Anxiety is a common mental health condition that can cause a variety of symptoms, including fear, worry, and physical symptoms, such as a racing heart, sweating, and dizziness. While anxiety can be debilitating, there are a number of things you can do to cope with it and manage your symptoms.
This article will provide you with a variety of tips to help you cope with anxiety. These tips include lifestyle changes, relaxation techniques, and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). By following these tips, you can learn to manage your anxiety and live a full and productive life.
Please note that these tips are not intended to be a substitute for professional help. If you are struggling with anxiety, it is important to talk to a doctor or mental health professional.
Talk to a Certified Therapist
If anxiety is affecting your focus in everyday life, you can seek assistance from a therapist. There are many types of therapies to deal with anxiety, and your therapist can guide you about the best one for your needs.
A therapist can help you identify the triggers of your anxiety and teach you methods to control your mind. A newer approach to relieving anxiety is through Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).
Working along the same principles as Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), DBT teaches the patient to focus on the present and on the situations they can control. DBT and Anxiety are often discussed together because DBT can be a very effective way to manage the symptoms of anxiety.
A study published in 2022 in Trends in Psychiatry and Psychotherapy concluded that while both CBT and DBT improved the symptoms of anxiety, DBT was found to be more helpful for anxiety patients in performing executive functions, such as planning and problem-solving.
Identify your triggers
Your therapist can help you identify situations that can trigger your anxiety, or you can figure them out yourself. Common anxiety triggers include:
- Stressful situations in the workplace/school
- Caffeine/alcohol intake
- Relationship problems
- Traumatic experiences
- Competitive situations, like participating in a race.
Knowing your triggers can help you manage your anxiety in that particular situation.
Practice deep breathing
Anxiety can cause rapid shallow breathing, which reduces the levels of oxygen available to the brain. If you’re anxious often, practicing deep breathing exercises can help you ease the symptoms of anxiety.
Make sure to breathe from your abdomen rather than your chest. Practice breathing in and breathing out four times in a span of five minutes. Regulating your breathing will slow down your heart rate, reduce your palpitations, and help you control your anxiety.
Keep moving
Exercise is a powerful stress buster and a mood booster. Extensive research has proven the beneficial effects of exercise on treating mental health disorders.
If you feel like you’re anxious, you can drop what you’re doing and just go for a jog. Exercise reduces your body’s fight or flight response during anxiety and helps you relax.
Other relaxation techniques include regular practice of yoga and meditation, both of which are low-impact exercises but can help you manage your anxiety.
Practice mindfulness
Mindfulness is the practice of living intentionally and being present in the moment. Mindfulness exercises are an excellent way to divert your brain from anxious thoughts. Some simple ways to practice mindfulness include:
- Focus on your breath. Track down a calm spot to sit or rests and shut your eyes. Take slow, full breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth. You can place your hands on your stomach and chest and pay attention to the rise and fall of your chest and stomach as you breathe.
- Meditate. Meditation requires you to focus your attention on the present moment. You can meditate on your breath, on a mantra, or on a visualization. There are many guided meditations available online and in apps.
- Do a body scan. A body scan is a type of meditation that requires you to focus your attention on different parts of your body. Start with your toes and work your way up to your head. As you focus on each part of your body, notice any sensations you are experiencing, such as warmth, coolness, tension, or relaxation.
- When you are interacting with others, try to be fully present and engaged. Listen attentively to what they have to say and make eye contact.
Maintain a Healthy Diet
Prepare meal plans that contain macro and micronutrients. Deficiencies of vitamin D, B12, and magnesium can contribute to mental health problems, as well as cause insomnia.
Include fruits and vegetables as your snacking options to get your daily dose of these essential micronutrients. Choose fresh, unprocessed foods to consume, as compared to foods with processed sugars and preservatives.
Plan a Daily Routine
Being grounded in your life will also help you control your racing thoughts and anxiety. Plan your week ahead, dividing it between sleep, work, and mindful activities like yoga and meditation.
Regular sleep of 6-8 hours may also help you to relieve anxiety, as it regulates brain activity. Having a well-rounded routine that keeps you occupied will help keep negative thoughts at bay.
You can also keep yourself occupied over weekends with activities that enhance your brain functions, such as problem-solving. You can participate in group activities for solving puzzles and mental mathematics quizzes.
These activities will help you break down the problem, understand it, and then brainstorm solutions. This process will reduce your anxiousness when dealing with new situations at work or school.
Conclusion
By following these tips, you can learn to manage your anxiety and live a full and productive life.
But it’s important to remember that everyone’s symptoms and triggers are different. What helps one person manage their anxiety may not help another person. If you are struggling to cope with anxiety on your own, it is important to seek professional help.
A therapist can teach you additional coping skills and strategies, and they can also help you develop a treatment plan that is right for you.