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

]

[demonblaster]

Hi Ecomama MB and readers ☺

Yes Eco anxiety it is full on fear which in turn adds to our anguish.
There's such a powerful sense of desperation needing to stop the intense feelings.

We're not in control which we can take back.
For me self talk works.
No! I'm not having this. I'll be ok and deep breathing.

Good point it's the mind trying to protect us. Although we feel there's only bad stuff going on which there is I think we're not aware of our minds also trying to help.
I think anxietys built up stress releasing.

Thanks for that good input hun.
I'm glad it's helping you and potentially many more people ☺

MB hiya. Another helpful post.
Yes distractions a good diversion of our focus.
When we're anxious same with depression which I suspect both are strongly linked our focus is solely on "how we're feeling" which can't help either problem because that keeps us in that frame of mind and often deepens.

We can get through both they say.
I think at the least the majority of people can.

We need to focus our minds on how we can handle the problems.

Talking to people can not only help with understanding they too often have experience or know of someone going through it.

There's a lot of knowledge out there.
I believe we're all capable of learning which is how we can bring on change.

I haven't read all of this thread but what I have, there's a lot of useful posts that do work and might for someone else.

Belief that we can get better carries a lot of power. It opens our minds to new thinking strategies that anxiety/depression block.

We do have the tools...intelligence and survival. Both carry enourmous power.

Best wishes dear people

New beginnings 🌱 start with us

⚘

[Doog]

Hi demonblaster, you gave me a royal chuckle on that one. I still have anxiety and "cold water" just reminded me of the times when I visit my kids and they insist I come into the ocean lol. So here I am enjoying the sunshine and fresh air, but afraid to go in above the waist for fear of anxiety, that in younger years was exhilarating to dive in fearlessly LOL. Now the cold freaks me out, as do thunderstorms, heavy wind, bad weather in general, I start to feel uneasy like a doom and gloom is descending on my life. So good call! cold water isn't for everyone. Maybe it's related to heightened senses, like the shock of cold water can bring on an anxiety attack. Not sure, but you made it a great post nonetheless. Smiling still!

[demonblaster]

Hi Doog and everyone ☺ welcome to bb and thanks for joining in posting. It's a tight solid community here without judgement criticism or hassles the high majority of time.

Thanks for that ☺ maybe because of the shock people with heart probs shouldnt do the ice water. Glad you had a chuckle 😊

It's very brave of you to go into the water seriously that's deserving of self praise. You have major wins with those type of accomplishments

You're also through facing fears be heading towards getting control over the mind I'd say. Gotta be a win. Boom

My dear Dad wasn'r allowed in the water till he could swim... hymm tricky one. He also was incredibly brave and did same as you. Up to the waste.

We temporarily don't have control when anxiety lands which adds to our fear.

Mind work helps. We are capable of rational thought while suffering from anxiety and depression.

First things to refocus on how we feel about what's happening to how can we make this better...

1. ..Problem
2. ..What can we do to fix it

3...How do we do it

4...Then start on it

Especially breathing. We become incredibly tense... the body needs the oxygen and it redirects our focus.

Nice meeting you Doog, might see you around the traps here.

Anyones welcome to chime in ☺ chances are high one persons comment and exoeriences could help potentially many.

Cyaz later ⚘

[Oat_milk_queen]

It’s such a small but meaningful quote, and one of my favourites. If your worried of judgment from others all you need to remember is those who judge don’t and shouldn’t matter to you

[demonblaster]

Hi everyone 👋 and welcome Oat milk queen. Great starting post I want to remember that one it holds so much wisdom.

Do you know who wrote it at all? It'd be a good one for another thread. I'll bbl if I can find out if it can be reposted.

This threads about self help tips for anxiety if you're having any problems with feel free to post but no probs if you don't.

I'll let you know the name of the other thread near future.

Hope you find these friendly forums helpful, thanks to this amazing place there's a lot of support advice and encouragement.

Might see you around the traps ☺

Best to you ⚘

[demonblaster]

Hi everyone 👋

As we well know anxiety carries a lot of power.
Never forget it's part of beasty's (depression) armour that we can dismantle.

As wisely mentioned in a previous post it also can alert us that we have deeper issues needing attention. I think anxietys our minds way of releasing built up stress.

• While we do as the experts have learnt need to hear our thoughts our best line of defence is to listen but try not to feel the emotions attached. Instead ...don't stop there at the first thought which I think contributes to our anxiety growing.

Keep in mind we don't have to fully trust doubts.

• By pushing past our first thought we make room in our minds to allow and explore other possibilities opening our minds to have rational thought.
I find they're there which is calming but if we don't think further we can't access them.

• If we think what are the chances of it happening. (mindspot) helps too.

I try to remember that if/when something does happen I'll have to deal with it then so as not to use up negative energy now when it may not happen at all.

• Acknowledging it's anxiety/depression I find helps too. This often passes.
Our first thoughts are not always how we perceive it in troubled times due to the above.

Though it does prepare us and can help to be aware if possible as we know if we're not keeping check on our thoughts anxiety steps up adding fear.

• Importantly keep breathing nice and deep a few times often.
This not only takes the focus off what's going on, it also gets needed oxygen circulating. Anxiety and depression create tension. Deep breathing can also help with relaxation.

Knowing Anxiety can be controlled is comforting. Like anything worthwhile we have to learn practise and believe in our capabilities which are way stronger than we usually credit ourselves for.

Best to everyone ☺

[Sean_S]

Great post demonblaster. Much wisdom 🙂

I especially like. "I try to remember that if/when something does happen I'll have to deal with it then so as not to use up negative energy now when it may not happen at all." I always tell myself the quotes "He who suffers before it is necessary suffers more than necessary", or '“I've lived through some terrible things in my life, some of which actually happened.”
Sean

[CalmCat]

Hi demonblaster,

What an amazing post!

So many great tips!

Regards,

cc

[demonblaster]

Many thanks Sean and Calmcat (great name btw)

Recently I had a few flare ups but fortunately was able to defuse them.

Good days everyone ☺

[Norcam]

Hi. New to BB but was really motivated to join after listening to latest podcast. The greatest thing I have discovered to combat my anxiety is Yoga Nidra meditation. There are so many on Youtube and it has been life changing for me. My problems came to a head in the form of chronic insomnia which was based on anxiety. Tried so so many treatments but Nidra has been absolutely amazing.