In the previous blog post, I shared some ways to decipher the difference between Generalized Anxiety and more common every day worry. In this blog post, I will share some practical ways to help anxiety and every day worry.
Eight tips to help anxiety and worry:
Tip #1: Take a deep breath – Deep breathing is the number one way to combat anxiety. Our bodies have a physical reaction to stress and anxiety. Deep breathing helps to slow down our heart rate and restore oxygen to our bodies. Even a deep breath during every day, normal worrying can cause us to slow down and allow more time to think logically through our situation, leading to more appropriate responses.
Tip #2: Name the emotion – This may seem silly, but there is a saying: “Name it to tame it.” The longer we are in denial about our feelings, the longer those feelings will stick around. Allowing yourself to put a name to your emotion, gives way to addressing the root cause and moving forward. Are you feeling mad, sad, angry, lonely, stressed, etc.?
Tip # 3: Write down your feelings – I am not naturally a journaling person, but writing down our feelings can be very helpful. Again, it causes us to slow down in our reactions and gets it out of our head and begins to become something we can tackle. It can also be helpful to write down what happened just before these emotions set in. *This is especially helpful if worry creeps in during the middle of the night. Keep a notebook near your bed.
Tip #4: Tell a friend – Shame, and guilt for our feelings, can start to settle in, especially if we continue to find ourselves in the anxiety rut. Sharing our feelings with a close friend or family member can lift some of the shame and remind us that we are not alone in feeling this way.
Tip #5: Remember, you can’t change your circumstances, but you can change your reaction – No matter how much we worry and become anxious about a situation, it’s not going to change. Taking a step back, evaluating our different response options, can lead us in a more level-headed, less emotional response.
Tip #6: Ask yourself “Have I been in a situation like this before and how have I been successful in the past?” – This is a great time to lean into your strengths and take a look at past similar situations. Maybe you have learned a lesson in how to react, or maybe you have been through something similar and made good choices. Sometimes we forget about our little successes in the past, and thinking back can also build our confidence that we can and will make it through.
Tip #7: Don’t procrastinate – The longer something is avoided, the scarier it becomes.
Tip #8: Start a gratitude journal – Take time each day to write down 3 things you are grateful for that day. When you are feeling anxious, worried, or feel like nothing good ever happens, take a look back through your journal to be reminded of your many blessings.
Do you find yourself continuing to get stuck in the same anxiety cycle and can’t seem to get yourself out of it no matter what you do? Contact us to see how counseling can help.
Watch our video highlighting ways to help anxiety:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-_7COo0nnc
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