Coping with anxiety

Every person has felt anxiety at some point in their life. Fear actually serves a purpose and keeps us safe. Imagine if you never felt fear- even in a dangerous situation. Humans would not have survived if we did not have fear to keep us from approaching a dangerous animal, for example.  

Fear can become a problem, however. At some point, we begin to fear things that are not dangerous, real or have even happened yet! This is anxiety.  Most of us with anxiety are often living in the future- with "what if" worst case scenarios running through our minds.  At this point, our anxiety goes from an attempt to keep us safe- to keeping us from really living in the present moment. 

So what are some ways to combat anxiety?  

You can start at your thoughts- become mindful of your thoughts throughout the day and increase your awareness of when you are actually living in the future instead of the present moment. When you notice yourself anxiously thinking about the future- redirect your mind to what is actually happening in the moment.  You can also begin to question your worst case scenarios and the likelihood of such a situation actually happening.  Some people find positive affirmations helpful in bringing them back to the present moment- you can try repeating, "in this moment, I am safe".

Along with monitoring your thoughts, try practicing anxiety reducing behaviors each day. Practice makes better (there is no such thing as perfect). The more you practice the behaviors, the more likely you are to use them when you become overly anxious.

Everyone has their favorite activity that decreases anxiety. Mine is taking a bath- I do not know what I would do without a bathtub..and some people dislike baths- it is up to you to figure out what works best for you.  Some possibilities could be...

• Deep breathing- inhale deeply through your nose- expanding your belly as much as possible for four counts- hold for two counts- then slowly exhale through your mouth (as if you are blowing out of a straw) for seven counts. 

• Warm shower or bath- being mindful of your senses throughout, noticing the temperature, the sounds, smell of the bubble bath/shampoo, etc.

• Hang out with your pet- petting a dog decreases your blood pressure-as well as theirs-and a cat' purring has been shown to decrease blood pressure as well. 

• Hobbies- have a hobby you enjoy? Do it...knitting, drawing, coloring, reading- whatever you enjoy that makes you feel masterful.

• Exercise- exercising can be a great anxiety reducer. Find an activity you enjoy doing that does not feel like a chore- I love yoga, for example.  Try some different classes at your gym or look online for some exercise videos and see what you like! **** now, this is could be more harmful than beneficial if you are struggling with an eating disorder or exercise addiction. 

• Meditation- There are thousands of meditation videos online. Just google it- free meditation tapes that can help you calm yourself and get in touch with the present moment.

• Spend time with friends/family that support you and you feel good around

• Journaling- this can be incredibly beneficial- especially if you struggle with racing thoughts.  Get your worries out of your mind and onto paper. Journaling before bed can help with insomnia. 

Now, this list does not include every possible anxiety reducing activity, but hopefully it can help you brainstorm some possibilities for yourself.  It is time to find some peace of mind. You deserve it.