How To Deal With Anxiety
It seems as if life can feel like a juggling act.
Balancing careers, family, relationships, social obligations and household duties leave many of us feeling drained. Not to mention completely overwhelmed.
Then when you add in what is happening in the world and the craziness, it's no wonder why many people are dealing with anxiety.
Before we can go over how to deal with anxiety, let's talk about what anxiety is.
What Is Anxiety?
Most people hear the word anxiety and attribute it to just feeling stressed. Although stress can definitely cause anxiety, it goes way beyond this. Having small amounts of anxiety is normal. It's what drives us to succeed and to be our best. However, sometimes, anxiety can become debilitating.
Anxiety, or Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), affected over 41% of people in the United States in 2021 alone. When you have an anxiety disorder, it doesn't just go away. Even when you don't have anything actively going on to be nervous about, your brain convinces you otherwise.
Back in our ancestor's time, anxiety was developed in response to the fight or flight mode. It was used in life or death situations to keep them alert and safe. Now, we don't experience these life or death situations very often, but our bodies have held on to this response to anything that is stressful.
It tells you little lies that you just can't shake. Lies that say that something bad is for sure going to happen. Or that everyone hates you. Or that you are going to make a mistake or fail. These are the intrusive, negative thoughts that don't let up and continue to spiral out of control.
Anxiety disorders can be completely debilitating. They can get so out of control that you might not even know where to begin to overcome them. Fortunately, there are many ways you can deal with anxiety in healthier ways.
How To Deal With Anxiety
Deep Breathing
In the middle of an anxiety attack, have you ever noticed that your breathing is off? You might be rapidly breathing as if you can't get enough air inside your lungs. This is your nervous system kicking it into high gear, thinking there is something stressful happening around you, when there might not be.
You can help calm your nervous system down by actually using your breath to calm yourself down. If you go on Youtube, there are a ton of mindfulness videos on breathing techniques. It is best to practice these techniques when you are more calm, that way you get the steps down. This way, in the middle of an anxiety attack, you aren't trying to remember exactly how to breathe in order to soothe your system.
Journaling
Writing in a journal is highly beneficial for anxiety. No, this isn't the "Dear diary," type of situation. On your phone or even on physical paper, write down the thoughts that are coming into your mind. The ones that you just can't seem to shake. Are you feeling nervous about a meeting at work today? Do you have a lot to do this coming week that is making you feel overwhelmed?
It doesn't have to be a grammatically correct, perfectly written sentence. Quick notes such as, "Really nervous about work today," "Way too much to do this week," are enough. It's beneficial because it is releasing the thought from your mind into the world. It can also help you track these thoughts more carefully by writing down what you notice you feel after having them.
More Ways To Deal With Anxiety
Anxiety can affect everyone differently. The one thing that remains the same is that it can be completely overwhelming to try and deal with on your own. As a licensed therapist, I am ready to help you find a way to deal with the overwhelm easier in anxiety therapy. Connect with me soon to get started.
