Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 3: Calm the Body
• Part 2 of 3: Calm the Mind
• Part 3 of 3: Get Help
• Tips
• Warnings

Anger, stress and anxiety can throw anyone off balance. It seems that in such a state it is impossible to control emotions, but in fact, learning to calm down is a very real task. This is a valuable skill to help you cope with unforeseen circumstances and negative emotions. Learn about physical and mental exercises that will teach you how to handle stressful situations and get out of them.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Calm the Body

1. 1 Breathe with your diaphragm. Start with a deep breath: inhale for 5 seconds, inflating your stomach, hold your breath for 5 seconds and exhale, also for 5 seconds. Take a few regular breaths in and out, then continue breathing through the diaphragm until you feel calmer. With diaphragmatic breathing, the lungs are filled with air to the end. This can be especially helpful if you feel that you are having difficulty breathing or are short of breath (which is often the case with anxiety, anger, or stress).
   • Breathing in a certain pattern gives the body a signal to calm down. This is due to the release of neurotransmitters - chemicals responsible for nervous reactions, including sedation.
2. 2 Listen to the world around you and your feelings. Attention to your feelings and your surroundings calms your mind. Focus on sounds, temperature, smells, tactile sensations, and your breathing. Focus on them until the tension starts to subside. It can calm the mind, and research has shown to reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and help with chronic pain. In addition, this practice sharpens attention and helps control emotions.
   • The body reacts physically to strong emotions - you feel that you are not in control of the situation, and at the same time, adrenaline is produced and released into the bloodstream. Adrenaline increases heart rate, muscle strength, and blood pressure. This is how the body prepares to meet danger face to face or run away faster.
3. 3 Relax your muscles consistently. Tense and relax muscle groups alternately, starting with the head and ending with your toes. First, focus on your facial muscles, tense them for 6 seconds, then relax for 6 seconds. Do the same with your neck, shoulders, chest, arms, and further down until you feel your body relax.
   • Sequential muscle relaxation reduces muscle tension.It can reduce feelings of anxiety or anger and help you relax.
4. 4 Get exercise. If you are feeling anxious or angry, try exercises to calm yourself down. Resist the urge to focus on what's upsetting you. Instead, exercise or exercise to calm your body. During exercise, the body releases endorphins, which can weaken the stress response, improve mood, relieve muscle tension, and calm you down. Also, according to research, exercise can affect the brain, making you less susceptible to stress.
   • Find the kind of physical activity that you enjoy. For example, you can do yoga, dance, play a sports game, or go for a run.
   • There is no specific amount of exercise that is guaranteed to help you calm down. So just start practicing when you feel nervous and continue until your body begins to relax.
5. 5 Play and walk with your pets. Dogs and cats are some of the best helpers in dealing with stressful situations. Talk to your four-legged friend, pet him or take him for a walk. Studies show that 55% of people who spend time with pets feel less stress, and 44% are more optimistic about life.
   • If you don't have a pet, cuddle a stuffed animal - sometimes it helps too. Alternatively, you can go to the zoo, an aquarium, or go to a nature park where you can see wild animals. It is very reassuring to watch the animals go about their normal lives.
6. 6 Try to eat a healthy diet. When you are upset or depressed, eating is an easy way to comfort you. However, do not “seize” stress with unhealthy foods: understand that, unlike them, healthy foods can actually improve your mood and give you the energy you need in a difficult situation. Not only eat a healthy diet, but also look for foods that have been reported to be especially beneficial if you need to manage stress and relax:
   • asparagus;
   • avocado;
   • berries;
   • oranges;
   • oysters;
   • walnuts.
7. 7 Avoid substances that interfere with your calmness. Stimulants will make it difficult for you to relax and calm down. A classic example is caffeine, which stimulates the nervous system and causes an energy surge. Also, you should not relax with alcohol and nicotine. In particular, nicotine raises the heart rate and increases blood pressure, which, on the contrary, does not allow you to calm down. Plus, addiction is very difficult to get rid of, and this creates additional stress and anxiety.
   • While alcohol seems to have a calming effect, using it to deal with stress or anxiety is only a way to hide from problems, not solve them.

Part 2 of 3: Calm the Mind

1. 1 Distract yourself with something enjoyable or calming. Sometimes anxiety or anger arises from focusing on unpleasant things that you have to do or that have made you angry. If you constantly think about them, it will be difficult for you to calm down and you will not be able to focus on your business. Get distracted. Try not to think about what triggered the negative emotions, and this will help relieve stress.
   • For example, you can read, take pictures or do handicrafts, meet friends, dance, or watch a movie.
   SPECIALIST'S ADVICE

   

   Chloe Carmichael, PhD

   
   
   Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Author of Nervous Energy Chloe Carmichael, PhD is a licensed clinical psychologist in private practice in New York City. He has over 10 years of experience in psychological counseling, specializing in relationship problems, stress management, self-esteem work and career coaching.She also taught courses at Long Island University and worked as a freelance faculty member at the City University of New York. She received her PhD in Clinical Psychology from Long Island University and completed clinical practice at Lenox Hill and Kings County Hospitals. Accredited by the American Psychological Association and is the author of Nervous Energy: Harness the Power of Your Anxiety.

   Chloe Carmichael, PhD
   Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Author of Nervous Energy

   Create a mental list of other things to think about. Have five different thoughts ready in case you feel your mind is overwhelmed. You can distract yourself by thinking about an upcoming birthday or shopping trip before the holiday, your plans for the weekend, or what activities you want to try out at the fitness club. Your goal is to make such a mental list in advance so that you are ready.

   
   
2. 2 Talk to a friend. Talking about things that are annoying or bothering you will not only help you calm down, but it will also make you feel supported by loved ones. You will find that you are not alone. The support of those around you is important to feel calm and safe.
   • Conversations can boost your self-esteem, give you an opportunity to vent and distract you. Remember that conversation can even make you laugh, which is also a way to deal with stress.
3. 3 Try meditation. Sit comfortably in a quiet place. Concentrate on your breathing and watch your thoughts. Let the worries come and go - don't pay attention to them. It has been proven that 30 minutes of daily meditation can change behavior and brain function. It can help you feel in control of your body and emotions even when you're angry or anxious. By focusing on your breathing and allowing thoughts to come and go freely, you can bring your body and mind to peace. To focus on the moment, it is helpful to ask yourself the following questions during meditation.
   • What do I notice in my breathing?
   • What do I notice in my thoughts? Can I let them go without delaying?
   • Is my body tense? Where exactly is the tension concentrated?
4. 4 Count it up. Take a few deep breaths and start counting very slowly. You can go up to 10 for a start, but continue if you still feel angry. Focus on counting, not the situation that made you angry. This is a great way to confront anger instead of giving in to it.
   • When you are angry, your body releases extra adrenaline. The countdown shifts your focus and gives the body the ability to stop the adrenaline rush - which means it gives you a chance not to act impulsively.
5. 5 Keep a diary. Try to describe your feelings. This is a good way to cope with emotions, especially if you are naturally inclined to write. Don't try to write in full sentences and follow the grammar. You can even just jot down individual phrases or words if it helps you calm down. What matters here is the very process of thinking over and fixing your internal conflicts.
   • Keeping a journal will also help you not to return to disturbing thoughts over and over again. When you put everything that happened and your experiences on paper, you can move on.
6. 6 Develop positive thinking. Developing an optimistic attitude towards everything will help you remember the good and let go of the things that you cannot influence. Once you understand that not every situation can be controlled, you can focus on managing your own emotions. This will help you take a step back and calm down.
   • If you find it difficult to maintain a positive attitude, imagine yourself as a calm and contented person. Stick to this line, and over time, you will begin to see most situations in a positive light.
7. 7 Find or create a place for yourself to relax. Each person will have a different place, so decide for yourself where to go if you find it difficult to cope with emotions. You might want to get away to nature. Look at the water or wander through it and let it calm you down. Or maybe you find it easier to relax around people who respect and support you. Don't spend too much time with people who piss you off.
   • Avoid stressful situations whenever possible. For example, if you feel uncomfortable at crowded parties, go there for a short time or meet with friends in a closer company.

Part 3 of 3: Get Help

1. 1 Understand when you need medical attention. If all of your attempts to calm your body and mind are failing, you may need the help of a professional. Treatment or psychotherapy can reduce stress or chronic anxiety - the cause of your nervous arousal. Medical attention may be needed in the following cases (all of which are symptoms of anxiety disorder):
   • Anxiety interferes with your work, communication, or relationships
   • You feel like you can't stop worrying and take it easy
   • You cannot relax or concentrate
   • You avoid situations that might make you anxious.
   • You have trouble sleeping
   • You are under constant stress
2. 2 Get to know cognitive behavioral therapy. Your therapist will likely advise you to continue using self-help tools, such as calming your body and mind with relaxation techniques. But in doing so, you are more likely to start cognitive behavioral therapy. It can help you analyze what is bothering you, worrying, or causing you stress. By identifying the causes, you can develop effective strategies to calm yourself down. With cognitive behavioral therapy, you will learn to:
   • Understand which anxieties are beneficial and which are not, which will help you to accept and respond to stress.
   • Determine what is upsetting you, what factors are critical, and how long you have been unable to calm down. This will help you track your progress during therapy.
   • Use techniques of deep breathing and consistent muscle relaxation.
   • Change a negative way of thinking or reacting to a more constructive one. This will help calm your mind.
   • Face situations in which you usually experience anxiety, anxiety, or panic. You will feel that you can control them.
3. 3 Try medication. Therapies and self-help techniques are basic ways to calm down, but your therapist may prescribe short-term medications for you. These are usually anxiety-relieving drugs that help calm you down. Typically, the following are prescribed for anxiety disorders:
   • Buspirone ("Spitomin") is an anti-anxiety drug that is not addictive or sedative. It helps to cope with anxiety, but does not completely eliminate it.
   • Benzodiazepines are quick-acting anxiety-relieving drugs, making them effective in situations where you can't calm down. However, with frequent use, psychological and physical dependence can develop after a few weeks. For this reason, they are prescribed only for severe anxiety.
   • Antidepressants - They are used for long-term treatment, as it may take up to 6 weeks to reduce anxiety. They can cause nausea or worsen sleep problems.

Tips

• Sleep deprivation makes problems seem more serious than they are, so try to get enough sleep at all times.
• Try listening to relaxing music.
• To stop the tantrums that grip you over the slightest mistake, convince yourself that you are not interested in the mistake - you are only interested in the lesson learned from it, and next time you are ready to act differently.
• If you are unable to control your emotions, seek professional help from a psychotherapist.
• Close your eyes and imagine that flowers are blooming in front of you.
• Listen to the songs! It is calming and works for everyone, start with calm songs and gradually move to rock (if you like rock, if not, it will be useless). This will surely help you relax!
• If you don't have a very peaceful place, talking to your best friend can help calm you down.
• Lie on your back and take deep breaths can also help calm you down.
• Try to forget the situation, move away from anything that reminds you of anger. For example, if you find your homework frustrating, go somewhere you won't see it. Then do what you like. For example, you can call your friend and chat with him, watch TV, read a book - this helps to distract from the situation.

Warnings

• It used to be thought that breathing into a paper bag was a good way to deal with hyperventilation and restore calmness. However, experts now agree that this method is quite dangerous and should be avoided. Breathe into a paper bag only if you feel dizzy due to hyperventilation. Regular use of this method creates circulation in the lungs of carbon dioxide, and this is dangerous for the respiratory system.
• Never harm yourself or others, even if you are in great anger. Try to walk away and calm down alone. If you are so angry that you cannot control yourself, go to the hospital for urgent medical attention.
• Don't take your anger out on others. You can get yourself in trouble and hurt others or yourself.