Practical advice for managing Anxiety
Further to my first Article covering “What is Anxiety?”, as promised I am now providing practical advice on managing Anxiety on a daily basis.
I have been astounded at the amount of interest I have had on this topic after posting my first article and am really pleased to be offering help for such a ubiquitous disorder.
Anxiety can be caused by a variety of reasons and can manifest itself in a plethora of ways (see my first article on my LinkedIn page) however, it doesn’t have to take over your life and it can be both managed and overcome.
Each sufferer is unique, and the challenges vary nevertheless this is general top line view of how to resolve Anxiety:
1) Acknowledge that what you are feeling is anxiety.
2) Become aware of what is triggering your anxiety – keep a note so you can find patterns.
3) Make mental and behavioural changes.
This all seems too easy doesn’t it? It is too easy, otherwise if all it requires is those 3 steps then you probably wouldn’t still be suffering.
Below, I have broken down some practical advice into three categories; Control, Mind and Body.
Control
Many people suffer from anxiety when they feel out of control of situations and scenarios in their lives. It is a harsh reality that we can’t control everything (or many things in truth) and those who find this thought to be particularly Anxiety inducing have a high chance of overcompensating and becoming overly-controlling of themselves and others.
Here are a few thoughts to ruminate on:
1) All you can control is your reaction to scenarios – having control over your thoughts is the most empowering skill in life. Do not onboard the emotions and behaviours of other for example someone else’s anger and frustration are their responsibility, not yours, do not react with anger. Allow others to feel what they feel, but do not burden yourself as it is not your responsibility to appease their emotions and reactions.
2) You can’t control other people – you can only influence others with your behaviour. The concept of controlling others is a misnomer and not even worth thinking about. What you can control yourself around others e.g. if you force someone into doing something that they don’t want to do, then you are likely to get a bad outcome or see them simply walk away from the task or situation.
3) Anxiety doesn’t speak the truth – anxiety is the most negative commentator of your life that you will ever meet. THOUGHTS ARE NOT REALITY. This is such a powerful sentence. Next time you catch yourself spiralling with negative thoughts, control and calm you mind by saying to yourself “these thoughts are not reality” and you will soon notice them subsiding so you can think clearly.
Mind
Learn to say no – Anxiety has a negative mindset and can overwhelm all your thoughts and decisions. It creates fear and shines a warped shadow over everything you experience. Learning to say “no” to these thoughts and interpretations of life will help free you from anxiety. It takes time but once mastered, you will see the world in a new light.
Body
There are certain things that aggravate anxiety and through management they can help you to operate more efficiently.
Substance control – both alcohol and caffeine can become unhealthy coping mechanisms when suffering with Anxiety yet ironically, they can enhance Anxiety too! Hang-xiety is a real thing! Try and control your consumption to reduce its impact.
Exercise – enhance your mood, increase blood flow and release endorphins with regular exercise. Controlling our exercise and body provides a sense of empowerment and achievement which helps with building confidence and mental strength.
Sleep – when feeling anxious, sleep can be difficult. So, make sure you keep a regular sleep pattern (enhanced by exercise and eased through less caffeine/alcohol) in preparation for when you are going through periods of Anxiety.
Anxiety is helped drastically with talking therapies and Coaching; get in touch with me at Danni@DannielleHaig.com to learn about how we can reduce your anxiety.