Anxiety is a problem that affects both the mind and the body. According to Patient UK, anxiety can cause fear or panic, stress and tension and make you feel on edge, detached or woozy. On the physical side, anxiety can lead to pain or tightness in the chest, body aches, breathing difficulties, dizziness and a racing heart. It can also lead you to eat, drink or smoke more. While you can always treat your anxiety with medication, there are also self-help techniques you can try.
Understanding Causes
Keeping a journal is a good way to understand what causes anxiety and how it affects you. For at least two weeks, write down your feelings every time you start feeling anxious. If you can identify the cause, such as pressure at work or a discussion with your partner, note that down. If the anxiety seems to come out of nowhere, try to figure out what you where doing before it started.
If you are more clear on what's causing the anxiety, then create a list rather than keeping a diary. Be clear and specific. For example, say "I owe $5,000 to my credit card company" or "I have an exam next week" rather than "I need money." Pinpointing what's causing the anxiety can make you feel more in control of your feelings and more aware of what's going on, so you'll be able to start searching for solutions.
Changing The Thought Process
One of the most important things you can do to ease anxiety is to accept uncertainty, according to the Help Guide Organization. The future is not firm and things can change quickly, so worrying about something that might or might not happen doesn't serve any purpose except stressing you out.
Also, people who worry too much may have a more negative view of the world, so the worst-case scenario becomes the most likely in their minds. One way to deal with this is to immediately start questioning those thoughts when they come into your mind. Ask yourself how likely is that your fears will become reality and what are the chances of positive outcome. Then try to think of a more positive way of looking at the situation.
Learn To Relax
While you might not be able to completely erase anxiety from your life, learning how to relax when it strikes can make it more bearable and even shorten the episodes. Yoga, meditation and deep-breathing exercises are all effective options, according to Help Guide Organization. Progressive muscle relaxation, in which you tense and then relax one muscle at a time, can also help release tension, both physical and mental.
Taking care of yourself is also an essential tool for easing anxiety. Exercise can relieve tension, and healthy eating habits and limiting caffeine and alcohol can also help. To make the most of relaxation and self-help techniques, practice them regularly, either every time you feel anxiety or at a pre-established time every day.
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