Fight On: A Guide to Coping With Anxiety

Anxiety is defined as a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease. Normally these feelings are surrounding a forthcoming, impending, or unavoidable occurrence. Levels of anxiety range from mild to severe. Generally, everyone becomes anxious every once in a while whether you have to present something, you have a test coming up, or an important job interview etc. Personally, I have been finding new ways t cop with anxiety recently and I felt as though by sharing them  could be helping someone out who may not even know they need it! With that being said here are some coping mechanisms for anxiety no matter how mild or severe your condition may be. 

Vocalize your feelings

Stating your feelings quietly to yourself is a small coping mechanism that can go a long way. Playing off your emotions to answer questions such as, “What’s the worst that could happen?” followed by “How will I cope if it happens?” could be helpful. You will find that after each question is an answer, and within those answers is validation that everything will be okay! If you know what you’re feeling and become aware of what is going on around you then you will be fine. Let time pass and don’t let it become your enemy. Take your time and the solution will come to you rather than you searching for the solution. 

Physical order helps mental order

Putting something that is physically out of place back where it belongs can help your mental state. Principle and order go hand and hand. With that being said, even something as simple as cleaning out your fridge or throwing something out of your bathroom can be a sense of relief!

Self Care!

Taking a bath, applying a relaxing face mask, doing a treatment on your hair, mani’s and pedi’s, all fall under the self-care category. Anything that relaxes you and contributes to feeling at ease while catering to your body and mental health can be an escape from anxiety. It is truly a way to live int he now and forget the things that are triggering your stress. 

Yoga

Going to a yoga class can ideally relax both your mind as well as your body. If you aren’t interested in a class maybe doing a couple poses in the convenience of your home or maybe an office at work before you get your day started can possibly put you in a more calming headspace. Going for a run or doing the slightest bit of exercise may have the same effect.

Physically winding down

Activating oxytocin by massaging your hands as well as stimulating parasympathetic fibers such as those in your lips by lightly running one or two fingers on your lips will physically calm you down. Also dropping your shoulders and rolling your neck can create a sense of relief as well. 

Reminders

When you are in a situation that is provoking your anxiety it could be helpful to ask yourself will it matter months, weeks, or days into the future. You will find that the problem at hand becomes smaller when you look at it from that perspective. 

Cuddling a Baby or a Pet

When you are feeling anxious your pet can really serve as a form of comfort and stability along with a cute little baby! Engaging with something that is so full of life can make you forget all the negative that is going on. If you don’t have a dog or aren’t around babies a lot even videos of cute animals and toddlers can be potentially soothing after an overwhelming day.

Jot it down!

Jotting down three things that were potentially triggering but weren’t as bad as you thought could give you a different perspective of the situation at hand. Seeing those worries on a piece of paper but knowing you got through it is very reassuring that eventually, everything will be okay. Even if it doesn’t feel like it will be alright and things are piling up you can truly get through it!

These are tactics that I will be incorporating in my day-to-day battle with anxiety. I know it can be frustrating and maybe not many people understand, but you should focus on understanding yourself first! Finding the mechanisms that work best for you can be helpful in itself. The best thing you can do is let time pass and just take deep breaths you can beat anxiety and you can overcome anything you put your mind to. 

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