Andre
Today, over 40 million Americans suffer from an anxiety disorder. This situation is followed by trembling, shaking, sweating, or palpitations of the heart. When you are a victim of this disorder, you should look for strategies that will help you reduce it. The closest option is seeing a professional who will engage you in a therapy session. But, you can also make changes in your lifestyle. For example, you can watch what you eat, reduce your alcohol consumption, cut down on caffeine, and create time for yourself.
We have researched many strategies for you and have come up with some methods to help you deal with your anxiety problems. But note that the suggested list we have made below is just a suggestion and we’re sure there are still other methods out there. But those we listed below are the most effective as proven by experts.
10 Ways to Deal with Anxiety
1. Stay in the Present
We often put more emphasis on what will happen in a year, two years, or maybe three years from now. Worrying will only worsen the situation. To be able to free yourself from anxiety, you have to ask yourself, “what is happening now?” Then place your emphasis on dealing with the current situation instead of improvising what tomorrow will look like. According to Tamar Chansky, the author of the book “ Freeing Yourself from Anxiety,” you need to be asking yourself questions like how am I feeling today? Is there anything I should be doing now? That way, it will help you stay in the present. Just focus on today and tomorrow will take care of itself.
2. Get your News from a Reliable Source
Fake news can make you fall into anxiety, which is why choosing a reliable source of information matters a lot. You have to understand that during this time, your body system automatically activates fight – or – flight response, which is actually what is still keeping you alive at that moment. This is where we will personally advise that you stay away from social media and pay more attention to approved news platforms, like CNN, BBC, NBC, etc.
3. Put Your Thoughts In Check
People who suffer from an anxiety disorder often jump into conclusions using the worst-case scenario. To get rid of anxiety, you have to focus on actual reality. Try not fo focus on outcomes that would resemble a “disastrous” future. Let’s take for example that you are preparing for a big presentation. Sometimes you’ll immediately grab those speech papers and second guess yourself into thinking you can’t deliver the speech. Your anxious mind comes into play and gives you all sorts of doubts why you can’t do it. In such a situation, be your motivation, and tell yourself how good you are at public speaking. Tell yourself how good you are and encourage yourself with words like “I am going to rock this speech,” “I am the bomb,” and “I am going to deliver on this presentation.” Use positive thoughts to instill confidence in yourself and not think about worst case scenarios.
4. Breathe In, Breathe Out
This is where you have to remember to utilize breathing exercises. This is a simple therapy used in fighting anxiety. When you find yourself in an unusual situation, and you feel that anxiety is closing upon you, go ahead and perform this simple breathing exercise, at least for 30 minutes, and then watch your body stabilize.
5. Use the 3-3-3 Method
According to Chansky: an anxiety expert, whenever you think anxiety is closing upon you, just use the environment to your advantage. Look around you and name three things you can see, three sounds you can hear, and three parts of your body you can feel. It could be your arm, ankle, or fingers. This is just a trick to call the mind back to the present and center yourself.
6. Do An Activity
When you think that anxiety is closing in, don’t just sit there, do something! Honestly do any activity do ease your mind. Clap, cough, laugh, or talk to yourself if need be. Just do something that interrupts your brain from focusing on your anxiety.
7. Avoid Sugar
Many people are tempted to reach out for things like chocolate, or candy whenever they feel anxious. According to research, sugar can increase the rate of anxiety in humans. So, instead of going for sugary things, reach for things that contain other nutrients that are good for your body. Another good tactic is to drink a lot of water and hydrate. These things provide the much-needed energy for your body to recover.
8. Watch Comedy Videos
This is the easier one. Since anxiety is a state of the mind, do everything within your power to get distracted. One of the easiest ways to achieve this is by watching funny videos. Developing a sense of humor has lots of health benefits including lowering the rate of anxiety in humans. This method is said to be very effective in creating happy thoughts.
9. Call a Friend
This is where friends play an important role. Once you feel you are getting anxious, go ahead and reach out for help. Call a friend or family and share your worries, even if they don’t give you a solution to the problem,. By merely talking with them for 10 minutes or more, your mind will be redirected away from whatever worries it has.
10. Have a Journal
Writing down your problems is another good way to cope with your anxiety. When you write down those worries, you are transferring whatever it is in your brain onto paper. It’s like offloading your worries onto a different outlet. But if what has written is so absurd that you wouldn’t like anybody to see, you can also get rid of it afterwards.
These are our suggestion on dealing with your anxious mind, but remember, you can also seek out other solutions that may suit you. Don’t forget to seek the help of a professional if you think you anxiety is overwhelming you. Again, stay away from alcohol consumption as a remedy for anxiety, and try to exercise, eat healthy, and breath. Finally, filter out any negativity from your head or any thoughts that are major propellers of anxiety. Good luck!
