Coping Strategies for Anxiety

Feeling anxious once in a while is generally acceptable, but individuals with anxiety disorders can frequently feel fear, terror, and panic in specific settings. It's essential to realise that each person experiences anxiety differently, and its symptoms might also change.

Regardless, coping with anxiety can be challenging, but here are a few strategies that might help!

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Tips for Coping with an Anxiety Disorder

Your body's physical reaction to anxiety is a significant aspect of the condition. For instance, your perspiration, respiration and pulse rate are all considered. So, relaxing is a crucial stage in holistic treatment for managing or slowing down bodily effects.

Also, if you are already calm and relaxed, it is harder to feel nervous, and it is easier to calm yourself by regularly using relaxation techniques. In this regard, a few of the coping skills for anxiety are as follows:

1. Try Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Find a peaceful area. Then, shut your eyes, steadily tense, and relax every muscle group from your head to toe. Follow it up with three seconds of tension holding and a quick release. This can ease the tension in the muscles that frequently accompanies anxiety.

2. Indulge in Slow Breathing

When stressed and anxious, your breathing usually gets shallower and faster. So, you must try purposefully reducing your breathing rate. In this regard, you can also slowly inhale for three counts and then slowly exhale for three counts. This way, your breathing will be slower and can reduce the effects of anxiety.

3. Stay Focused

Anxiety might cause your mind to dwell on a dismal, unrealised future. So, try to return to the present and focus on the moment. In this regard, you can practise meditation.

4. Take Steps to Avoid Nervous Triggers

In the short run, avoiding your nervous triggers might provide a temporary remedy, but it can worsen your anxiety over time. Hence, take a step of bravery and approach your anxiety triggers to solve it! So, in this regard, the key to overcoming anxiety is realising that you will be able to handle it even if it does occur.

5. Choose a Healthy Lifestyle

Exercising, maintaining a healthy diet, spending time in nature, spending time with loved ones, managing stress, and engaging in things you enjoy can help you feel better and reduce anxiety.

6. Consider Alternative Interpretations

Your feelings and thoughts are connected. Hence, when you're anxious, you may exaggerate how dangerous something or the situation is while also underestimating your capability of handling it. So, instead of presuming the worst, try to consider alternative interpretations to cope with anxiety.

7. Understand Your Anxiety

One beneficial coping mechanism for anxiety is recording the best and worst times in a diary. Hence, to proactively manage your anxiety, identify the trends and plan for your week or day.

8. Opt for Aromatherapy

Natural scents like chamomile, lavender, and sandalwood can be incredibly calming, whether in the form of an essential oil, incense, or a candle. Hence, aromatherapy is believed to help stimulate specific brain receptors, potentially reducing anxiety.

9. Socialise

Spending quality time with loved ones can help you manage your anxiety, even though every case is different, and not everyone has SAD. Additionally, stress reduction, laughing, and a sense of community are all boosted by social interaction, which also abates anxiety. Research shows that having a good social network can ultimately increase stress tolerance.

10. Go for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

CBT teaches individuals ways to judge events that cause anxiety. So, you can change malefic thought patterns and actions before they spiral with the assistance of a therapist.

11. Alter Your Diet

Changes to your diet or supplements can help provide long-term solutions. A few medical professionals also believe that several vitamins or nutrients can reduce anxiety. These consist of fatty acids omega-3, lemon balm, valerian root, green tea, kava kava, and ashwagandha.

You should remember that it might take a few months before your body can fully utilise these herbs and foods' nourishment. Hence, you should talk to your doctor to know about the supplements that work for you to avoid any side effects.

12. Ask your Doctor About Medications

There are several ways to proceed based on your severe anxiety symptoms. Also, you can consult your mental health professional to get medications that can help you to cure faster.

How Is Health Affected by Anxiety Disorders?

The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that about 40 million adults in the US suffer from an anxiety disorder. Regardless, over a long enough period, anxiety disorders can significantly harm your general physical, relationship, and mental health and wellness and your capacity to perform.

A few of the ways anxiety disorder affects the body include the following

Rapid heart rate
Indigestion
Dizziness
Fatigue
Insomnia
Abdominal pain
Chest pain
Headache

Prolonged Effect of Anxiety Disorder

Apart from it, a prolonged case of anxiety can lead to –

Social Anxiety
Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
Panic Attacks
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Other Effects of Anxiety Disorder

Other effects of anxiety include:

Long-term emotional anxiety and stress can affect hormone levels and cause several health problems. Also, the body's nervous system speeds itself up and releases cortisol, which can affect triglycerides and blood sugar levels.
If cortisol is continuously released, it can cause physical effects such as short-term memory loss, digestion problems, sleep problems, a weakened immune system, high blood pressure, and in rare instances, a heart attack.
Patients may also experience equally incapacitating emotional symptoms, including constant dread, worry, racing thoughts, an inability to alleviate negativity, and anticipating negative outcomes.
Patients also complain that they fixate on thoughts about safety or death, have a dark cloud hanging over their heads, feel hopeless about the future, and occasionally feel like they are going out of control.
If anxiety disorders are not adequately recognised and treated, the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus might shrink in size. When compromised or damaged, such areas might exacerbate the previously existing negative and anxious thoughts, resulting in a vicious cycle of malefic thinking.

Why are Coping Strategies Important to Tackle Anxiety Disorders?

Effective coping strategies for anxiety can frequently aid in enhancing mental and emotional health. People may be less prone to experiencing anxiety, sadness, and other mental health issues and can handle traumatic or stressful situations if they practise proper coping strategies.

However, people who frequently turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms and/or have trouble using them may eventually negatively influence their mental and emotional health. For instance, drinking alcohol can frequently make individuals feel less anxious for the time being, but if someone starts to depend on alcohol or any other substance, they can eventually develop a dependence on it over time.

Lastly, although anxiety might be a part of your life, it shouldn't rule your daily activities. Even the most severe anxiety disorders can be treated to reduce their symptoms. So, if you think that strategies for coping with anxiety are not helping, seek professional help as soon as possible.

FAQs About Coping with Anxiety

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Can anxiety affect my libido?

Yes, anxiety can reduce your libido, affecting your mood and relationship.

Can be giving time to myself reduce anxiety?

Yes. So, no matter what, always be kind to yourself, and keep remembering that you are strong and it’s a health condition that can be cured.

How long does it take to cope with anxiety?

The duration depends on your treatment type. However, CBT usually shows results in 12 to 16 weeks.