Anxiety. I hate this word so much. I began dealing with anxiety around three years ago, and it's been a long battle ever since. I used to think that I was the only one out of my group of friends, classmates, etc. that had a serious issue with anxiety. After a while, I started noticing many of my Facebook friends started posting about and sharing things regarding anxiety on their own pages. I've also watched enough YouTube videos on the subject to know that anxiety affects a multitude of people my age. In the United States alone, over 18 percent of the entire adult population suffers from some form of anxiety.

In my case, I've tried everything under the sun to try and get rid of my anxiety, including prescription medication. While that may be a suitable option for many of you out there, it simply did not work for me. The meds worked to mask my anxiety symptoms, but soon enough, those symptoms came hurling back at me worse than before. This would prompt me to take a higher dosage and then it was just a vicious cycle from there. Luckily, I was able to stay off the meds and keep my anxiety issues at bay for the most part, and I'm here to share with you my top eight ways to help you manage anxiety without prescription medication!

1. Talk about it.

This one sounds simple in theory, but you'd be surprised how hard it can be to effectively try and describe to people how you're feeling. When you're an anxious person, you can start to feel anxious for no apparent reason. People will tell you "but there's nothing wrong, there's no reason you should feel this way." When a friend is asking you to go somewhere or do something and you're feeling anxious about it, open up to them about how anxiety makes you feel. Tell them exactly how your symptoms affect you both physically and emotionally. Trust me, it works. The act of getting it off of your chest and saying out loud that you feel anxious to someone can certainly make you feel less alone.

2. Tackle it head-on.

One of the first tricks I ever learned to help stop an anxiety attack in it's tracks is to confront the feeling head-on. What this means is that when you think you feel an attack coming on, try and think rationally about how this has happened to you before, and you made it out alive. It's important to remember that an anxiety attack cannot kill you. It may feel like you're going to die, but you won't! Embrace the attack and ask yourself realistically, "What's the worst thing that could happen to me right now?" Talk to the attack and tell it that this time, you won't put up with it's s***!

3. Breathe!

I know, I know. This one is so cliche, but it works. Whenever I'm having anxious thoughts or feel like I'm about to lose it, I'll start paying attention to my breathing. A lot of times, when people start to feel anxious, they are taking short breaths or forgetting to breathe altogether. Focus on thinking about a really funny moment or amazing vacation, and take deep breaths in and out. A good tip is to breathe in for 4 seconds, hold it for 2 seconds and exhale for 4 more seconds.

4. Count down from 20.

When you feel anxious or can't sleep because anxiety's mean ass won't let you, try slowly counting down from 20. While doing this, make sure you're also conscious of your breathing as mentioned in number four. When you're counting down, think rational thoughts and tell yourself that by the end of the countdown, you're going to be perfectly fine and calm. It sounds bizarre and gimmicky, but it really does work.

5. Go outside.

When I was in the peak of my anxiety days, the times where I would feel the most uncomfortable would be when I would reluctantly agree to go out with friends to a bar or concert. For some reason I would start to feel trapped or start to think "What if I get an anxiety attack in this public place?" Sometimes the only thing that could calm me down was stepping outside for some fresh air with my boyfriend. Another great thing to do is take a walk, hike, run or swim whenever you feel anxious. It works like a charm and burns calories.

6. Valerian root.

Valerian root is an excellent alternative to prescription medication for anxiety. It is an all natural holistic approach that you can buy at most drugstores and pharmacies. Many people take it to help them sleep or to relax after a stressful or traumatic day. I've tried it and use it when I'm wired or anxious and nothing can calm me down. You can drink it as a tea or take capsules. Learn more about valerian root here.

7. Avoid caffeine.

Now I know this one may be hard for a lot of you. Coffee, soda and some teas that contain caffeine can bring on or worsen symptoms of anxiety. Most people that experience anxiety are naturally high-strung and energetic people. When you add caffeine to the mix, it's like asking for the shaky hands, cold sweats and heart palpitations. In my experience, staying away from caffeinated drinks reduced much of my anxiety.

8. Get out of your comfort zone.

Sometimes, you have to get over your hill and see what's on the other side. If you know that certain places or things give you anxiety, try (in moderation) to slowly put yourself in situations that make you uncomfortable anxiety-wise. One of the only things that made me get over feeling anxious all the time was to get out there and experience life with all of my friends. I know that traveling was a big one for me, but once I started facing my anxiety and putting myself outside of my comfort zone, I realized that the more I tried, the less anxious I began to feel.

Always remember, baby steps.