Coping with Anxiety: 5 Effective Tips
/By: Liza Gold, LCSW
Anxiety is at best a nuisance, and at worst, debilitating. While anxiety is a normal emotional state, it is typically transient (i.e. short-lived) and manageable (i.e. able to be controlled). Normal anxious responses include but are not limited to: restlessness, difficulty concentrating and/or sleeping, muscle fatigue, irritability or edginess, and constant or excessive worrying. No matter how you experience anxiety, it may be time to implement a coping skill or two when it starts to interferes with your day-to-day routine.
The following list provides five suggestions to help you cope with your anxiety.
1) Identify the cause of anxiety. Sometimes anxiety seems to crop up unexpectedly, but it may be worth assessing whether a particular issue is contributing to your symptoms. Many areas of life can create or exacerbate anxiety such as work or school-related stress, financial stress, political stress, grief, health problems, relationship difficulties, drug or alcohol use, or trauma. If you’re able to identify the cause of your anxiety, then you may be able to appropriately intervene by addressing the problem directly.
2) Take deep breaths. Numerous studies confirm that intentional, slow, deep breathing can reduce anxiety. Anxiety activates the nervous system and releases adrenaline, which increases your pulse, heart rate, and breath rate. This, in turn, increases your subjective sense of anxiety – in other words, it leads you to feel increasingly anxious, which further activates nervous system activity. If you can, try finding 3-5 moments throughout the day to sit in a comfortable position and take slow, methodical breaths. Under stress, we typically inhale longer than we exhale, so as you practice slow breathing, try to ensure that you exhale for slightly longer than you inhale. Insider tip: breathe in for four counts, and out for five counts.
3) Change how you talk to yourself. When feeling anxious, you’re more likely to automatically perceive situations as inherently more stressful; in other words, the glass appears half empty. A change in the way you think may be so minor that you hardly notice, but if you can begin to monitor your thoughts while you’re anxious, you may notice that your thoughts skew toward the negative. Some therapists like to label negative thoughts as “irrational,” but I prefer to classify thoughts as either “helpful” or “unhelpful.” The next time you observe yourself stuck in a pattern of negative, anxiety-fueled thinking, ask yourself, “how would I view or feel about the situation if I wasn’t anxious?” Then see if you can incorporate a different perspective that leaves you feeling calmer, and more in control.
4) Lifestyle modifications. Everyone these days seems to be talking about self-care, but there’s a reason for that. When we take care of ourselves, we mitigate stress, depression, anxiety, and physical illness. If you’re feeling anxious, go the extra mile to take good care of yourself: ensure a good night’s sleep each night, engage in regular exercise, eat a well-balanced diet, and avoid drugs and alcohol.
5) Seek support. Social support can reduce stress and loneliness, improve your ability to cope with problems, enhance self-worth, and alleviate distress. Anxiety is often overwhelming, and it can be tremendously helpful to talk through your feelings with someone you trust. By connecting with and opening up to a friend or family member, you allow yourself the opportunity to feel less alone, gain another perspective, feel understood, and gain access to the support that may help you get through a difficult time,