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

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[demonblaster]

Hey all just tagging for now ☺

[adobes]

I have recently become unwell and now suffer anxiety.

I started drawing with my son then colouring in the characters. My son loves it he picks out the characters for me to draw. I never knew it could be so relaxing.

[demonblaster]

Hi Jason a belated welcome and to several other new posters here ☺

I don't know if you found out so if not I'll repeat your question. Interesting.

"How does safe place mental imagery work?"

I've heard various versions of breathing. Recently this one I like.

3's easy.

Breathe. In 3 times & Out 3 times

On exhale say to yourself RELAX. This has been proven to help. I've physically felt my shoulders relaxing amidst other reasons no doubt.

The keys are;

• FOCUS; only on breathing. Keep redirecting your thoughts. It soon becomes automatic.
• SLOWLY; this has a calming effect and gets the oxygen in.

Later you might like to feel the air enter your lungs and sense the stress leaving your body on exhale.

[PamelaR]

Hello everyone

Thank you all for your wonderful ideas for reducing anxiety. Reading through this thread there are so many different ways people are managing their anxiety while continuing to live their lives.

I'd like to use this opportunity to bring the thread to the top of the post on a regular basis to make it easier to find when people do a google search for managing anxiety.

What have you found works for you to manage anxiety?

My own experience is -

• number one helper is slow, controlled, focussed breathing. In fact, it is about the only thing that stops my racing heart. One explanation for this is because when you breathe deeply into your diaphragm, you actually trigger a mechanism to counteract the adrenaline racing through your body.
• number two helper is to identify the cause of the anxiety. Generally it's because i've been triggered. It use to take me ages to identify, but my most recent psychologist has given me the tools to do this more quickly. It's as easy as listening to the instaneous changes to your body. That is immediately you are triggered there are physiological changes. When you recognise this change, immediately identify what your thoughts are at that time. Inevitably my thoughts are negative - I've done something wrong, how could I be so stupid, why did I do that, how could I have possibly done that, that person hates me. The challenge is to make sense of these thoughts. Where did they come from, why do i think that. To - these thoughts are not right, not helpful, no evidence to support them.

I think I've made it sound easy. It's not, it takes a lot of work, self reflection, building of self esteem, selfworth and self confidence. All this takes time!

What are your tips?

Kind regards

PamelaR

[TheatreGal]

So many great ideas in this thread!

My latest distraction tool when at home alone and feeling the anxiety rising for no immediately apparent reason (as it sometimes can!) is jigsaw puzzling! Very good for focusing the mind... now where does this piece go?

[Morgan241191]

Great posts!

Some of the ways in which I cope with stress and anxiety are:

1. Listening to music

2. Talking with a friend that is going through similar things

3. Watching TV or YouTube

4. Reading a book

5. Waking up early and having a hearty breakfast

[AquaDiamond]

Hello All,

I wanted to share a couple books/ apps/ tools with you all that I swore by when first experienced anxiety 10 years ago.

They are by an author called Barry Mcdonagh. He is an inspiration and has dealt with anxiety himself.

10 years ago he released a book called

*Panic Away*

including cds that you could listen to. I found it such a help back then.

I have just discovered and working through a book he has recently released called

*Dare*

containing access to a free app containing further techniques and mindfulness tools to assist with the techniques mentioned in the book.

I relate and understand his technique very much and the way he helps you overcome individual sensations is unreal.

HIGHLY recommend both books

In addition to the book *Dare* there is a work book you can purchase to work through the journey.

Recap

Author: Barry Mcdonagh

Panic Away

Dare

Dare Workbook

[Chloe_M]

Hey Aqua

Thanks for posting those suggestions. I am sure they will help lots of people 🙂

Also, welcome to the forums! From what I can tell you are new here 🙂 glad to have you around

If you have any other personal tips feel free to share them! What works for you could benefit someone else reading this thread.

Also, if you have a thread maybe you could post the link/thread name so I can check it out

x Chloe

[AquaDiamond]

Hi Chloe

Thankyou for your reply.

I hope these resources help others.

My thread is 'I'm new....Anxiety setbacks under welcome and orientation.

[KiiKii]

I agree with minimising social media. I deleted the facebook app from my phone (I still have messenger) so I'm not checking it all the time. I just check it for a few 5 minute blocks at night. Feels a lot better and I'm not stressing about missing out. It also means I don't check facebook before bed anymore, so I wind down a bit more before sleep.

I also like using an organiser. I have an app called Wunderlist. I syncs with my computer, I use it for work (I often have a lot of little tasks at work), you can set due dates etc. I feel calmer when things are organised that way 🙂