What do you do to manage anxiety?
So I asked the question - 'How do you manage when you get anxious?' I think it is really nice to get a broad range of experiences because we are all unique! Here are a few of my favourites.
“Some of the best way I manage my anxiety is by painting, mainly watercolours! Also helping other people who are struggling, it makes me feel good to help others find good and positive resources. 💓”
“Guided meditation, journaling, listening to calming music, taking a warm shower/bath, muscle relaxation techniques, breathing techniques, visualising my happy place, talking to my partner (who’s the person I trust the most).”
“Writing in my journal everyday for regular maintenance. For acute situations, getting outside for a 5 minute walk helps ease that paralysed feeling.”
“With my daughter, we acknowledge the thing that is making her anxious, give the fear a name. Then we practice on focusing on other things to distract us from those fears as a way to calm her nerves and get her front brain active in moving her past the thing that is causing the anxiety”
“Exercise daily. And I’m a high anxiety situation, “box breathing” has been a GAME CHANGER. Breathe in for 5, hold for 5, breathe out for 5, hold for five. It’s the holding in between - basically NOT breathing for those 5 seconds that just change things for me. I don’t find that it makes me short of breath either which is always an anxiety worry. It gives me something easy and specific to focus on that no one even knows I’m doing. I have gotten through 10x more “situations” using this in the past two months than I have in the past 3 years.”
“If I feel really anxious like a panic attack may come on I use “grounding” tools. Touching things around the house or wherever I am and naming them. Counting things, tapping my hand on my leg. I do that until I can feel my heart rate slow down to a normal speed.”
“I’ll have moments of pure bliss where I KNOW everything is good and I’m happy to be alive. I take that moment and I’ll write a note in my phone or on a post-it to talk to “future me” to remind me myself then I’m meant to feel joy when I spiral. I’ll carry it with me through the day and stick them in a book (as a surprise later lol) or journal. Sometimes I’ll take a picture of myself and where I’m at because I know I’m not faking a smile. It’s helped me more than I realised, it makes me feel like I’M the one getting myself out of my hole...because I am! I also make a habit to tell myself “we suffer more in imagination than reality.” I feel I’m getting better each day. 💝”
“Going for a walk always helps. If I can’t then blast some old favourite music while doing something simple but productive..like changing the bedding. Having a visible end result makes me good about accomplishing something even if its small!”
Thank you to all of those who answered the question, they were all great but I couldn't possibly write them all up! Remember this isn't a place for professional advice, this is just what helps some people and cannot be a substitute for the advice of a professional. If you need help, go to the help and resources section.