During quarantine this year, it has really taken a toll on me, as I’m sure it has for everyone else. Before quarantine, I never experienced anxiety before. I always knew that it was a real struggle for a lot of people and I’ve had loved ones who struggle with it as well. Over quarantine I noticed myself overthinking a lot, my heart starting to race, my palms sweating so much so that it would keep me up at night. I realized that it was getting hard for me to manage it sometimes. Experiencing anxiety for the first time this year has made me realize just how serious it can get. Over the past several months, I’ve developed some strategies and ways that have helped me ease my anxiety.
One of the best ways to calm your anxiety is performing breathing exercises. Taking deep breaths in and out will help to curve your fears and to center your mind. By simply taking deep breaths in and out a few times throughout the day whenever I’m feeling anxious, it has really helped to calm me down.
Get out and do something. Do anything that will distract you from your overwhelming thoughts. You can do this just by going on a walk, reading a book, grabbing a coloring book and focusing on staying inside the lines. Perhaps writing down your feelings could even help. The purpose of getting out of your head is to maintain some sense of control in your mind. It’s simply clearing your mind.
Realize that you aren’t alone. Nearly 40 million Americans suffer from anxiety every day and the number is only growing. If it makes you comfortable, talk with somebody about how you’re feeling. Being verbal about your feelings and why you’re feeling that particular way could be a positive way of releasing your thoughts, thus releasing your fears and worries.
Lastly, be optimistic about it. I know that may be hard but having a positive outlook will only lessen the way you’re feeling about something. Realize that you’re experiencing anxiety and assure yourself that you will be okay. It will pass. It is temporary. It just comes in waves. Everyone deals with anxiety differently. Everyone’s bodies react differently to their fears and worries. These are just some things that I have noticed that have helped to calm my anxiety that I had just recently discovered. I hope these will help you too.