Everybody gets the feeling of anxiousness at times. Anxiousness can arise when someone faces external pressures or overwhelm, but also can come as a result of internal chemical imbalances in the brain. With anxiety, the stress response of your body is turned on and the instant rush of the stress hormone is the response for survival. It makes you ready to react quickly and protect yourself whenever you require protection. When you are feeling scared or you are not sure that you are secure, anxious feelings prompt you to become cautious.
A lot of people get the feeling of being in certain situations that cause stress to them but are not dangerous. For instance, some people get anxious while meeting new people, giving presentations, speaking in front of the class, etc.
Some of the common signs of anxiety feeling are:
- Getting nervous
- Feeling helpless
- Heart increases
- Feeling panicked, or a sense of doom or danger
- Profusely sweating
- Fanatically thinking
- Hyperventilation
- Quaking
The feeling of anxiety can interfere with your daily activities and is sometimes difficult to control. They are out of section from real danger and can lead you to avoid certain situations or even places.
If you are getting anxious feelings in certain situations, then you are not alone. But it’s important to learn how to cope with anxiety, or else it can hold you back or make you avoid things that you love to do. Rather than avoiding things that give you anxiety, it’s good to face them.
If you are getting random anxiety feelings that are coming in the way of your tasks and focus, then some ways can assist you in taking control of this situation.
Ways to cope with anxiety
1. Find out what is bothering you: To reach the main cause of your anxiety, you have to find out what is bothering you. You can do this by making some time to explore all your thoughts and your feelings. Writing a journal is one of the best ways to get in touch with the root cause of your anxiety.
If the anxiety feelings are keeping you awake at night, then keep a journal or a notepad right next to your bed. You can note down all the things that are worrying you. Talking with close ones is another way to find and understand all your anxious feelings.
2. Do focused and deep breathing: Whenever you feel anxiety, take your time out and think of what it is and why it is making you nervous. Anxiety often arises because of getting worried about something in the future or any past event. No matter what is worrying you, a major part of you are not being aware of the present moment.
Anxiety slowly loses its grip when you take your focus away from the worry and bring awareness to the present. So, next time you get anxious, take control by sitting down and taking some deep breaths. Take some moment and breathe which helps you in restoring your sense of personal balance. When you get time, try to take this activity a little further and do experiments with some breathing exercises and mantra.
Breathing exercises are very powerful techniques for relaxing that can assist you in easing your mind and body from anxiety.
3. Try aromatherapy: Aromatherapy helps in decreasing the feeling of anxiousness in some of the settings. The practitioners of aromatherapy and the supporters often have seen several anecdotal advantages of this practice. Aromatherapy can be done by using essential oil, natural scents, chamomile, sandalwood, lavender, incense, and many other soothing things.
4. Do regular exercise: Many times, one of the best ways to stop all your anxious feelings is by leaving that situation and keeping moving. Focus on your body and not your mind which can assist you in relieving all your anxiety. Some of the low-impact exercises such as walking, tai-chi, and yoga can assist people in decreasing stress and managing their anxiety symptoms. Practicing some quick exercises can assist you in boosting your mood and calming down your mind.
5. Think of what you can change: Many times anxiety occurs because of fear of things that have not happened yet or might not occur also. For instance, when everything is okay, you might still feel worried about some potential problems like losing your job, being ill, or the safety of your loved ones.
Life is unpredictable and it does not matter how much you try, not everything is in your control. But you can decide on how to deal with the unknown. You can turn your anxiety feelings into your strength by allowing your fear to go and keeping your focus on gratitude.
You can replace your fears by bringing in change in the behavior about them. Like for example, you can stop being worried about losing your job, rather you can focus on feeling grateful that you have a job. Go to your work with a determination to do your best. Don’t get scared about your kid’s safety, rather spend a good time with them, and express all your appreciation of them. By practicing, you can easily pick up a positive outlook towards life.
In some cases, anxiety happens because of some real circumstances. Some situations are realistic to get worried like company layoffs which can make you scared of losing your job. In such a situation, taking the right action is the answer to decreasing your anxiety. You can start updating your resume and begin your job search. So, one of the best ways to cope with anxiety is by focusing on things that you can change.
In another situation not taking certain drugs can cause anxiety such as Valium. In such cases, valium detox is one of the best ways to cope with anxiety.
Conclusion
Most people are acquainted with experiencing anxiety from time to time. Methods that you can try are breathing, practicing gratitude, caring for yourself, journaling, and diverting yourself is helpful. But when anxiety starts affecting your relationships, performances, and other such areas of life, there is a high chance that those anxious feelings are because of some mental health illness.
If you are getting the symptoms of anxiety and panic attacks, consult your doctors or your mental health professional. They will address all your concerns, offer good information on diagnosis, and discuss all available treatments.