Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links meaning if you make a purchase using one of these links I may earn a commission at NO extra cost to you! To see my full disclosure, click here.
Anxiety sucks. And I am pretty sure everyone here can agree to that! We don’t choose when it happens. It just does… Anxiety is incredibly difficult to manage, especially when you don’t choose when it can happen. Some symptoms may arrive in a fraction of a second while others may result from personal triggers that set the downrush in motion. What seems to be the worse part of undergoing an anxiety attack is that everyone around you seems to be so calm. It’s very frustrating and terrifying.
Whatever types of anxiety symptoms you face, just know that I too..understand that internal struggle. There seem to be way more things to be concerned or focused on and anxiety really makes that tough to manage life altogether.
Anxiety is not something that is comfortable to speak about. But here I am. I have decided to get together a list of coping mechanisms that work well in my daily life to subside anxiety in general. My hope in return for sharing this is to help you cope with anxiety the best you can.
Disclaimer: I am definitely no mental health expert! I am only mentioning ways that HELP me that MAY help you!
Slay life while dealing with Anxiety
1) Find an outlet
If you struggle with stress, depression, and/or anxiety keeping a journal can help you gain control over your emotions and improve your mental health. This is why I like to channel all of my feelings on a piece of paper. If you haven’t tried it, definitely give it a shot! It’s fun and it gives us a purpose to vent in words and be creative. Here are some ideas;
- Journaling // If you aren’t comfortable with talking to someone, this is going to be your alternative to releasing your stress. Call it a diary or a journal, this will help you release any thoughts that you keep internally and express them on paper.
- Draw // Creating art has been shown to decrease stress in 75% of people. That’s gotta help decrease anxiety significantly.
- Adult coloring books // Coloring books are the perfect alternative for anyone who finds art therapeutic but lacks inspiration or the ability to draw.
- DIY // Isn’t it fun renovating and creating new things? I can imagine this being a stress reliever simply because of the endorphins being released while creating something and seeing your finished piece.
- Organizing & Cleaning // I don’t know about you but I love organizing the space I call home. I normally put on some music while cleaning the house and organizing everything to my liking. It’s my stress reliever. Maybe it’ll be yours if you try.
2) Vent to someone
I find it so difficult to communicate with people who try to help but have not been in my shoes before. It feels so much better when you can relate to someone who deals with anxiety and has been through similar episodes before. It’s nice to feel like you are not alone and maybe they have a technique that will work better for you.
If you have a friend or a family member who deals with anxiety, talk to them! You never know, any little bit of advice and comfort could help. Sometimes a good listening ear makes a world of difference.
3) Get enough rest
I LOVE sleep. Yes, LOVE. I feel like my anxiety creeps up on me mostly around the evening hour. I hate late-night anxiety and overthinking. Who can relate?! I’d rather sleep early to avoid any of that. Did you know that sleeping is a fundamental cure for anxiety? A night of good, healthy sleep can act like a reset button (hallelujah), which helps you to heal and view your life more positively than you did before. Especially if you have 8 hours of rest! So rest as much as you can!
4) Make time for yoga
Try yoga!! Yoga is hands down the greatest coping method for anxiety. You build strength, awareness, and harmony in both your mind and body. Through breathwork, meditation, movements, and relaxation, yoga can help restore a sense of personal balance. If you haven’t tried this before, try a beginner course online. I like to do yoga first thing in the morning before my kiddos wake up. It helps set the mood for the day. Try this video down below, I’ve done it before and it’s amazing!!
5) Try the Grounding Technique
If you haven’t heard this term before, this is extremely important. SAVE THIS TECHNIQUE. When I am in the middle of an anxiety attack…
Look around you. Find 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste. (Breathe)
When you’re in the moment you lose control. At least, this method, it helps you gain back control over your surroundings.
6) Entertain yourself
Rather it’s watching Netflix with your favorite snack + loved ones, going to the movies, listening to podcasts/reading a book. Whatever you love doing, do it! It distracts you, entertains you, and helps bring on positive vibes! I recommend a good comedy movie, which will help us laugh more and naturally allow endorphins to release. Our goal here is to fuel the mind with anything that brings us joy!
7) Take your vitamins
I’m pretty sure you know exactly why you should take your multivitamins. Vitamins are essential to our bodies! It’s like fuel to help keep our body/mind functioning properly. I take two of these gummies after I eat breakfast. Here’s an awesome article on 25 supplements for anxiety if you like to know more about specific vitamins that reduce symptoms of anxiety.
8) Exercise daily
So around my time of the month (ladies), my PMS is so bad, I literally can’t deal. CAN’T DEAL. I get sensitive to caffeine and I get small panic attacks here and there. The moral of the story is, I started a HIIT class right by my job. I go during my lunch break. It lasts about 35-45 minutes. I started to realize a week prior to my menstrual cycle, how my anxiety attacks weren’t happening as often. It takes your mind off of worries! Yes ma’am, no more stressing. And those endorphins releasing is AMAZING. I HIGHLY recommend HIIT workouts for sure!
Exercising has changed my life emotionally, physically, and mentally. I know it will be a benefit in your life too if it’s not already. Try working out daily and see if your anxiety subsides.
Remember: You’re not alone & you’re not crazy.
There are so many people out there struggling through the same thing you are, if not WORSE. Sometimes, I wonder during my episodes if I am going crazy but the reminder is that if you think you’re crazy, then you are NOT. Crazy people don’t see their actions as crazy. Anxiety is much different. It makes us feel lost and ungrounded and makes us afraid of if we’re losing our minds. We’re not. It’s an episode that lasts for a few moments but then goes away. For some who deal with it severely, my heart goes out to you. I hope that these exercises mentioned above, will help lessen your daily anxiety moments.
Wake up in the morning with intention of having a positive day and make sure you keep your stress levels down, if at all possible. I make sure I have my whole day planned out with lots of productive things to do so I stay busy. When I am not busy, I sometimes get lost in my thoughts which can trigger anxiety.
Find a friend/family, find your technique, and make sure you put your health before anything else. Most of all, you are not alone. YOU GOT THIS.
Let me know down below any techniques you have that are working for you. I love to hear other people’s stories as well!
0
