SELF HELP TIPS FOR MANAGING ANXIETY

[AGrace]

Hi Everyone,

Here are some ideas for helping you manage symptoms of anxiety. Feel free to add to the list, or let us know what works for you...

Mindfulness – Grounding exercises: noticing your environment, bodily sensations, and breath

Progressive Muscle Relaxation – Creating a Tension and Release effect with all the muscles in the body

Opposite Actions – By listening to calming music, taking a walk, talking, enjoying sunshine

Safe Place Mental Imagery – Visualising a place where you can go in your mind to feel safe

Calming Affirmations – To help recognise that the moment of panic will pass

Exercise – A valuable way to exhaust excess adrenalin built up in the body

[Moderator's note: this thread is for sharing what has worked for you to manage your anxiety. If you need support to manage your anxiety and would like to discuss this with the community, please start a new thread.

See also:

Anxiety management strategies

Worry worry worry

]

[Stargirl23]

I try to avoid watching the news and not be on social media all the time (because it can all be a bit too much and can also be triggering)

I do self care- face mask, paint my nails, makeup etc.

I read a lot, and a variety too. Self help is great particularly for mental wellbeing but also distracting myself with others types- memoir, fiction.

I do art- draw, paint, doodle, basically create! I love watercolours, it is a very calming medium.

I use a planner. My memory is terrible and to be organised I have to write things down and keep track of appointments, important things. It seems to help.

[cakeboss]

I find getting out of bed better when you wake early.I sit with the curtains shut and put my relaxation tape on which a counciler gave me.I was told to put my tape on when the anxiety is at its worse which is mornings for some odd reason.After the relaxation tape i then get in the shower and take my time and try to relax.I find sitting down worse so i try to do anything that i can distract myself from the anxiety.some days are worse i know and its impossible to get going.It sucks but i know i have to wait for the anxiety attack to settle and it does .Im having counciling to stop myself thinking way ahead of myself at things that may not have happened but i think that they are going to .Im working with a counciler to overcome this

[Tiffany1]

Everyone has hit on most of the main coping mechanisms I've come across, which is pretty cool. Good to know I'm on the right track.

I've seen my psychologist and tried to keep using CBT stuff by going through some further reading. Someone here has already suggested Sarah Edelman's stuff, her Change Your Thinking book really did help change my thinking, it's easy to slip back into old patterns, but you just gotta be aware, you can't pick up new thought patterns just like that.

Overcoming Low Self Esteem by Melanie Fennell - it's a similar deal with this book.

And I've purchased The Anger Workbook by Les Carter and The Assertiveness Workbook by Randy J Paterson. I'll be able to give an opinion when they come in the mail, very excited for these.

I have a few people I can call if my anxiety becomes too much. Know who is helpful for you to speak to about your mental health or if you are feeling particularly stressed.

Hobbies - people mention art here, but after art school I was constantly stressed out whenever I tried to be creative, thanks higher education. I also realised I had no other hobbies, it's ok to only have one hobby, but it's also ok to find more. I still can't draw without the voices coming back, but I've got hobbies I look forward to doing when I have down time from work.

Animals - I find them very soothing, so I spend time with my dog when I can. I have picked up occasional horse riding, which is the best thing ever. I will take a lap around the pet shop sometimes, or ask to pat people's dogs as they walk by.

If a bad spell of it hits me, I try surfing the bad thoughts. Watch and accept that there are bad thoughts, can you think of positive alternatives? Yes, great. If not, merely observe the bad thoughts because they are passing through your brain. Thought surfing is also a very cool phrase in my opinion.

That's all I can think of for now, I look forward to more tips and tricks from everyone.

[Guest_523]

Great post! When I get manic and so on it is hard for me to get off of that train however I do not always want take a sedative I make a huge effort to relax myself. Herb tea, getting lost in a movie. Sometimes though even if I walk 10 kilometers, cut firewood for hours after and cut the lawn, I still struggle with sleep. I do try and be positive. Thanks for your post it is awesome!

[Chelle88]

Great list!

The ways in which I cope with anxiety are walk within nature, deep breathing and lavender oil. Sounds silly but the smell of lavender oil is so calming. Try putting some on a tissue or hanky and having it handy when feeling anxious it really helps!

[Mrscoasty]

My distraction thought is trying to say the alphabet backwards. Counting back from 100 in 3’s sounds like a good one too.

[gremlinrx7]

Thank you for this thread. I’m new to this anxiety crap and this has helped me enormously. It made me get out my notepad and write down all the tips that seem helpful and also got me to write down my anxiety story for myself.

I’ve already tried some of the tips here and felt a little calmer.i don’t have any tips to share myself yet but thank you thank you for this thread!

[fringelily]

1. Don't watch the news - I just find it too distressing and anxiety inducing.

2. Stay off Facebook

3. Get outside and go for a walk. I always feel better afterwards, even if it's an immense struggle to actually get out of the door in the first place.

I sat on a bench yesterday next to the river. Just watched the reeds blowing in the wind, and the clouds. I was feeling really jittery in the morning yesterday, but I did feel calmer after going outside.

[KateER]

My anxiety has been at an all time high of late and I've found that these assist in the process of calming down. I'm still working on finding an answer to quick relief without medication, but I do recommend the following:

• Brainwaves app - this app can be found on the app store under 'Brainwave 35 Bilingual Programs'. There's over a dozen different programs, including anxiety reduction, morning meditation and deep relaxation. My advice is to stick your earphones in, put the brainwaves part up to 100% and the sound you choose to about 50% and focus on your breathing. The brainwaves really do help.
• Eat ice cubes - I do this especially when my anxiety turns into nausea. I'm not sure why it helps; could be because I'm hydrating myself or the coldness distracts me.
• Lavender oil - I've got a headache blend with lavender, rosemary and peppermint and I usually dab a little bit on my nose so I can smell it for a while.
• Writing down how you're feeling - I've only started this during the past week and keeping a journal isn't something I ever did, but my god it helps. I feel like it helps to expel all of your thoughts and feelings so they're out in the open and not bottled up inside. I tend to just write down whatever comes to mind. It can be sporadic thoughts or follow a certain train.
• Headspace app - a bloody god send. I'm only on the free one at the moment due to financial difficulties, but they have this daily 3 minute meditation which really helps setting myself up for the day.
• Muscle Tension - I tend to tense certain muscle groups and relax them. I think this may help because you're releasing that pent up tension or stress through muscle contractions, but either way, it's effective. Just don't squeeze too hard because I pulled a glute this morning.
• Exercise and diet - I love strength and weights training and whenever I'm feeling a little extra anxious, I lift a little heavier. Trust me, it's hard to focus on your anxiety when you're lifting 40kgs. I don't do much cardio, but I know it produces amazing endorphins and (especially during running) you're forced to breath deep. I've limited a lot of food that causes a feeling of nausea or uneasiness for me, such as gluten, refined sugar, fried or fatty foods and some dairy. I tend to eat a lot of whole foods with high nutritional content.
• Breath deep - easier said than done, but I recommend the Calm app which guides you through deep breathing.

Good luck!

[Sophie_M]

Hi everyone, this is a thread for sharing your self-help tips for managing anxiety. If you would like some support from the community on how to manage your anxiety, then please start a new thread so we can keep this thread focused on solutions.