If you often worry, tense, think negatively, or feel that something bad will happen, you may have an anxiety disorder. The exact cause of anxiety is still unknown, but people with this condition share the same risk factors, such as having family members who also suffer from anxiety, experiencing trauma, or suffering from other mental illnesses. Fortunately, you can reduce symptoms and manage anxiety with the right combination of medication, cognitive approaches, and lifestyle changes.
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Method 1 of 4: Adopting a Healthy Lifestyle
Step 1. Seek social support, even if you don't want it
People who have strong social relationships tend to be able to cope with life's problems more healthily than people who don't. Create new social relationships to support you as you struggle with anxiety. You could join an anxiety support group, participate in a religious or spiritual organization, or hang out with close friends frequently.
- The sense of belonging and entertainment from others has a drastic impact on overall health. In fact, research shows that older people without strong social support have a higher risk of mortality.
- Loneliness may be more harmful to health than obesity, and can shorten life as much as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Therefore, spending time with other people is important.
Step 2. Prioritize sleep
Sleep and anxiety have a complicated relationship like a chicken and an egg. Lack of sleep can cause anxiety, and anxiety causes sleep disturbances. Therefore, try to sleep at least seven hours every night. Try these tips for quality sleep:
- Let the body get used to sleeping on a regular schedule.
- Go to bed at the same time every day.
- Turn off electronic devices 1 hour before bed.
- Create a bedroom that is comfortable and just for sleeping.
- Make your bedroom cool and dark.
- Exercise, but not 2-3 hours before bedtime.
- Create a relaxation ritual for you to do every night.
- Use aromatherapy such as lavender to promote relaxation.
- Don't drink caffeinated drinks after noon.
- Avoid eating right before bed.
- Spend time basking in the sun every day.
- Quit smoking (nicotine can affect sleep).
- Do not drink alcoholic beverages 2 hours before bedtime.
Step 3. Exercise every day
In addition to maintaining overall health, exercise has a major impact on mental health. Physical activity will produce endorphins, body chemicals that cause feelings of pleasure. As a result, regular exercise can release stress and distract from anxiety.
Doctors recommend exercising for about 30 minutes every day of the week. You can walk, jog, row, bike, or whatever. However, choose an activity that you can do every day
Step 4. Adopt a balanced diet
While you may not understand the connection between food and feelings, it does exist. Certain foods and drinks can make anxiety worse, for example: refined sugar or caffeine. Drink plenty of water and eat a balanced portion of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, dairy products, and lean protein.
- Build a diet with fresh foods, fish, whole grains, legumes, whole grains, and healthy oils that support your mental health. In addition, reduce processed foods and snacks that can negatively affect mental health.
- Prebiotics and probiotics are both important for digestive health. While it's okay to take supplements, they can be found in food. Eat raw vegetables and fruits that are rich in fiber to increase your intake of prebiotics. For example, eat tomatoes, mangoes, apples, and bananas. Meanwhile, to increase your intake of probiotics, eat yogurt containing live or active cultures, sauerkraut, kimchi, miso soup, kefir, tempeh, and kombucha.
- There are many studies linking caffeine to increased anxiety. Caffeine has been shown to increase anxiety, depression, and feelings of displeasure. Avoid caffeine in soda, coffee and tea (choose decaffeinated varieties), as well as chocolate.
Step 5. Cut down on alcohol and other depressants
Maybe you drink alcohol to ease your anxiety, but alcohol actually makes it worse. Release your stress and anxiety in healthy ways, such as listening to music or talking to friends, instead of using drugs and alcohol.
Step 6. Watch yourself
When you're fighting a mental illness, such as anxiety, you may be so focused on feeling better and fulfilling your responsibilities that you forget to take care of yourself. Pamper yourself to reduce stress. Choose something special that you will look forward to every day.
- Clean your home once a week so it doesn't get too messy. In addition, pay your bills every month on a fixed date.
- Plan something fun each day, like chatting with friends, taking a hot bath, drinking your favorite cup of tea (decaffeinated), or watching your favorite sitcom. Think of this as a special time for yourself.
- Do whatever you need to to reduce stress, the solution may not be the same for everyone.
Method 2 of 4: Applying Deep Breathing Exercises
Step 1. Find a quiet place where you can be alone without distractions
Close the door, if possible. Once you get into the habit of practicing your breathing, you'll be able to get rid of all distractions and breathe deeply around other people.
Step 2. Sit up straight with a flat back
You can sit on a chair or cross-legged on the floor, which is important.
You can lie down if you have to. However, remember that sitting up straight allows your lungs to be filled to their maximum capacity, and it's the best way to practice deep breathing
Step 3. Rest your arms
Place your arms on the armrests or thighs. This position relaxes the shoulders and aids relaxation.
Step 4. Inhale slowly through your nose
Take a deep breath through your nose for 4 seconds. The lower abdomen will expand with the breath.
Step 5. Hold
Hold your breath in your chest for one to two seconds.
Step 6. Release
Now, exhale all the air from the lungs through the mouth. You will hear a "whoosh" sound as the air exits your mouth. Pay attention to the stomach will deflate with the exhalation.
Step 7. Wait a few seconds
To avoid hyperventilating, wait a few seconds before taking another breath.
Step 8. Repeat
Do the same sequence for about five minutes. Deep breathing that is considered effective for relieving anxiety is six to eight cycles per minute. However, find a natural rhythm that is most comfortable for you.
Step 9. Do this exercise twice a day
Practice deep breathing exercises at least twice a day for five minutes each session.
Remember, don't just breathe deeply when you're feeling anxious. Apply these exercises to manage anxiety symptoms and avoid stress
Step 10. Combine deep breathing with other relaxation strategies
You can apply this exercise alone or combine it with other relaxation techniques for support, such as meditation and yoga.
Method 3 of 4: Reorganizing the Mind
Step 1. Identify destructive thought patterns
Cognitive distortions are unhealthy or irrational thoughts that exacerbate anxiety and depression. Consider the following most common cognitive distortions and see if you can spot patterns when you talk to yourself.
- Yes or nothing (or black and white) thinking: Viewing situations in absolute categories, for example, something must be good or bad, right or wrong, without uniqueness, complexity, or gray areas.
- Mental filter: Exaggerating the negative and minimizing the positive.
- Jump to conclusions: Assuming that other people's reactions are caused by you, predicts that the future will be negative.
- Exaggerating or understating: Maximizing or minimizing the importance of the situation
- Overgeneralization: perceive negative events as non-stop patterns.
- "Should" statements: Judging yourself or others based on what "should", "should", "shouldn't", "should" or "should" do.
- Emotional thinking: Thoughts based solely on emotions, for example, "I feel stupid, so I am stupid."
- Ignoring the positive: Downplaying the value of your own positive achievements or attributes.
Step 2. Ask if your negative distortion is valid
To reduce negative self-talk, you must acknowledge whether you do have a negative distortion, then make a conscious effort to challenge the statement:
- First, identify negative language: "I know they're all watching me and I realize they all think I'm weird."
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Then, challenge this thought with one of the following questions:
- What would I say to a friend who said that?
- What is the evidence that this thinking is correct?
- What is the evidence that this thinking is not true?
- Am I misinterpreting "probability" as "uncertainty"?
- Are these thoughts based on my feelings or facts?
Step 3. Try to frame negative thoughts
The main focus of cognitive restructuring is knowing when you're thinking things that don't help, challenging the truth of those thoughts, and turning them into positive, uplifting thoughts. Reframing negative thoughts is one way to think more realistically and reduce anxiety.
Taking the example above, the thought "They all look at me and think I'm weird" can be changed to improve the mood, not destroy it. Try reframing it with statements like, "I don't know what they think of me, it could be good or bad. But I know who I am, and I'm proud of myself."
Step 4. Set a half hour "time to worry" in a day
Please worry at this set time. Choose a time well before bedtime so worries and anxieties don't interfere with sleep.
Step 5. Recognize and postpone worries
Realize your concern by paying attention to what it feels like. If your thoughts make your body tense, your heart pounding, your hands twisting, or other signs of anxiety, call them worry. Then, when you start to feel anxious and realize that you are worried, identify what you are thinking.
Write your worries down on a worry list, if necessary, and say that you can think about them later. Try to clear your head and continue with your daily activities
Step 6. Let go of worries at the appointed time
During this particular time to worry, don't just think about what bothered you that day. Grab your pen and list, then work on resolving any concerns.
Research on stimulus control therapy shows that the four steps to recognizing worries, namely setting aside specific time to think about them, recognizing and delaying worries, and finding solutions, are the best methods for reducing worry
Step 7. Realize the power you have to control negative thoughts and worries
At first, putting off worrying seemed impossible. However, after practicing, you will be able to decide when and where you want to worry. Therefore, your day will not be spoiled by worries.
Method 4 of 4: Getting Professional Treatment
Step 1. Make an appointment with the doctor
If anxiety starts to interfere with school, work, relationships, or other activities, you should see a doctor. Your doctor can perform lab tests and examinations to determine the source of your anxiety.
- In some cases, anxiety is not an indication of mental illness, but rather a precursor to other health problems. Anxiety can be an early warning sign (or side effect) of heart disease, diabetes, asthma, and drug use and in the process of quitting drugs.
- In other cases, anxiety may be a side effect of medication. Talk to your doctor to determine if this might be what you are experiencing.
Step 2. Consult a mental health professional
If your GP can't find a medical cause, you can ask for a referral to see a psychiatrist, psychologist, or psychotherapist who has experience diagnosing and treating anxiety. Doctors can offer medication to relieve anxiety, but a combination of therapy and medication has a high success rate.
Step 3. Ask the therapist to explain your diagnosis
Conclusions alone will help nothing. Within the scope of mental health disorders, there is a class whose main feature is anxiety. A psychologist can evaluate your personal history, give you an assessment, and ask questions to determine the type of anxiety you have.
There are several possible disorders you may experience, such as anxiety disorder, panic disorder, phobias, stress after a traumatic event, obsessive compulsive disorder, or social anxiety disorder
Step 4. Decide what treatment options are best for you with the help of a therapist
While self-care techniques to relieve anxiety at home can help, these disorders should be treated by a professional. Mental health professionals usually use one of three methods, depending on the type and severity.
- Prescription drugs. Anxiety diagnoses are usually mistaken for depression because psychiatrists often prescribe antidepressants to reduce anxiety symptoms. Drugs that have been shown to treat anxiety are a class of drugs known as serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Other options are serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), benzodiazepines, and tricyclic antidepressants.
- Therapy. An empirically proven effective treatment for anxiety is cognitive behavioral therapy, which focuses on recognizing and changing unrealistic thought patterns that cause anxiety. Other potential therapeutic approaches are exposure therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing.
- The combination of the two.
Step 5. Be patient
There are many people who assume that their treatment is failing or not working because they don't want to wait. Also, consider that many anxiety sufferers try several different treatment options before finding the one technique that is most effective for managing their symptoms.
- You may have to wait a few weeks before you can see a psychologist or psychiatrist. So don't give up.
- Keep in mind that some medications can take up to 8 weeks for results to be felt.
