Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Examining your fear
• Method 2 of 3: Avoid cognitive biases
• Method 3 of 3: Try proven anti-anxiety drugs
• Tips
• Warnings

Anxiety is a common negative mental experience that can occur in many forms, from chronic mild anxiety to bouts of blind panic. If you are struggling with fears, it may seem impossible to get rid of them. Fortunately, there are mental and physical ways to overcome fears and deal with them at their source.

To step

Method 1 of 3: Examining your fear

1. Identify the source of your fear. Whether you are having a panic attack or if you are suddenly concerned about something, it is important to determine where the fear is coming from. Is it something in your environment? Is an incident the cause? Is it an activity, meeting or event that lies ahead? You can deal with the fear more easily if you know clearly what it is.
2. Determine whether the concern can be resolved. Once you know what you're afraid of, the next step is to determine if it's something you can deal with, or something only time (or your imagination) can solve. If your fear is mostly in your mind, or if you can't resolve it now, try to get rid of it. If your concern is something that can be resolved, take steps to develop a plan of action.
   • What can you do to alleviate this fear or concern?
   • Is it a long or short term solution?
   • What can you do to keep this fear from returning?
   EXPERT TIP

   Imagine the worst. If your fear is swallowing up all your thoughts, take a moment to imagine the very worst that could happen as a result of this situation. You may need to make an important presentation and panic. Stop, and think "What's the worst that could happen?" However creative your answer to this may be, if you think about it critically, it will lead to the realization that there will be few outcomes that you cannot handle in a normal way.

3. Accept uncertainties. It can be hard to stop worrying if you're not sure how a scenario will turn out. At that point, it's important to simply accept that some things simply remain uncertain. We never know exactly how anything will go or what the outcome will be; Worrying about the unknown is an unnecessary source of fear that can be avoided simply by accepting fate.
4. Consider the use of your concern. You are concerned for a reason - anxiety is a fear response to a real or imagined situation. When we start worrying about things that aren't actually dangerous, the problems start. So think about the usefulness of your concern. Is it helpful? If you are afraid of a truly potentially dangerous situation, your concern can be helpful. However, if you are concerned without any sense, the concern will only get in your way. Remembering that can take away your worst fear.

Method 2 of 3: Avoid cognitive biases

1. Focus on both the positive and the negative. If you are afraid of something, it can be very easy to see only the negative aspects of it. However, as with all things, there must also be a positive side to your fear-filled situation. Don't focus on just negative events while ignoring all related positives.
2. Don't think in terms of "all or nothing." Whatever it is that threatens the situation to go wrong, the outcome is unlikely to be completely black or white. Don't allow yourself to ignore the gray area and overdo things. For example, don't think that if you were not admitted to a particular university, you would be a total failure and that no one else would want you. Thoughts like this are normal with anxiety, but it is also completely irrational.
3. Don't make it a catastrophe. If your fear is about something that is not dangerous, or maybe even imagined, you can be sure that the way to make it worse is to turn it into a catastrophe. If you are afraid of flying and you assume at the first signs of turbulence that you are going to crash, you only increase your fear. See each situation as it really is, rather than how it could end.
4. Don't jump to conclusions. If you don't have enough facts and still experience fear, it's not good to jump to conclusions. When an uncertain situation lies ahead, you can reduce your anxiety by realizing (and admitting) that you don't know what will happen. Consider all possible outcomes instead of just thinking about the most morbid or unlikely.
5. Don't let your emotions dominate your reasoning. When you are afraid and worried, it is easy to let your emotions get the better of you. However, your emotions will only get in the way of your logic and will fool you into thinking that you are in more danger than you actually are. Don't let fear make you believe you're in danger, unless you really are. The same is true for all negative fear-based feelings such as stress, guilt, and shame.
6. Don't take everything personally. If fear overtakes you, don't take the blame for anything beyond your control. If you are afraid that your home has been broken into, you can take it personally and hold yourself responsible for the burglary. Thoughts like this don't make sense and only make you feel worse. Unless you personally invited the thieves, you cannot be held responsible for the robbery they committed.

Method 3 of 3: Try proven anti-anxiety drugs

1. Take a deep breath. When you get scared, your breathing speeds up, giving your brain more oxygen. This makes it more difficult to think logically. Take a moment to focus on deep breaths from the abdomen. Inhale for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 4 seconds and exhale in 4 seconds. If you do this for 1-2 minutes you should quickly get over your nerves.
2. Take the time to get some exercise. Whether you have been overcome with anxiety or you are chronically concerned, exercise certainly helps. Physical activity produces endorphins that enhance your sense of happiness and reduce cortisol, a stress hormone. As soon as you feel your anxiety coming on, do some exercise or go for a walk. In addition to an immediate effect, it also ensures that you are less anxious in the long term.
3. Meditate or pray. Consciously taking your thoughts off the stressor and focusing inwardly on something calming will greatly reduce your anxiety. If you are afraid, turn in and repeat a positive mantra or pray. Focus on this completely and eventually your fear will disappear like snow in the sun.
4. Eat healthy. While it may sound strange to associate your fears with what you ate for breakfast, your diet can have a huge impact on how you function mentally. Studies have shown a link between unhealthy eating and increased anxiety and stress. Try adding more vegetables, fruits, and whole grains to your diet. Get tested to make sure you don't have a food allergy that may be the cause of your fears, this is common.
5. Take magnesium supplements. Magnesium can reduce the effects of anxiety and anxiety in your body. If you are deficient in magnesium, you can be more anxious than you need to be. Get a magnesium supplement from the health food store or drug store and see if it improves your mood.
6. Try an herbal remedy. You don't have to rely solely on chemical drugs to curb your anxiety. You can also try an all-natural remedy instead. Many scientific studies have shown that there is a strong link between reduced anxiety and taking St. John's wort, valerian and chamomile. Try one of these supplements before reaching for heavier medications.
7. See a therapist. If your fears are so strong that you can't seem to overcome them, seeing a therapist is no big deal. Just as you would not question your intelligence when you go to the doctor with an injury, it is very normal to see a psychologist to get mentally or emotionally healthy. If you have chronic anxiety or recurring panic attacks, a therapist can make a diagnosis so that you can better manage your fears with the help of therapy or medication.

Tips

• Do not drink too much caffeine, as this can actually cause you more stress.
• You can use some lavender oil to relax. A drop behind your earlobes works wonders.
• Try these simple remedies before taking medication. It is often difficult to get off drugs again.

Warnings

• Even the lightest pills should only be taken on a doctor's prescription.
• These measures should never replace medical assistance, they are only good for minor problems. If you have serious fears, see your doctor. Too much pressure from anxiety and stress can be bad for your nervous system and your blood pressure. If you don't treat it in time, your fears can lead to serious problems.