Anxiety is a hugely problematic mental health issue that can affect a person’s ability to work, relax, enjoy time with friends and family, and even do what others might think of as small things around the house. It can completely stop someone’s life in its tracks.
Although anxiety is something that you do need to speak to your doctor about in order to get a diagnosis and plenty of good advice, there are some things you can do for yourself that will help you deal with the symptoms, if not the root cause. This can be a good start during your recovery journey. Read on to find out what you can do if you have anxiety to help yourself when you’re feeling overwhelmed.
Distraction
One of the best things someone can do if they suffer from anxiety is to distract themselves from the feeling. The issue might still be there, but by using a variety of different distraction techniques (some will work better than others), you’ll find that you can drown out the feeling and calm yourself.
Distraction techniques might include playing a game on your phone, watching TV, listening to music, going for a walk, or cooking something. Just don’t go on social media because that can make your anxiety worse. You only need to be distracted for long enough for the feelings to diminish, so it doesn’t have to interrupt your day too much.
Think About What You’re Putting In Your Body
Did you know that a poor diet can add to your feelings of anxiety, and a healthy, well-balanced diet can help you keep control of these feelings? It’s amazing what eating the right foods can do, and as well as helping to keep you in control and reduce anxiety, a good diet will help with stress, depression symptoms, and your physical health as well.
Take some time to plan your meals at the start of the week (which can also be an excellent distraction), so you know that every meal will be a healthy one. You can also add supplements like CBD oil if you feel that would help you – many people use it to reduce their anxiety.
Deep Breathing
You breathe all the time – you have to! – so you might not think about breathing when it comes to dealing with your anxiety, but it can actually help a lot. One of the issues that comes out when you have an anxiety attack, for example, is that your chest becomes tight, and breathing becomes more difficult. This increases the panic you are feeling, and it also means you are getting less oxygen to your brain, so thinking clearly is much more challenging.
When you feel anxious, either before your chest becomes tight or when it already has, you need to focus on your breathing. You need to breathe deeply, hold your breath for a couple of seconds, and then breathe out slowly – the key is to be in control. Do this until you start to feel calmer. Many people also find it useful to practice deep breathing exercises every day, even if they aren’t feeling anxious, as it reduces the chances that anxiety will creep up on them.
