Buzz
Do you often catch yourself overthinking? Do you find yourself worrying about things that haven’t happened yet, but might? If so, you're likely dealing with anxiety. Anxiety is a type of repetitive thought that doesn’t serve a useful purpose. It doesn’t solve problems and, at times, can make the situation worse. When you're anxious, stress levels increase, impacting your decision-making ability, happiness, and relationships. Initially, anxiety may not seem severe, but it can quickly spiral out of control and dominate your life. If you feel unable to manage your anxious thoughts, it’s time to take back control of your mind and rid yourself of anxiety.
Steps
Identify the Anxiety
Understand What Anxiety Is. You can’t solve a problem unless you fully understand it, so the first step is to recognize your feelings of anxiety.
- Write down when you feel anxious. Jot down your emotions, what’s happening around you, and any thoughts running through your head. Paying attention to physical sensations – such as muscle tension or stomach discomfort – can also help. Later, review and analyze the possible causes of these feelings.
- Ask those close to you to point out when you seem anxious. Often, anxious individuals will ask many questions to feel like they understand what’s about to happen. People who are anxious tend to talk about their worries, and their friends or family will notice. Ask them to share when they see you in this state, as this can help identify what’s triggering your anxiety.
Distinguish between what's real and what's imagined. Anxiety often arises from the unknown. This is understandable, as the unknown tends to provoke fear. You may find yourself questioning the future. The problem is, these concerns might never actually become an issue, and you'll end up worrying unnecessarily. This is why anxiety rarely proves helpful. It's crucial to assess whether your worry is based on something currently happening or something that COULD potentially happen.
- Write down your worries. Focus on the situation at hand, and eliminate any concerns that are merely hypothetical. Focus only on the present, as that's all you can truly manage right now.
- You may plan and prepare for the future, but once you've done your best, accept that you've done all you can.
Question whether your thoughts are helpful. When thinking about a specific situation, it's easy to get lost in thoughts of what might happen. In stressful times, it becomes hard to discern whether you're thinking in a way that helps you cope with the situation at hand. Ask yourself if your thoughts are helping you escape the stress of the moment. If not, you’re simply spiraling into anxiety.
- For instance, imagine dealing with a car breakdown. You need to get to work but don't know how you'll manage without your car. You quickly start thinking that if you're absent, you'll lose your job, and then you begin imagining you won’t be able to afford rent, and soon you might be kicked out. As you can see, your thoughts snowball into worry. But by focusing on the immediate problem—getting to work—you release the anxiety about possible, but uncertain, future events.
- You love your children deeply and want to protect them from harm. So, you take every precaution to ensure their well-being. But you may spend sleepless nights thinking about every potential danger they faced that day. Shift your focus to their health, safety, and happiness in the present, so you can enjoy quality time with them, which benefits both you and them. Returning to the present moment will help you break the anxiety cycle.
Write down the things that worry you from the past, present, and future. Many people experience anxiety about their past and its lingering effects. Others worry about what they need to do right now and how it will impact their future. Some people worry about everything—whether it's past, present, or future. Writing down your concerns can help you feel lighter in the moment.
- Write down your worries every day. You can do this at the end of the day or whenever you feel anxious.
- Use your smartphone to document your concerns. You can use note-taking apps or specialized journaling apps designed specifically for this purpose.
Release your anxiety
Talk to someone you trust. Talking about your worries with someone you trust can be a valuable solution. You should talk to friends or family members who truly understand your feelings.
- Let your loved ones know that you're aware of your anxiety but need to clear your mind so you can move forward. People close to you will often understand and will happily offer a listening ear.
- If possible, try to connect with someone who shares similar concerns, as this can help reduce the sense of isolation. You both can support each other by focusing on the present reality you share.
- Sometimes, anxiety comes from the feeling that you're facing a difficult situation alone. Speak to someone who can offer the support and comfort you need to get through it.
Write a journal about the situations that trigger your anxiety. Continue writing until you’ve fully emptied yourself of the emotions involved. This free writing exercise will help you release some of the subconscious issues you're currently dealing with. You may find it surprising when you look back on what you’ve written, as often your anxieties are based on things you don’t fully understand consciously.
Talk to a therapist about your anxiety. A professional will help you unload your worries, address them, and eliminate them. Therapists understand that anxiety is a psychological state that can change. You simply need to work through them with the therapist’s guidance.
- Look for a therapist who specializes in helping people with anxiety disorders.
- Be open with your therapist about your goal to rid yourself of anxiety so you can feel more at ease and happy.
- Don’t hesitate to discuss the specifics of your worries. Sometimes, this is the only way to truly release them for good.
Eliminate anxiety
Ask yourself if your anxiety is serving any purpose. Since you care about your well-being, you wouldn’t want to harm yourself by any means. Anxiety can cause pain, so remind yourself of this regularly. When people are honest with themselves, they often find it easier to let go of anxiety.
Count your breaths. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Because anxiety tends to worsen with rising stress, counting your breaths can help alleviate that pressure.
- If you continue to feel anxious during your breathing exercise, allow yourself to focus on that worry for a few seconds, and then let your breath carry it away. Use the breath to release anxiety.
- Repeat this process until you feel relaxed. Some people count 10 breaths, while others do 20. You don’t need to decide beforehand how many breaths to take—just assess your state when you reach 10 breaths.
Allow yourself 30 minutes to worry. Practice controlling your anxiety by giving yourself permission to worry for a set period of 30 minutes. Once the time is up, remind yourself to focus on other tasks. Setting an alarm can also help prevent you from dwelling on anxiety for longer than necessary.
Use thought-stopping techniques. As soon as you start feeling anxious, tell yourself to stop. This action will help replace negative thoughts. You can speak out loud to yourself or use self-talk. Many therapists use this method to help patients avoid negative thinking. When worry arises, instruct yourself to stop in order to swiftly eliminate it. Keep in mind that this is a learned behavior. Initially, it might not be effective, but with practice, you will be able to stop anxious thoughts immediately. Some find this technique more effective than others. If it doesn't work for you, you can try mindfulness meditation instead.
Create a method to stop worrying. Attach a rubber band around your wrist and snap it whenever you feel anxious. This is a form of thought-stopping that can help you refocus and end your worries, bringing your attention back to the present.
Hold something in your hand. Research shows that people who keep their hands busy tend to feel less anxious. By focusing on any object you hold in your hand, you are less likely to be consumed by your thoughts. You could hold a bead necklace or a stress ball. Try counting the beads or squeezing the stress ball with each breath.
Self-care
Get enough sleep. Most people require 7 hours of sleep every night. Lack of sleep can increase stress levels, leading to anxiety. Therefore, ensuring you get sufficient rest is crucial.
- If you struggle with sleep due to anxiety, it may be time to see a doctor. You might need sleep aids to regulate your sleep, which could be sufficient to alleviate the anxiety.
- If you're considering natural sleep aids, melatonin could be an option. Be sure to consult with your doctor first to confirm that it's safe for you.
Eat a balanced diet. The vitamins and nutrients in healthy foods help lower blood pressure, enhance brain function, and significantly reduce stress. This approach will help ease your anxiety.
Exercise. Physical activity is a great way to alleviate stress, so you won't have to worry as much. When you're feeling anxious, going for a run can be helpful as it's difficult to focus on anxiety while being physically active. Intense exercise also releases endorphins, which will calm you down and provide the energy you need to complete your day.
- Take a bike ride in a scenic area.
- Go for a jog in the park.
- Play tennis with friends.
- Take a stroll through a garden.
- Hike through the forest with friends.
Meditation
Start meditating daily. Research shows that meditation can significantly reduce anxiety in the brain. This is because meditation has a soothing effect on the mind. Since anxiety stems from worry, regaining control over your nervous system can lessen your anxiety or completely eliminate it.
Sit cross-legged and rest your arms by your sides. This posture will help your body relax. Once you are physically relaxed, your mind will receive the signal that there is no danger and that relaxation can begin.
- If you are unable to sit cross-legged, choose any position that is comfortable for you.
- You can also lie down, but make sure you don't fall asleep.
- If you're sitting in a chair, place soft cushions around the room in case you accidentally fall asleep while meditating. This may happen to some people because of the deep relaxation they experience.
Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Your body has its own built-in soothing mechanism – your breath. By focusing on your breathing, you'll easily notice if you're breathing too quickly. If you find this happening, slow down your breath by taking a deep inhale and exhaling completely.
- Try counting your breaths. Inhale for 3 seconds, then exhale for 3 seconds. Hold your breath for 1 or 2 seconds before exhaling. Do this slowly and steadily.
Focus on your current feelings and allow yourself to experience peace. Pay attention to what's happening in your mind as you meditate. If you feel anxious, repeat the phrase "calm down." You can also choose other words or even a sound that helps you find tranquility.
- If you're focusing on something that causes anxiety, don't fight it; that will only increase your anxiety. Instead, acknowledge it for a few moments and then let it go. You can even tell yourself, "Let it go..."
Slowly rise from your seated position. To help yourself reconnect with the present moment, gently open your eyes, sit quietly for a few minutes, and then stand up. Stretch if needed, and walk with a completely relaxed and peaceful state of mind. Approaching daily life with calmness will prevent you from feeling anxious.
Advice
- Use these techniques whenever you feel overwhelmed by worry or when anxiety lasts for a long period of time.
- Overcoming anxiety requires practice, so keep applying these methods until they begin to work for you.
- Avoid becoming restless or frustrated because you are anxious, as this will only worsen the situation. Allow yourself to feel the anxiety for a moment, then try to overcome it with the techniques above.
- If you're unable to stop worrying despite trying everything, consider seeking help from a therapist, psychologist, or specialist.
Warning
- Anxiety can lead to depression. If you notice any signs of depression lasting more than a week, seek help from a healthcare professional or medical expert.
- If you have thoughts of harming yourself or others, call the helpline at 18001567.
