5 Ways to Deal with Anxiety
Anxiety is something that can happen at the drop of a pin. At times, you may have an idea of when it’s about to hit you. Before a major test or exam in school. Right when you’re about to give a presentation at work. Or maybe you feel it before going out with friends or before a first date.
The feelings are usually the same. The nerves come in. You may be able to feel your body temperature rise. Beads of sweat may form on your forehead. Your breathing and heart rate increase.
Just because anxiety may be common and normal doesn’t mean that you just have to deal with it until it goes away on its own.
Here are 5 ways to deal with anxiety:
1. Move Your Body
Exercise isn’t just something that’s beneficial for your body. It’s also extremely beneficial for your brain as well. Moving your body can positively affect your overall mental health and wellness. The best part is that you don’t have to spend hours during your day at the gym to see its benefits either. All it takes is at least thirty minutes each day. These are just a few of the different ways that you can move your body to reduce your stress levels and increase your mood naturally:
Hike
Hit up the gym with a friend
Ride your bike or an indoor cycling bike
Run
Sign up for a workout class at your local studio
Walk outside
Yoga
2. Practice Grounding Techniques
A lot of anxiety comes from worrying about past events or future events that haven’t even occurred yet. One of the best ways to stop those anxious thoughts from happening is to bring your body and mind back to the present moment. Grounding techniques can help bring you back to the present moment and shake away those anxious thoughts, worries, and fears. Practicing some of these techniques can help you be more proactive rather than reactive when it comes to your anxiety. Try a few of them out and see what works best for you:
Body scan
Deep breathing
Focus on your senses
Listen to music
Meditation
Write in a journal
3. Learn More About Your Triggers
Another way that you can be a little more proactive rather than reactive when it comes to your anxiety is by learning more about your potential triggers. Take some time to see how different people and events during your day affect your physical and emotional responses. You can keep track of the situation and any signs or symptoms in a journal or as a note on your phone to find any common denominators for triggering your anxiety. Once you learn more about your triggers, you can work to either avoid or reduce those types of interactions.
4. Take Care of Yourself
Taking care of yourself means going after your wants and needs. Anxiety is more likely to creep in when you’re not taking care of your basic human needs. Make sure you’re fueling your body properly with healthy and well-balanced meals during your day, drinking enough water, and aiming for plenty of sleep each night. You can even expand upon this by making sure you’re finding time to rest and relax each day through a little self-care.
5. Seek Additional Support
While there are lifestyle changes you can implement on your own end to help reduce some of the signs and symptoms of anxiety, there isn’t a true and proper replacement for therapy. There’s nothing wrong with asking for help. A licensed and trained mental health professional will be able to work with you to get to the root cause of your anxiety, as well as help you work through any signs and symptoms that you may be struggling with. Your anxiety doesn’t control you. It’s time to take back control over your anxiety again. Reach out today to set up an initial consultation.
Read about our Anxiety Therapy in Washington DC and VA.