Coping with an anxiety disorder tips (2024)

Speaking of Health

Coping with an anxiety disorder tips (4)

Having occasional feelings of anxiety is a normal part of life, but people with anxiety disorders experience frequent and excessive anxiety, fear, terror and panic in everyday situations. These feelings are unhealthy if they affect your quality of life and prevent you from functioning normally.

Common symptoms of anxiety disorders include:

  • Feeling nervous
  • Feeling helpless
  • A sense of impending panic, danger or doom
  • Increased heart rate
  • Hyperventilation
  • Sweating
  • Trembling
  • Obsessively thinking about the panic trigger

These feelings of anxiety and panic can interfere with daily activities and be difficult to control. They are out of proportion to the actual danger and can cause you to avoid places or situations.

You should see your healthcare provider if your anxiety is affecting your life and relationships. Your provider can help rule out any underlying physical health issue before seeing a mental health professional.

While most people with anxiety disorders need psychotherapy or medications to get anxiety under control, lifestyle changes and coping strategies also can make a difference.

Here are 11 tips for coping with an anxiety disorder:

  1. Keep physically active.
    Develop a routine so that you're physically active most days of the week. Exercise is a powerful stress reducer. It can improve your mood and help you stay healthy. Start out slowly, and gradually increase the amount and intensity of your activities.
  2. Avoid alcohol and recreational drugs.
    These substances can cause or worsen anxiety. If you can't quit on your own, see your healthcare provider or find a support group to help you.
  3. Quit smoking, and cut back or quit drinking caffeinated beverages.
    Nicotine and caffeine can worsen anxiety.
  4. Use stress management and relaxation techniques.
    Visualization techniques, meditation and yoga are examples of relaxation techniques that can ease anxiety.
  5. Make sleep a priority.
    Do what you can to make sure you're getting enough sleep to feel rested. If you aren't sleeping well, talk with your healthcare provider.
  6. Eat healthy foods.
    A healthy diet that incorporates vegetables, fruits, whole grains and fish may be linked to reduced anxiety, but more research is needed.
  7. Learn about your disorder.
    Talk to your healthcare provider to find out what might be causing your specific condition and what treatments might be best for you. Involve your family and friends, and ask for their support.
  8. Stick to your treatment plan.
    Take medications as directed. Keep therapy appointments and complete any assignments your therapist gives. Consistency can make a big difference, especially when it comes to taking your medication.
  9. Identify triggers.
    Learn what situations or actions cause you stress or increase your anxiety. Practice the strategies you developed with your mental health provider so you're ready to deal with anxious feelings in these situations.
  10. Keep a journal.
    Keeping track of your personal life can help you and your mental health provider identify what's causing you stress and what seems to help you feel better.
  11. Socialize.
    Don't let worries isolate you from loved ones or activities.

Your worries may not go away on their own, and they may worsen over time if you don't seek help. See your healthcare provider or a mental health provider before your anxiety worsens. It's easier to treat if you get help early.

Learn more about anxiety management:

Siri Kabrick is a nurse practitioner in Psychiatry & Psychology in Fairmont, Minnesota.

Coping with an anxiety disorder tips (2024)

FAQs

Coping with an anxiety disorder tips? ›

Some ways to manage anxiety disorders include learning about anxiety, mindfulness, relaxation techniques, correct breathing techniques, dietary adjustments, exercise, learning to be assertive, building self-esteem, cognitive therapy, exposure therapy, structured problem solving, medication and support groups.

How do you overcome anxiety disorder? ›

Here are 11 tips for coping with an anxiety disorder:
  • Keep physically active. ...
  • Avoid alcohol and recreational drugs. ...
  • Quit smoking, and cut back or quit drinking caffeinated beverages. ...
  • Use stress management and relaxation techniques. ...
  • Make sleep a priority. ...
  • Eat healthy foods. ...
  • Learn about your disorder.
Jul 20, 2021

What is the 3-3-3 rule for panic attacks? ›

You can use the 333 rule for anxiety in the moment something triggers you. Just look around to identify 3 objects and 3 sounds, then move 3 body parts. Many people find this strategy helps focus and ground them when anxiety seems overwhelming. The 333 rule is a common and informal technique for coping with anxiety.

What are 5 ways to cope with anxiety? ›

5 Ways to Cope With Anxiety
  • Start with a 'growth' mindset. Some people have a fixed mindset. ...
  • Notice how anxiety affects your body. When you're anxious, do you feel "butterflies" in your stomach? ...
  • Breathe. ...
  • Talk yourself through it. ...
  • Face the situation — don't wait for anxiety to go away.

How to cope with constant anxiety? ›

Self-care for anxiety
  1. Talk to someone you trust add. Talking to someone you trust about what's making you anxious could be a relief. ...
  2. Try to manage your worries add. ...
  3. Look after your physical health add. ...
  4. Try breathing exercises add. ...
  5. Keep a diary add. ...
  6. Complementary and alternative therapies add.

Why is anxiety so hard to overcome? ›

Because of the survival wiring of our brains, they will be given high priority and keep popping up again in conscious experience. In fact, some research by Daniel Wegner and colleagues suggests that suppressing thoughts while in a negative mood makes it more likely both the thoughts and the negative mood will reoccur.

Does anxiety disorder ever go away? ›

Occasional anxiety is a normal part of life. Many people worry about things such as health, money, or family problems. But anxiety disorders involve more than temporary worry or fear. For people with an anxiety disorder, the anxiety does not go away and can get worse over time.

What are the four C's of anxiety? ›

More specifically we expect positive association between caring and anxiety and a negative association between the other four Cs (competence, confidence, character, and connection) and anxiety.

What is the 5 4 3 2 1 coping technique? ›

It involves identifying 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste. By doing so, it helps shift your focus from anxiety-provoking thoughts to the present moment.

Does calm magnesium help with anxiety? ›

The good news is that some studies (study links, a and b) have identified how magnesium may ease certain symptoms of stress and anxiety. Here are the facts: Magnesium may help to control the chemical messengers (neurotransmitters) in the brain, resulting in a calming effect on the body.

What is the best exercise for anxiety? ›

A simple bike ride, dance class, or even a brisk walk can be a powerful tool for those suffering from chronic anxiety. Activities like these also help people who are feeling overly nervous and anxious about an upcoming test, a big presentation, or an important meeting.

What foods are calming? ›

Foods naturally rich in magnesium may, therefore, help a person to feel calmer. Examples include leafy greens, such as spinach and Swiss chard. Other sources include legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains. Foods rich in zinc such as oysters, cashews, liver, beef, and egg yolks have been linked to lowered anxiety.

What is the strongest natural anti-anxiety medication? ›

Is there an effective herbal treatment for anxiety?
  • Kava. Some people use kava as a short-term treatment for anxiety. ...
  • Passion flower. A few small clinical trials have suggested that passion flower might help with anxiety. ...
  • Valerian. ...
  • Chamomile. ...
  • Lavender. ...
  • Lemon balm.
Mar 27, 2024

What medication helps anxiety immediately? ›

Benzodiazepines. Benzodiazepines are a type of sedative that may sometimes be used as a short-term treatment during a particularly severe period of anxiety. This is because they help ease the symptoms within 30 to 90 minutes of taking the medication. If you're prescribed a benzodiazepine, it'll usually be diazepam.

What is considered severe anxiety? ›

Severe anxiety occurs when the body's natural responses to anticipated stress exceed healthy levels. The symptoms—a racing heart, changes in breathing, and headaches—can hinder your ability to carry out day-to-day tasks.

Can anxiety be cured naturally? ›

Natural remedies such as consuming chamomile, lavender, omega-3 fatty acids, L-theanine, and magnesium, as well as practices such as acupuncture, meditation, regular movement, and journaling may help relieve anxiety symptoms.

What causes anxiety in the brain? ›

Symptoms of mood and anxiety disorders are thought to result in part from disruption in the balance of activity in the emotional centers of the brain rather than in the higher cognitive centers. The higher cognitive centers of the brain reside in the frontal lobe, the most phylogenetically recent brain region.

Is anxiety a mental illness? ›

Anxiety disorders are the most common of mental disorders. They affect nearly 30% of adults at some point in their lives. However, anxiety disorders are treatable with a number of psychotherapeutic treatments. Treatment helps most people lead normal productive lives.

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