15 Tips On How To Deal With Anxiety

Do you often feel overwhelmed, or do you feel like time is slipping away? If this fear persists over time and you constantly worry about something in the future rather than what is happening right now, chances are you have anxiety. To help you deal with this constant feeling, we have listed down a few tips and strategies on how to deal with anxiety. 

Signs of Anxiety

Before we get on to the tips on how to deal with anxiety, here are some anxiety symptoms that you should look out for. These signs occur when your body starts preparing you for an emergency by increasing blood flow to the muscles and giving you the mental ability to focus on something that could be a potential threat. Anxiety can cause some of the symptoms below and the constant sense of fear, which in turn will hamper your day-to-day life.

Physical signs of anxiety

1. Rapid heart rate
2. Cold or Hot Sweating
3. Chills
4. Weakness and lightheadedness
5. Hyperventilation
6. Gastrointestinal problems
7. Nausea
8. Loss of appetite
9. Dry mouth
10. Tingling in fingers

Mental signs of anxiety

1. Feeling of danger
2. Restlessness
3. Difficulty focusing
4. Feeling that you are losing control
5. You feel frozen to the spot
6. obsessive thoughts

Things that might trigger anxiety

Individuals with untreated anxiety problems tend to bury their worries, seek reassurance that nothing negative will happen, or avoid circumstances that provoke fear. Some worries are strengthened by negative thoughts about yourself, such as the belief that you would be unable to cope with uncertainty or an undesirable outcome which triggers the anxiety more. We have listed down the common factors that might trigger anxiety.

1. Work - anxiety at the workplace is very common, usually caused by the pressure of deadlines and responsibilities.
2. Family - handling relationships and meeting certain expectations can cause anxiety.
3. Health - illness, accidents or losing something close.
4. Money - surprise bills or borrowing cash.
5. Past - abuse, negligence and bullying.

Quick ways to overcome anxiety

Suppose your anxiety is frequent and interfering with your ability to focus or complete chores. In that case, several short natural ways to cope with anxiety may help you regain control of the issue.

1. Find out the root cause

Try to get to the root of the thing causing you anxiety and segregate it by the intensity and urgency of the situation. Is it something you can worry about now or in the future? Try to understand the cause and the need, which might help you deal with anxiety.

2. Focused breathing

If you are facing breathlessness, try to deal with anxiety by focusing on breathing. For 5 minutes, try breathing in for 4 counts and breathing out for 4 counts. This exercise will lower your heart rate and help you relax.

3. Use aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is known to help stimulate certain brain receptors, potentially helping you in dealing with anxiety. Natural scents like lavender, chamomile, and sandalwood may be incredibly calming, whether in essential oil form, incense, or a candle.

4. Walk your worries away

When dealing with anxiety, walking away from a stressful situation is sometimes the greatest way to calm down. Taking time to focus on your body rather than your thinking may help you feel less anxious.

5. Write down your thoughts

Writing down what's making you anxious takes things out of your thoughts and can help you feel less overwhelmed. Maybe if you look back, you will see how little your problems were.

Long-term ways to deal with anxiety

If you are crippled with anxiety every day, it's critical to identify effective options to deal with anxiety. It could be a combination of things, such as counselling and meditation, or it could be a question of eliminating or resolving your anxiety trigger. Here are a few tips for dealing with anxiety.

1. Face your fears 

You can detect triggers on your own or with the assistance of a therapist. Long-term issues, such as financial or work-related issues, may take time to resolve – is it a deadline, a person, or the situation? This may need further assistance, such as from therapy or from friends.

2. Adopt cognitive behavioural therapy

CBT teaches people how to think about and react to anxiety-inducing circumstances in new ways. A therapist can assist you in developing strategies for changing negative thought patterns and actions before they spiral out of control.

3. Do a daily or routine meditation

While it takes some time to achieve this, daily mindful meditation can eventually help you teach your brain to discard anxious thoughts when they come. If you can't sit still or have difficulty in concentrating, try yoga or walking meditation first.

4. Keep a journal

It can be helpful to develop a daily habit of writing down your thoughts and emotions in a diary. For some, the act of writing down thoughts can be comforting. It can, however, benefit you in keeping track of when you have anxiety, how it makes you feel, and what kinds of activities cause it.

5. Join support groups

Support groups or peer support bring together people who have had similar experiences for them to assist one another. Many people find it beneficial to share ideas about being healthy, connect with others, and feel less alone.

6. Check or change your diet 

Changing your diet or taking supplements is a long-term solution to dealing with anxiety. According to research, various vitamins or nutrients can aid with anxiety reduction. Also, try to avoid or consume alcohol in moderation.

7. Keep your body and mind healthy

To be healthy, exercise on a regular basis, eat proper meals, get adequate sleep, and keep connected to people who care about you are all excellent methods to reduce anxiety symptoms.

8. Talk to someone you trust

It could be a relief to rant or vent your worries away with someone you can trust. Sometimes you just need someone to listen, which in turn, can help you deal with anxiety, and it could be enough for someone to listen to you and show their concern.

9. Seek professional help

Express your concerns with a doctor, and depending on your symptoms, your mental health professional will decide if you need medication to help you overcome anxiety.

10. Connect with nature

Another method to deal with anxiety is to get in touch with nature. Taking a walk in the woods or even just listening to nature noises might help you feel more connected to nature and improve your mood.

Although anxiety can always be a part of your life, it shouldn't dominate your daily activities. We hope that this guide helped you understand ways to deal with anxiety issues. Remember, anxiety isn't you, it is something moving through you, and it can easily exit from the same door it came in.