expression and dealing with dysregulated emotions. Getting thoughts out of your head and onto a page can help stop them racing and let you look at them more objectively.
Some of the apps mentioned above can help with journaling practices. Calm, for example, offers daily journaling prompts. Consider getting your friend a beautiful notebook or journal that matches their style. A unique pen to go alongside it might be a nice touch.
Creative Outlets
Using art, music, and other creative outlets as a form of relaxation can be incredibly effective. Crafting, in particular, makes a person focus on the intricacies of what they’re doing, leaving little space for intrusive thoughts.
Hobby supplies are one gift idea, especially if it encourages your friend to try something they’ve always wanted to. Another option is adult coloring books. Pick a theme you know will resonate with your friend, such as their favorite fandom or ocean scenes. Science suggests that coloring for just 10 minutes each day could lower anxiety levels in most people.
Herbal Teas for Relaxation
As well as providing essential oils for anxiety and depression, plants can be used in a wide range of soothing foods and drinks. Tea, in particular, is an excellent choice as a calming, warm beverage.
What relaxing teas could you gift for anxiety?
- Mint tea — Soothing and can help with anxiety-associated stomach ailments
- Chamomile tea — A traditional treatment for nerves and poor sleep
- Green tea — Associated with better meditation
- Lavender tea — Linked to better sleep and calm
You could even create a personalized tea blend, mixing a few different teas to make a truly unique gift.
Sonic Sanctuary
Sometimes an anxious person just wants to keep the world at bay. They can do that by escaping into their favorite tunes or a meditation from their apps, using a pair of high-quality noise-canceling headphones.
Headphones can help your friend control their noise levels and create a safe, personal space that’s filled with sounds that bring peace.
Self-Care Spa Kits
Is there anything more calming than a hot bath and some fragrant self-care treats? A spa kit packed with different products is a great gift idea. Alternatively, create a gorgeous spa set by picking out your friend’s favorite scents and brands for a bespoke relaxing experience.
Items you could put in your calming spa kit include:
- Bath bombs
- Soaps
- Aromatherapy sprays containing essential oils for anxiety and depression mentioned above
- Body butters and balms
- Candles
- Incense
- Face massagers or gentle exfoliating brushes
Why not get together for a spa day for two? You can try out the products and make it a social event as well as a self-care essential.
Inspirational Reads
If your friend is just learning how to cope with anxiety, gifts could include a book on self-care or mindfulness. Inspirational books about people who have overcome challenging situations can also be a great choice.
"Atlas of the Heart" by Brené Brown looks at different emotions and how experiences change us. That’s a very relatable topic for many people with anxiety.
For something that touches on creativity, "Big Magic" by Elizabeth Gilbert talks about breaking negative habits to become a naturally creative person. Try and find out your friend’s taste in reading and let that guide you.
Personal Touches and DIY Gifts
Customized gifts are always a win. They show that you put some real thought and effort into what your friend wants or needs. You could use a skill to handcraft something really personal, like a worry doll or a soft blanket. Another idea is to hand-decorate a happiness jar or fill one with “reasons to smile” on little pieces of paper. Or, how about a calming playlist including some of their favorite songs?
DIY gifts could also include an anxiety relief kit. Steps to make this might include:
- Create some affirmations cards — use sturdy cards and your friend’s favorite colors and include affirmations and quotes that help remind them of things they love.
- Using essential oils for anxiety and depression, create a room spray aimed at creating a calming atmosphere.
- If your friend fidgets or picks their nails, consider including a stress toy or spinner.
- Package the gift in a basket or box with their name on it.
You could even include a gift card for their favorite store so they can pick something special for themselves.
Presenting Your Gift With Thoughtfulness
Whatever you gift, make sure it’s given with care and thought. Your friend will appreciate a personal message of support — or a funny joke, depending on their mood. Wrap it in something beautiful so that the whole experience is mindful and memorable.
You could even spray the gift with a light scent of lavender or sweet orange so that it’s calming from the moment you give it to them.
Beyond the Gift – Offering Support and Understanding
For a person with anxiety, gifts can be very uplifting. However, they’re not the only way to show you care. People want to know that you’re there for them and on hand if they need to talk. Or, if they like to keep things close to their chest, it might be more helpful just to do fun things with them and take their mind off any anxieties.
Simple ways you can do this include taking a walk together, a trip to the movies, or some retail therapy. You could also set aside an hour every week to talk on the phone, and both get everything off your chest.
Give the Best Gifts for Anxiety Relief
There are so many useful tools for easing anxiety. Take a look at the range of health and wellness patches from NatPat, including a focus patch to help stay on task when anxiety is troubling. Remember, everyone experiences anxiety disorders differently.
While our guide hopefully helps you source some wonderful gifts, the best present is your presence. Take their personal experience into account and listen to their needs. Simply lending an ear can have more of a positive impact than you might think.
Turn up for your friends or family members when they need you and encourage them to talk about their mental health. And, perhaps it will give you the motivation to speak about your own well-being if you ever need that support.
FAQs
What can I buy for someone who has anxiety?
Anyone with anxiety will appreciate a thoughtful gift that matches their personality, just like anyone else. If you want to get them something mindful or calming, consider asking them what they want. For example, they may want to try calming patches or an alternative.
What is the 3 3 3 rule for anxiety?
The 3-3-3 rule is a grounding technique that can help when someone feels anxious or panicky. The anxious person should look for three things they can see, listen for three things they can hear, and spot three things they can touch. It’s a way to reconnect with their immediate surroundings.
What are the gifts of anxiety?
If you want to show you care for someone with anxiety, gifts should always be tailored to that person. Consider their interests and passions and how they like to relax. Spa kits, mindfulness apps, or meditation resources may all be appreciated.
How do you comfort someone with anxiety?
Everyone is different, but for most people, just making yourself available to listen and support is the biggest help you can give. You could also offer to help them with a specific situation or simply hug them if they want some physical comfort. Thoughtful gifts can also remind an anxious person that they’re loved and appreciated.