Content

• Steps

If you feel constantly anxious, stressed, or think negative or tragic is going to happen, you are probably overly anxious. Although the exact cause of anxiety is not well defined, people with the condition often share the same risk factors, such as having a loved one with anxiety, trauma, or illness. other mental illnesses. Fortunately, a combination of the right medications, cognitive approaches, and lifestyle changes can help minimize your symptoms and overcome anxiety.

Steps

Method 1 of 4: Incorporate Healthy Lifestyle Changes

1. 

   Get help from the community. People with strong social connections tend to deal with different life situations in a healthier way than people who don't.Building new social networks can help you manage your anxiety. You can join a local support group for people experiencing anxiety, join a Buddhist or spiritual organization, or regularly hang out with your close group of friends.
   • The sense of harmony and reassurance others give you can drastically affect your overall well-being. In fact, research has shown that older adults who do not receive a lot of social support are more likely to die.

2. 

   
   
   Make it a priority to sleep. Sleep and anxiety are closely related. Lack of sleep causes anxiety, and anxiety can disturb sleep. To regain control of your anxiety, you need to get at least 7 hours of sleep each night. Use the following tips for getting enough sleep:
   • Allow your body to adjust to sleep on a regular schedule.
   • Turn off all electronic devices 30 minutes before going to bed.
   • Turn your bedroom into a comfortable environment and exclusively for the sleep process.
   • Do exercise.
   • Develop a habit of relaxing and follow them every night.
   • Use aromatherapy like the scent of lavender to promote relaxation.
   • Quit smoking (nicotine interferes with sleep).

3. 

   
   
   Exercise every day. In addition to maintaining overall well-being, exercise will also have profound effects on mental health. Physical activity releases endorphins, which are chemicals that make your body feel comfortable. And so, regular exercise can relieve stress and keep you from thinking about your anxiety.
   • Doctors think exercising for about 30 minutes a day of the week is essential. Walk, run, row, or cycle - it's up to you. Just remember to choose the type of activity you will be committed to.

4. 

   
   
   Have a balanced diet. You may not understand the relationship between the foods you consume and how you feel, but they are completely related. Certain foods and drinks, such as refined sugar or caffeine, can make anxiety worse. Instead, drink plenty of fluids and eat healthy foods with a balance of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy, and lean protein.
   • There is quite a bit of research that has shown a link between caffeine and an increase in anxiety. Caffeine has been shown to increase anxiety, depression, and hostility. Avoid caffeinated foods like carbonated drinks, coffee, and tea (choose caffeinated ones), and even chocolate.

5. 

   Minimize your consumption of alcohol and other inhibitors. You may want to drink alcohol to alleviate your anxiety but find it unintentionally aggravating the problem. Find healthier ways to relieve stress and anxiety. You can listen to music or make phone calls to friends, instead of smoking cigarettes or alcohol.

6. 

   Take care of yourself. When fighting mental illnesses like anxiety, it can be so focused on improving your condition and fulfilling your responsibilities that you forget that you need to take care of yourself regularly. You should do something for yourself every day to relieve stress. Make it a very special element to look forward to every day.
   • Set goals for yourself every day, whether it's chatting with friends, taking a hot bath, enjoying a cup of tea you love, or a comedy show you enjoy. Take some time for "yourself".
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Method 2 of 4: Practice the Deep Breathing Method

1. 

   Find a quiet space where you can be alone and free from distractions. Close the door if possible. As you get used to this breathing exercise, you will be able to remove distractions and exercise in the presence of others around you.

2. 

   Sit up straight. Sit on a chair, or on the floor, with your legs crossed, as long as you're comfortable.
   • You can lie down if needed. However, keep in mind that sitting up straight allows your lungs to work properly, and this is great for deep breathing exercises.

3. 

   Arm support. Place your arm on the armrest of the chair or on your lap. This action will help remove the burden on your shoulders and aid in the relaxation process.

4. 

   Slowly inhale from your nose. For 4 seconds, breathe in deep air through your nose. Your lower abdomen should be inflated.

5. 

   Hold your breath. Just hold your breath for a second or two.

6. 

   Expiratory. Now, release all the air in the lungs through the mouth. You should hear a "puff" sound as the air exits your mouth. Realize your abdomen goes down as you exhale.

7. 

   Wait a few seconds. To avoid breathing too fast, stop for a few seconds before continuing.

8. 

   Repeat method. Continue doing this whole process for about 5 minutes. About 6 - 8 breaths per minute is enough to ease anxiety. However, you should seek out your own breathing rhythm that can help you relax.

9. 

   Do this exercise twice daily. You should practice deep breathing at least twice a day for five minutes at a time.
   • Remember that deep breathing is not just for times when you're feeling anxious. Practicing this method every day will help you manage your anxiety symptoms and fight stress.

10. 

    Combine deep breathing with other relaxation techniques. Deep breathing can be done alone or in combination with other relaxation techniques such as meditation and yoga as additional treatments for anxiety. advertisement

Method 3 of 4: Reconstruct your thoughts

1. 

   Realize the framework of wrong thinking. Cognitive distortions are unhealthy and irrational thoughts that make feelings of anxiety or depression worse. Consider some of the following cognitive distortions and see if they occur during self-talk.
   • The "get it all, fall back to zero" mindset (also known as black and white thinking): Examine the situation in absolute terms - either good or bad, or true or false, without any distinction. subtle difference, complexity, or other unspecified field of scope.
   • Mental screening: Exaggerate negativity while minimizing positivity.
   • Hurry to conclude: Assume that the other person's negative reactions are due to you; predictions about a negative future.
   • Exaggerate or minimize: Either exaggerate, or minimize the importance of the situation.
   • Exaggerated Generalization: Seeing negative events as part of an ongoing framework.
   • Use the word "Do": Judge yourself or others by what they "Should", "Don't", "Need", "Needed" or "Must" do.
   • Emotional reasoning: Arguments are based on feelings only - "I feel stupid, so I'm definitely an idiot".
   • Neglect positives: Decreasing the value of your own achievements or positive attributes.

2. 

   Question the validity of cognitive distortions. To get rid of negative self-talk, you need to be aware of the moment when you are involved in the process, and then make an effort to challenge those statements.
   • First, acknowledge your negative statements: "I know that people are watching me and they think I'm weird".
   • Next, you'll challenge that thought with one of the following questions:
     • What will I tell my friend if they say the same?
     • What is the evidence to confirm that this thought is real?
     • What is the evidence to confirm that this thought is not real?
     • Am I confusing "ability" and "certainty"?
     • Is this thinking based on my feelings or based on reality?

3. 

   Focus on adjusting to negative thinking. The focus of cognitive restructuring is recognizing moments when you have useless thoughts, challenging their authenticity, and converting them into more energetic and positive thoughts. . Correcting negative thinking is a way to think more realistically and reduce anxiety.
   • For example, the above statement "People are watching you and think you are weird" can be converted into words that improve your mood rather than make it worse. Try to convert it to "I don't know why others are looking at me; maybe for good or bad reasons. But I'm always clear and proud of myself."

4. 

   Set a "worry time" to about 30 minutes a day. Complete the exercise each day at this time. Do this while away from your regular bedtime so that worries don't interfere with your sleep.

5. 

   Identify and delay anxiety. Become more aware of your anxiety by becoming more aware of how it feels to you. If any of the thoughts are stressing your body, increasing your heart rate, twisting your hands, or other signs that you are restless, see them as anxiety. Then, when you find yourself anxious during the day, identify what you are thinking about.
   • Make a list of your worries if needed, and remind yourself that you can think about them later. Try to clear your mind and get on with your daily activities.

6. 

   Review your concerns in a time dedicated to this process. In your worry time, don't just think about what's bothering you during the day. Take a pen and take a list of your concerns, working to address each one.
   • Research in stimulus control therapy has shown that a four-step process involves identifying anxiety, taking time to deal with them, perceiving and delaying them during the day, and moving Solution brain will be the best method to reduce anxiety.

7. 

   Understand that you have the ability to control anxiety and negative thoughts. At first, trying to postpone anxiety may seem impossible. However, after the practice you will find that you can really decide when and where you want to worry. So, worries don't have to take over the entire time of your day. advertisement

Method 4 of 4: Getting Professional Treatment

1. 

   Make an appointment with your doctor. If your anxiety is affecting your life and keeping you from functioning properly at work, school, relationship, or other activities, then it's time to see your doctor. Your doctor may conduct tests and examinations to identify the source of your concern.
   • In many cases, anxiety is not simply a sign of mental illness, but in fact, it is a precursor to other health problems. Anxiety can be the first warning sign (or side effect) of heart disease, diabetes, asthma, and even drug abuse or withdrawal.
   • In other cases, anxiety is a side effect of medications. You should consult with your doctor to see if this is the problem you are having.

2. 

   Consult a mental health professional. If your doctor cannot find any medical cause of your anxiety, you should get a referral to see a psychiatrist, psychologist, or psychiatrist. person with experience in diagnosing and treating anxiety disease. Your doctor may prescribe medication for you to ease your symptoms, but many find that a combination of therapy and medication use is the best way to manage stress.

3. 

   Ask your therapist to clearly explain your diagnosis. Simply saying that you have an anxiety disorder will not give you all the answers you need to recover. There are even more types of disorders in the psychiatric domain for which anxiety is the criterion. A psychologist can evaluate your personal history, manage your assessment, and ask questions to determine what kind of anxiety is affecting you.
   • You may have an anxiety disorder, such as psychosis, phobia, post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or social anxiety disorder.

4. 

   Decide with your therapist as to which treatment is best for you. Although you can use self-help techniques to manage your anxiety symptoms, it needs to be treated by a specialist. Depending on the type and severity of the disorder you are having, a mental health professional will use one of the following three methods to treat anxiety:
   • Prescription drugs. Anxiety is often misdiagnosed as depression because psychiatrists often prescribe antidepressants to improve symptoms of anxiety. A class of drugs known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have been shown to be effective in treating anxiety. Other options include selective serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI), benzodiazepine, and tricyclic antidepressant.
   • Therapy. An empirically proven measure of effectiveness in treating anxiety is cognitive behavioral therapy, which focuses on recognizing and altering unrealistic patterns of thinking that contribute to worry. Other potential treatments include contact therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, dialectic behavioral therapy, and eye movement anesthesia and rehabilitation therapy (EMDR).
   • Combination of the above two types.

5. 

   Please be patient. People often assume that they have failed treatment or that it does not work because they do not allow the intervention to take time to take effect. Also, know that someone with anxiety may need to try a variety of treatments to find the best way to treat their symptoms. advertisement