How To Reduce Anxiety

How do you learn to manage anxiety when it can feel so utterly out of control? When struggling with any mental health problem, it can be difficult to step back and see the bigger picture to figure out what you need in a challenging moment. Of course, the best course of action is to seek professional counseling; you are not alone, and we want to help you treat and manage your anxiety. However, in the meantime, there are steps you can take right here and now to reduce your anxiety. Here, we will provide you with both short-term ways to reduce your anxiety and habits that will serve you in the long-term.

Ease Your Symptoms Right Now

• • First and foremost: Have you had enough to eat today?Are you dehydrated? Anxiety can reduce your appetite, but even still, hunger and dehydration seriously negatively impact brain function, which will not serve you well in a moment of crisis. Try something simple, nutritious, and easy to digest. And even if you don't think you're thirsty, drink a glass of cool water.

• • Next, breathe. Dedicate a few minutes to quieting your surroundings and taking deep, calming breaths. Inhale through your nose, filling your lungs and holding your breath to the count of three. Exhale slowly through an open mouth, taking care to release tension in your jaw and shoulders. Repeat at three times, or more if it feels right to you. You will be amazed at how much more comfortable you feel in your body; your heart rate will slow, and your head will feel at least a bit clearer.

• • Minimize your inputs. Is something specific worsening your anxiety? Whether it's a full email inbox, a confusing class assignment, or a stressful text conversation, shut it down, at least for a few minutes. Close your laptop, put your phone away, or close the textbook: in doing so, you're not running from your problems, but rather giving yourself a chance to reduce your anxiety about the situation so you can approach it with a clearer mind.

• • Repeat some affirmations. Remind yourself that you are safe, loved, and valuable, and that in the end everything will be okay.

• Question your scariest thoughts. The worst-case scenario is unlikely to occur. Don't be afraid to acknowledge that you have anxiety, and that the worst of what you're experiencing will pass.

Ask yourself:Is this a truly realistic thought? How likely is this to happen? If it does happen, what’s the worst-case scenario? How would I handle the worst-case scenario?

Long-Term Habits to Help Ease Anxiety

• • Quit smoking. If you smoke, now is the best time to quit. Smoking is one of the worst things you can do for anxiety over time.

• • Go to bed early.Going to bed late can contribute to repetitive negative thoughts, and getting enough sleep is critically important for your overall physical and mental health.

• • Eat a balanced diet. Certain foods, like processed sugar and alcohol, are inflammatory and negatively impact brain function. Finding a diet that works for you and your body will help with your symptoms.

• Develop an exercise regimen that works you. You don't have to set all kinds of fitness goals; simply intentionally moving your body in ways that feel good will help diffuse anxiety.

All in all, you can learn to manage your anxiety. Contact us today for an appointment; we can work with you one-on-one to help you develop a plan that's right for you.