Coping with anxiety can be very hard, but there are long and short-term strategies that you can use to help. It is important to note that not all strategies will work for everyone. Some people find coping with anxiety easier with certain strategies while other people find different strategies work better.
Practice Focused And Deep Breathing
One of the best and most commonly used short-term strategies for coping with anxiety is focused and deep breathing. When you use this coping strategy, you need to breathe in and count to 4. You should then breathe out for 4 counts. Doing this for 5 minutes will generally help you calm your anxiety.
When you deep breathe in this manner, you will slow your heart rate. This will help calm you and reduce the side effects of anxiety. Many people also use the 4-7-8 technique to help with their anxiety.
Go For A Walk Or Do Some Yoga
Another short-term strategy is to go for a walk or do some yoga. If you are going for a walk, you do not have to walk very far. A 15-minute walk will be enough to help with your anxiety. 15-minutes of yoga will also help you calm your anxiety.
Doing this will help you focus your body on something that is not your anxiety. Getting away from the situation that causes your anxiety will help you calm down. If you are going for a walk, you should head somewhere quiet and away from stress.
Learn And Manage Your Triggers
It is possible to identify your triggers on your own or through work with a therapist. There are many people who have obvious triggers such as smoking, caffeine or being in a certain situation. However, there are other people who have less obvious triggers.
Once you have determined what your triggers are, you can work at managing them. The best way to manage your triggers is to limit your exposure to the trigger. Of course, this is not always possible and you will need to look at other management strategies.
Keep Your Body And Mind Healthy
One of the long-term strategies that you can use is to keep your body and mind healthy. This will include getting regular exercise and eating balanced meals. You also need to ensure you get enough sleep because a lack of sleep can increase your anxiety.
Connecting with people can also help you manage your anxiety. Of course, this will not be helpful if being around people is one of your triggers. If you have social anxiety, you will need to spend time in a place you consider safe. If people are not a problem, connecting with other people can help distract you from your anxiety and release some of the tension you carry.
There are a few ways that you can manage your anxiety. The strategy that you use will vary depending on your anxiety and your triggers. Working with a therapist will help you manage your anxiety as well and they will be able to help you create a coping strategy.
