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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[Haraldo]

Hello

Something that helps me is framing anxiety as future related and depression as past related.

So being present is really helpful for both.

I use exercise and grounding techniques to be present in my body now - especially if I'm starting to have panic attacks or depression is getting on top of me.

Walking is a really simple exercise you can do for free practically anywhere. And paying attention while you're walking to your breath and your muscles and how you pick your legs up and place your feet keeps you present in your body.

And just putting your feet on the ground and feeling it under you and stable is a very simple grounding technique that's accessible to nearly everyone, anywhere at any time of the day or night.

I don't drink any caffeinated things anymore either - or alcohol - and interestingly this (and lollipops) helped me quit smoking too.

Also saying NO to too many demands helps me. If someone can do something on their own, for themselves, and they ask you to do it for them, you can say No.

meditation helps too.

And talking - finding someone who you can really talk to is great. That might be a counsellor or psychologist or your sister.

Sometimes you have to let go of jobs, people and places that are making your anxiety or depression worse.

Sometimes your life situation will be making your anxiety worse and you will need to find daily managing techniques.

This whole thread has some great ideas for how to do that.

Here's another piece of advice that has helped me - half-arsing something is better than not doing it at all.

That might mean you eat cake for breakfast instead of not eating any breakfast.

Or you might walk around your building instead of going for an hour long walk.

Or you might brush your teeth and put on a clean pair of pjamas instead of having a shower and getting dressed.

That last tip might be more depression related - but they do get tangled. And it helps if you are getting overwhelmed by unexpected change to be open to half arsing things sometimes.

I hope that helps someone.

It's pretty uplifting to see all these posts with helpful ideas and tips.

Thanks everybody.

I didn't read all of them - but what I did read was really lovely.

[Coco_F]

Thanks. Most helpful.

[demonblaster]

Hi Haraldo Coco F and everyone ☺

Just wanted to thank you for your time and a great post Haraldo there's a lot of solid helpful techniques there.

I find walking good because there's a lot of distraction, cars people houses animals birdies etc for distraction and being outsides away from ourselves kind of too.

Nice being amongst it.

Thanks too to everyone contributing it all potentially could help others.

Take care and remember breathing nice deep & often. It does help.

Read the other day deep breathing helps with I think the frontal cortex or lobe that helps with rational thought. Rational was the crux but might have the wording wrong for what part of the brain gets activated.

When we can direct our thinking we'll be more in control and in better head space I'd think.

Take care ⚘🌱🕊

[ecomama]

Hey DB, nice to see this thread revived!

Hey Haraldo and Coco F, warm welcome to the forums, it's great having new members on board and sharing!

I liked reading your reminder, Haraldo, of depression being about the past and anxiety being about the future.

I also liked how you practically described actions that are good enough for today! Absolutely agree 100%.
I find just beginning a task, then doing it is great! Doesn't matter if it's not perfect. Getting it done is fine by me lol.

Perfectionism is a huge paralyser. It's not worth keeping such relentlessly high standards because perfectionism is unrealistic.

That topic and many others are covered beautifully in Brene Brown's podcast. Gosh some of those interviews are ones I recall and I smile about often.
Another is 'sitting with your feelings'. So instead of resisting or 'fighting' or distracting ourselves, actually exploring them. I personify each emotion into friendly monsters. Have a talk with it. Thank it.

Emotions seems to rest well then, miraculously!

In this age with the possibility of becoming lost in social media and the news full stop, I've found quitting this of huge benefit to my MH.

Knowing what we CAN control or what IS within our influence, then working within these parameters works to keep me achieving my goals.
Placing all else outside and allowing those in charge to take care of that (whether they do or don't, it's not my issue to worry over).
This is a Covey strategy, written many decades ago but more relevant now than ever!

Saluting the sun and dawn is one of my favourite things to do each morning.
Smiling as I greet a new day.
Saying thankyou for whatever pops into my head.
It's very calming and grounding.

Being able to self regulate is a wonderful goal.

Love EMxxxx

[GailMaree]

I’m glad someone else uses this as a coping mechanism. Sometimes my anxiety is di bad I just curl up and stream Netflix. My anxiety is paralizing so I can’t practice any form of self help.

Do others do what I do till they feel a bit better?

[demonblaster]

Hi GallMaree Ecomama readers and all.

GallMaree welcome darl to the forums all inputs greatly appreciated.

Yes I hope I'm putting in the past finding ways of blocking pain similar to what you're talking about.

The problem with that although it's a comfort zone for sure is I doubt our chances of overcoming or at least controlling anxiety which can be achieved with practice on new coping strategies can be reached.

I hope you find here's very helpful not just here but overall on various threads there's a lot of wisdom and techniques people have found helps them.

Thanks for posting hope to see you again hun ☺

Eco so sorry darl I've been meaning to get back to you here but landed at last.

Thanks as well for your insightful post hun it makes a lot of sense.

Yes I too am finding looking into anxiety thoughts and a must is breathing deeply that spreads the oxygen especially when in anxiety we tense up so much it helps relax as well as give us a different focus.

Anxiety is largely fear. It takes our thoughts as you mentioned eco to what ifs that might not eventuate so we waste a great deal of negative energy hyper focusing on things we'd have to deal with at the time. We can redirect this energy to help ourselves by changing our thought pattern.

I think it can help though if we can use the thoughts constructively like ok what can I do if it does happen and not allowing thoughts of I won't cope then we think and believe that.

I'm also slowly starting to learn to let rubbish thoughts drift and dismiss them by self talk. The more we think past our first thought it seems to open the mind to rational solutions.

Liking this Eco " Knowing what we CAN control or what IS within our influence, then working within these parameters works to keep me achieving my goals."

Yes it's an amazing feeling even doing just a part of something anxiety says we can't. We can by gently in small steps doing. The benefits are rewarding.

I guess our first step towards recovery is gently but firmly telling ourselves we CAN & WILL 😊

Recoverys within us all.

Take care everyone and thanks for the great input

🌱 new beginnings start with us

[missep123]

Someone once mentioned to me that when they were ruminating they imagined a red stop sign and told themselves 'STOP'.

I want to try practicing that!

[Adalaide]

I've definitely started doing this and it has helped a lot!

When I get really anxious I kind of forget how to stop talking or how to filter my thoughts so pretending there is a voice in my head yelling "STOP" as soon as I notice that I'm doing it has helped so much!

Another thing that I like to do is hold my own hand or put a hand on my chest so as it reminds me that I'm still in my body and is a great way for me to feel a bit more grounded.

[missep123]

Hi Adalaide!

I am so glad that 'STOP' has helped you! I have tried practicing it too and when I am successful at it, it really helps. I really need practice though because sometimes I am so stuck in my ways that it can be difficult introducing new techniques.

I really like the idea of feeling like you are still in your body! Sometimes I feel as though anxiety can take over your whole brain and you kind of feel like you are 'out' of your body.

Do you have any more tips?

[Learn to Fly]

Thank you Haraldo, great ideas and tips.