How to Cope with Anxiety?
Summary
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Ways to Alleviate Anxiety
There are many ways to alleviate anxiety. The key is to understand the nature of anxiety, try to change the thoughts and thinking patterns that reinforce and sustain it, and learn suitable coping mechanisms. Below are some strategies that can help you manage anxiety.
Calm the Body
When experiencing anxiety, the sympathetic nervous system is activated, leading to various physical symptoms. Both the body and mind go into a state of alertness and overdrive. This creates a vicious cycle: an overstimulated body increases mental restlessness, and excessive worry and rumination fuel physical symptoms.
It is important to focus on calming the body. Maintaining a regular sleep schedule, exercising, and avoiding excessive use of alcohol, nicotine, other substances, and caffeinated drinks are crucial.
Relaxation
Relaxation techniques are often beneficial. When the body relaxes, tension and anxiety decrease. Find a relaxation method that works for you.
Deep and slow breathing, such as diaphragmatic breathing, helps calm the body and mind. Relaxation exercises put the body in a physiologically opposite state to anxiety or stress. In deep relaxation, heart rate slows, breathing becomes deeper, blood pressure drops, and muscle tension decreases.
Mindfulness
The connection between body and mind can also be strengthened through yoga or other relaxing physical activities.
Attending to Your Own Needs and Self-Care
Unmet needs can be a source of worry and anxiety. It is important to pause and listen to what you need to feel well. Do you need to be more true to yourself and live according to your values? Are there things in your life that you are doing despite them not leading to your goals and dreams? Do you have enough time for rest and relaxation? Do you hope for changes in your relationships? Sometimes, reflecting on whether your current way of living suits you can be beneficial.
Changing Anxiety-Sustaining Thoughts
Thoughts are internal speech, and they significantly impact our well-being. What we tell ourselves largely determines how we feel and our mood. Anxiety-reinforcing internal speech often begins with phrases like "what if..." or "I should...".
By reducing worry-inducing thoughts and replacing them with neutral or positive statements, you can influence your emotions and overall state. Remember that working with thoughts is a skill like any other, and it is possible to learn how to reduce anxious thoughts.
Increasing Self-Compassion
Self-compassion means encouraging and supporting yourself. In difficult moments, treat yourself kindly and constructively rather than with judgment or criticism. Practicing self-compassion involves paying attention to how you talk to yourself and learning to speak in an encouraging and soothing manner.
Exposure Therapy
When a situation (e.g. giving a presentation) causes anxiety and fear, it is natural to avoid it. Avoidance may provide temporary relief, but it increases anxiety the next time. Exposure involves gradually and systematically facing challenging situations instead of avoiding them. The idea is to break the association between anxiety and the feared situation.
Facing a feared situation may seem impossible, especially if you have been anxious about it for years. However, by gradually exposing yourself, you can overcome the fear. Practicing relaxation techniques before exposure can help associate the feared situation with a relaxed state. Exposure requires persistence and systematic practice, starting with easier situations and progressing to more challenging ones.
Talking About Anxiety
There is no shame in experiencing anxiety – everyone feels it at times. Talking about anxiety with a trusted person can help you process your emotions. A conversation with someone can also provide perspective, new viewpoints, or coping strategies.
When Is It Anxiety and When Is It an Anxiety Disorder?
The line between normal anxiety and an anxiety disorder that interferes with daily life is not always clear. Anxiety disorder may be present when:
- Anxiety is prolonged.
- Anxiety is intense and limits daily functioning.
- Anxiety affects work, studies, social life, or relationships.
The most common anxiety disorders include social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, agoraphobia, generalized anxiety disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental health conditions, affecting about 4–5% of the population. If anxiety significantly and persistently impairs daily life, it is essential to seek help from student health services, primary healthcare, or youth support services. Anxiety disorders are often treated with psychotherapy, medication, or a combination of both.
