What are some safer alternatives to combat general anxiety instead of using Benzodiazepines(Valium)?

The healthy vegetables in variety and quantity that is required to produce endorphins.

The problem with meditation is that I am literally incapable of thinking of nothing. I'm very good at thinking about not thinking about nothing, though, and examples of the kinds of things I'm not supposed to think about (and all the many tangents of each of those)...

I think I breathe all wrong. I keep catching myself tensing my chest and abs and my stomach leaks, spasms, etc. Are you supposed to push your belly out when you breathe in?

Try some of the exercises on this page
adrenalfatiguesolution.com/5-simple-breathing-exercises/

Idk what this website is, but I used some of these same exercises when I was in therapy for PTSD and pain management. They really help with stress and pain levels if you do them when you feel you need them.

As for normal breathing, everyone does it a bit differently, but you shouldn't feel tense when you breathe. Doing these exercises will help with breathing more comfortably. Also try to relax muscles when you notice them getting tense and do some self massage when you feel you need it.

It's just that I'm aware that there are a few different "manners" I can inhale with. The belly-out one, there's another one where it goes in while I inhale, and sometimes it feels like it's more in my ribcage than abdomen. I just don't know which is the right one.

Maybe not what you're looking for, but it's been found that your stomach health and gut microbiome play a big role in your mental health. So... Eat healthy gut friendly foods:

Reduce sugar
Ginger
Garlic
Fermented anything
Pickles
Kombucha
Coconut oil
L-glutamine
Bone broth soup
Cooked vegetables
Apple cider vinegar in water
MSM powder
...

Also, do some cardio everyday even if it's just walking around the block for 10-15 minutes. Exercise is huge for mental health. Meditate. Drink plenty of water.

If you are really out of whack, I suggest a 3-5 day fast.

>Kombucha
I tried that but I ended up sitting around all day. Nobody would believe me and my mother would pray (with permission).

focus on your breath

SSRIs work fine for me

and 0 (noticeable) side effects

Alcohol