There is no way I can do this, something bad will happen even if I put all of my efforts into it, my mind is not in my command, I think I might be not normal or insane. How to manage anxiety? How to stop anxiety thoughts?
What you read above are some patterns of thoughts of a person suffering from anxiety. Anxiety is something we all face at some point in our lives, like on an exam day, public speaking, first day at work, etc. and that is normal. But when it tends to remain longer and interrupt your daily chores then it’s surely alarming and exigent. Anxious thoughts could be very disturbing and may embark on other psychological and health issues, which is why it is very important to manage such anxious thoughts and also find ways to stop these.
This article will explain to you about managing, reducing, and breaking off anxiety. So, if you or anyone dear to you is suffering from anxiety, this article is for you.
HOW TO MANAGE ANXIETY?
First, we need to know what anxiety is.
Anxiety is a mental condition in which a person is in a perpetual state of worry or fear. It can be categorized into various types like Generalized Anxiety, Panic Anxiety, Social Anxiety, etc. How to combat those heart pounding and stomach knotting anxious feelings? Some of the ways to manage it are mentioned below:
1. Acceptance:
You have to come out of your bubble and accept what you are going through. Acceptance will boost your self-esteem and you will have nothing to hide. Accepting it will make you stay in the present moment, and then you can focus more on your problem, rather than the outcome of it.
2. Talk more about it:
It’s always best to talk more often about it to the right person, be it, someone, you are close to or to a professional healthcare provider; the more you talk or express about it the lighter you will feel. Tell yourself that you are not alone in this, many people are suffering from it right now and it’s okay. It’s all about understanding your anxiety, what triggers it, and then working on it. It’s perfectly normal to have flaws because that’s what makes us humans, human.
3. Self Love: How to manage anxiety?
Love yourself, embrace yourself and don’t be shy that you have blemishes, always remember imperfections make us Unique. Anxiety makes you believe that you are of unsound mind, you start cursing or blaming yourself and questioning yourself for the things you are not even at fault for. But instead of this start being patient, kinder, and nicer to yourself. Nobody is perfect, so remember to love yourself as much as you can.
HOW TO STOP ANXIETY THOUGHTS?
Our mind is a house of thoughts and sometimes anxious thoughts start dominating this house. Try to follow the below-mentioned ways to get control of these thoughts or at least get rid of these thoughts for the time being.
1. Ask 3 questions to yourself/Get some introspection done
- Do self-talk and ask yourself how true this situation is?
- Are these thoughts helpful or not?
- Advice yourself as you would advise someone else in that situation.
Usually, people suffering from anxiety exaggerate normal thoughts and make situations hard for themself. Hence, having clarity of thought is of utmost importance.
2. Filtering thoughts:
People with anxiety are more prone to focus on negative thoughts rather than positive ones. We start overgeneralizing thoughts or do catastrophic thinking which will only worsen the condition. So, to bypass these thoughts, diary writing or journal writing might help. By doing so you will be able to look at your thoughts more clearly and can also filter them out.
3. Trouble time: How to manage anxiety?
Anxiety consumes plenty of time; it makes you think something bad will happen the next moment. These contradictory thoughts are almost all the time in your head. So, instead of having them all the time, you can set a scheduled time for them daily like 10 or 15 minutes a day. This will help you in the lucidity of your thoughts. Set a specific time of the day to show some gratitude to your amazing life and then slowly, you’ll see your problems standing no ground in front of your progress and happiness.
Also read: 8 Anxiety Calming Foods
HOW TO REDUCE ANXIETY NATURALLY?
Anxiety could be reduced naturally by following the below-mentioned ways:
1. Exercise:
Yes! Exercise does help your mental health to get better. It helps in getting better control and coordination over the body. Exercising also releases endorphins which are feel-good hormones, hence they immediately put you in a state of happiness and even clarity of thought.
2. Meditation: How to manage anxiety?
Ugh …. boring!! Yeah, it might not sound exciting but it helps a lot in managing anxiety. Meditation helps to focus and remove problematic thoughts from our minds. It makes our mind calmer and more at peace, and having a calm mind is one of the healthiest things for an anxious person. Try at least once and surely “the boring” will change into “the tranquilizing”.
3. Deep Breathing Exercise:
I am feeling out of breath, my heart is pounding so much . These are common symptoms of anxiety and breathing plays an important role in them. Deep breathing helps you to normalize your breathing rate and which in turn calms your heart. So, you have to take a deep breath and hold it for 4-5 seconds, and then release it. Do this for some time and slowly you will start feeling the progress.
4. Herbal Remedies:
Did somebody say W**d?!! No no!!!!!. No matter how glamorizing this suggestion seems, it is totally wrong, at least in most cases. If anything, consuming weed without a doctor’s recommendation can only intensify your condition. But there are some other herbs like chamomile, Lavender, Lemon balm, Kava, and Passionflower that could be of great use for reducing anxiety. Some studies reveal promising results of these herbs but still, we have very limited studies. So, one should always consult a doctor before taking them.
5. Therapies:
Therapy teaches people skills to address their anxiety and to overcome it. There are many types of therapies for different types of anxiety-like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Aromatherapy, Exposure Therapy. Some studies show that the positive effect of therapies for anxiety lasts even longer than medications.
6. Quit Smoking and Drinking:
What!!!! But it helps me. Yup, numerous people will say this but it’s not true. Many studies have shown that smoking worsens anxiety. Consuming alcohol and cigarettes makes you dependable upon them and captures you in a never-ending cycle of addiction that ultimately makes you a slave of it.
So, those are some of the answers on how to manage anxiety. But the most important point to keep in mind is that you are not alone and that there is no shame in seeking help. Follow the above steps and if these do not help, seek a professional. And, always remember that you are so much stronger and courageous than your thoughts, even when it doesn’t seem like; you still are.
“BREATHE: THIS TOO SHALL PASS”