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How To Deal With Your Anxiety

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How To DEAL WITH ANXIETY

Public speaking, talking in front of your boss, performing in a competition, or even just reading aloud is a common trigger of anxiety. If your job or hobbies require this, your doctor or therapist can work with you to learn ways to be more comfortable in these settings.

Also, positive reinforcements from friends and colleagues can help you feel more comfortable and confident.

Being Liked In The Age Of Social Media

Social anxiety in teenagers is linked to the desire to fit in. Its natural for adolescents to want to be accepted by their peers, but the pressure to be liked is twofold when you live in the age of social media.

You worry about how you present yourself to your peers in person, and you worry about how you present yourself on your social media accounts. It is a task many cannot rise to. Assessing your worth by the number of likes and followers isnt the only reason why social media can cause anxiety.

It seems that depression and smartphones are inextricably connected. If you spend more time gazing at your phones screen, you are more likely to experience anxiety and depression. At the same time, if you suffer from feeling lonely and inadequate, you tend to seek solace in your phone. Its a vicious cycle that you can break only if you acknowledge it and make conscious steps toward changing your habits.

Social media is also detrimental to your mental health because it allows anyone to say anything. As a high school student, you are susceptible to letting other peoples opinions about you affect your self-esteem. Its nothing to be ashamed of, yet it can be hazardous if you dont learn how to pay no attention to the comments on your social media posts.

Therapies For Anxiety Disorder

Cognitive behavioral therapy is often described as the gold standard therapy for anxiety disorders, CBT is a short-term therapy whose core principle is that what we think, how we feel, and how we behave are all closely connected and together strongly influence well-being. During therapy sessions, children gradually grasp that what they think and do affects how they feel. They also learn how to challenge and question the validity of negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones. CBT helps kids understand that avoiding their fear makes the fear stronger while facing the fear will make the child stronger. The therapist helps the child practice techniques to help them face their worries and tolerate the associated anxiety and builds up their confidence through praise and through their accomplishments.

Through exposure to anxiety-producing situations, the child will be better able to tolerate anxiety-provoking situations and the associated worries. For CBT to be successful, the child must be willing to actively and consistently participate in the therapy and do the required exercises outside of sessions. For some children, especially young children, that can be challenging so its really important that the child and the therapist have a strong relationship.

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How To Do It

To practice 4-7-8 breathing, find a place to sit or lie down comfortably. Be sure you practice good posture, especially when starting out. If youre using the technique to fall asleep, lying down is best.

Prepare for the practice by resting the tip of your tongue against the roof of your mouth, right behind your top front teeth. Youll need to keep your tongue in place throughout the practice. It takes practice to keep from moving your tongue when you exhale. Exhaling during 4-7-8 breathing can be easier for some people when they purse their lips.

The following steps should all be carried out in the cycle of one breath:

  • First, let your lips part. Make a whooshing sound, exhaling completely through your mouth.
  • Next, close your lips, inhaling silently through your nose as you count to four in your head.
  • Then, for seven seconds, hold your breath.
  • Make another whooshing exhale from your mouth for eight seconds.
  • When you inhale again, you initiate a new cycle of breath. Practice this pattern for four full breaths.

    The held breath is the most critical part of this practice. Its also recommended that you only practice 4-7-8 breathing for four breaths when youre first starting out. You can gradually work your way up to eight full breaths.

    Tip : Challenge Anxious Thoughts

    How to help your child manage their anxiety ...

    If you suffer from chronic anxiety and worry, chances are you look at the world in ways that make it seem more threatening than it really is. For example, you may overestimate the possibility that things will turn out badly, jump immediately to worst-case scenarios, or treat every anxious thought as if it were fact. You may also discredit your own ability to handle lifes problems, assuming youll fall apart at the first sign of trouble. These types of thoughts, known as cognitive distortions, include:

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    Keep A Thought Diary And Challenge Any Negative Thinking

    Writing down what youre worrying about can help you to clear your head and reduce stress and anxiety. You could keep a journal or have a notes file in your phone, and write down your thoughts whenever youre feeling anxious. Its almost like youre transferring them out of your head and into your journal.

    Doing this can also help you to see what youre thinking about more clearly and to challenge negative thinking. If youre having trouble challenging your thinking, you could try asking someone you trust or a therapist to help you out.

    What Causes Anxiety In Children

    Research shows that biology, biochemistry, and environmental factors play a role. While anxiety disorders do run in families, a family history doesnt mean a child is destined to develop a disorder. Much depends on the childs nature, innate sensitivity, experiences, and family dynamics. For some children, stressful or traumatic events can set off an anxiety disorder.

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    Tip : Distinguish Between Solvable And Unsolvable Worries

    Research shows that while youre worrying, you temporarily feel less anxious. Running over the problem in your head distracts you from your emotions and makes you feel like youre getting something accomplished. But worrying and problem solving are two very different things.

    Problem solving involves evaluating a situation, coming up with concrete steps for dealing with it, and then putting the plan into action. Worrying, on the other hand, rarely leads to solutions. No matter how much time you spend dwelling on worst-case scenarios, youre no more prepared to deal with them should they actually happen.

    Work With Anxiety Not Against It

    How To Deal With Anxiety At Work

    Steven Hayes, professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Nevada in Reno, a prominent figure in the field of mental health and, more importantly, a man who is no stranger to panic attacks himself advocates for a more self-compassionate and self-accepting way of dealing with anxiety.

    In fact, Prof. Hayes is the founder of one of the newest and most innovative forms of cognitive behavioral therapy, called acceptance commitment therapy . This form of therapy starts with the acceptance and neutral, non-judgemental observation of negative thoughts, and moves toward bringing the client into the present moment and helping them lead a meaningful life.

    In this video, he explains why seeing anxiety as your enemy is not helpful. If you see your feelings of anxiety as your enemy, he says, then you see your personal history as your enemy if your physical sensations are your enemy, then your body is your enemy and fighting your anxiety means fighting yourself.

    This self-denial and self-avoidance are what ultimately leads to psychopathologies, Prof. Hayes notes. Instead, he suggests, try to hold your fear in a self-compassionate way. Bring that frightened part of you close and treat it with some dignity.

    Its perhaps worth mentioning that ACT has proven effective in the treatment of anxiety in a wide range of

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    How Does The 4

    Breathing techniques are designed to bring the body into a state of deep relaxation. Specific patterns that involve holding the breath for a period of time allow your body to replenish its oxygen. From the lungs outward, techniques like 4-7-8 can give your organs and tissues a much-needed oxygen boost.

    Relaxation practices also help bring the body back into balance and regulate the fight-or-flight response we feel when were stressed. This is particularly helpful if youre experiencing sleeplessness due to anxiety or worries about what happened today or what might happen tomorrow. Swirling thoughts and concerns can keep us from being able to rest well.

    The 4-7-8 technique forces the mind and body to focus on regulating the breath, rather than replaying your worries when you lie down at night. Proponents claim it can soothe a racing heart or calm frazzled nerves. Dr. Weil has even described it as a natural tranquilizer for the nervous system.

    The overall concept of 4-7-8 breathing can be compared to practices like:

    • Alternate nostril breathing involves breathing in and out of one nostril at a time while holding the other nostril closed.
    • Mindfulness meditation encourages focused breathing while guiding your attention to the present moment.
    • Visualization focuses your mind on the path and pattern of your natural breathing.
    • Guided imagery encourages you to focus on a happy memory or story that will take your mind off your worries as you breathe.

    Assist Them In Finding Help

    Studies done to help uncover how to help someone with anxiety and depression show psychotherapy applied alone or together with pharmacology, can be helpful in symptom management. Therapists learn how to treat people with anxiety, and they can provide the help you cant and shouldnt .

    If your partner is not attending therapy, assist them in finding adequate help. Also, consider having separate sessions to learn how to handle people with anxiety better and take care of yourself in the process. Therapy can make the process of learning how to help your partner with anxiety much easier on both of you.

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    Mixed Anxiety & Depression Explained

    Anxiety and depression have similar causes and some people can experience symptoms of both conditions at the same time. If youve been experiencing both low mood and persistent worry, tension, and unease, click below to learn more about the relationship between anxiety and depression.

    How To Deal With Generalised Anxiety & Excessive Worry

    There are many effective treatments for generalised anxiety disorder, including psychoeducation, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy , and medication.

    For some people, medication will be the first line of treatment for anxiety. Although these medications are, somewhat confusingly, called antidepressants, they are effective for treating anxiety disorders.

    Medication is generally recommended if someone is experiencing very intense worry, especially if they are too worried to try CBT. Antidepressant medications arent generally recommended as a first-line treatment for mild anxiety.

    Different antidepressant medications work in different ways. You may need to trial more than one type to find the medication that works best for you. Make sure to keep in close contact with your prescribing physician during the early stages of taking medications the side effects can often be difficult to deal with.

    Some things to remember when taking these medications are:

    What is CBT?

    Do I Need Treatment For Anxiety

    How to Cope at a Party When Anxiety is Your Plus

    Thereâs a lot you can do on your own to relieve anxiety, but sometimes you need help. Psychotherapy and medication are the two main treatments for anxiety disorders.

    Signs that itâs time to talk to a mental health professional include:

    • Constant or nearly constant anxiety
    • Anxiety that gets in the way of your daily activities, like work or social life
    • Anxiety about things that donât actually threaten you
    • Panic attacks

    Check your health insurance policy to see what mental health services your plan covers. Then, review a list of your in-network providers to find one to connect with.

    âYou donât want to add to your anxiety by paying big out-of-pocket fees,â Kissen says.

    Your primary care doctor may also be able to recommend a mental health professional with experience treating anxiety and anxiety disorders.

    Rosmarin notes that itâs important to find a provider you click with and trust. He also says therapy doesnât need to go on indefinitely to be effective.

    âA course of cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety may be eight to 10 sessions,â he says. âThereâs also data to suggest that people feel substantially better after just one therapy session for panic disorder.â

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    Also Check: What’s An Anxiety Attack

    Fake It Till You Make It

    Credit: Jon Tyson

    The culture of achievement in which we live today results in the need to do better all the time. You work on yourself so much that you are at risk of not noticing the effects the constant effort has on your well-being. This can be another negative aspect of positivity culture since it endorses constant action and optimism.

    At the same time, the pressure to succeed causes anxiety. You can feel negatively about yourself if you miss your daily workout session or an internship opportunity you thought would be the next step in your plan. You should applaud your desire to accomplish your goals, but you allow it to take priority over your mental health.

    Things To Avoid With Your Anxiety

    It starts with what to avoid. Many people don’t realize that they are unintentionally contributing to their own anxiety. Only by avoiding common anxiety mistakes will you be able to cope. Some examples include:

    • Moping Coping with anxiety requires you to take action. But stress makes you want to mope. Spending time alone, in silence, with your own thoughts can be nice once in a while, but often thoughts are your enemy when you have anxiety. Distractions, staying active, and trying to be as social as possible are important.
    • Bad Foods Diet does play a role in anxiety. Those with panic attacks should avoid caffeine, because they seem to be a trigger of panic. Fattening foods, refined sugars, alcohol, and fried foods also exacerbate anxiety symptoms. Eating habits don’t usually “cause” anxiety, but they make it worse, and the worse your anxiety symptoms are the more your anxiety will bother you.
    • Anxiety-producing Stimuli Anxiety is a cumulative condition. The more anxiety you experience in your daily life, the more your other anxiety symptoms get worse. That means that you should avoid horror movies, dark alleys at night, spending time with people who are reckless – anything that produces anxiety should be controlled, to avoid the anxiety from getting worse.

    You also need to avoid falling back into your old anxiety habits. Coping with anxiety is about commitment, so assuming you’ve corrected your anxiety problem and getting back to your old habits will harm you as well.

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