Constantly dealing with anxiety can be trying both physically and mentally. It can cause you to have problems sleeping, and can make you tense and edgy, which can take a toll the relationships with those around you. Curbing your worries and anxieties can be challenging, but there are steps you can take to make the changes necessary in your life to decrease your unwanted anxiety. According to HelpGuide.org, it is important to begin by giving up the notion that worrying serves a beneficial purpose.
Step 1
Develop your ability to postpone anxiety. According to HelpGuide.org, when you are able to postpone your worry, you will break your habit of dwelling on your worries in the present moment, allowing you to have a greater sense of control over your anxieties. Use a notebook or a laptop to note your anxieties or worries throughout the day. This will allow you to save the worry for a later time in your day; at that set time, reflect on your list of worries and determine if any are still bothering you, and if so spend a controlled amount of time worrying about them. Then let go of them.
Step 2
Challenge your worries. HelpGuide.org notes that if you experience chronic anxiety or worries, you may overestimate things or make things seem worse than they really are. Be aware of your negative thought patterns, such as all-or-nothing thinking, overgeneralizations, diminishing or dismissing the positive, catastrophizing or jumping to conclusions. Identifying these negative thoughts will help you challenge them. Ask yourself why you are thinking the way you are. Replace your negative thoughts with positive ones. Reflect on possible positive outcomes to situations.
Step 3
Practice relaxation techniques. The Anxiety Disorders Association of America suggests that taking deep breaths and counting to 10 slowly can allow you to cope and deal with your anxieties on a daily basis. It is impossible to be anxious and relaxed at the same time. Practice meditation and incorporate it into your daily routine. At the end of your day, use progressive muscle relaxation by tensing and relaxing groups of muscles.
Step 4
Adopt healthier habits. According to HelpGuide.org, regular physical activity naturally dissipates anxieties by flooding your brain with mood-boosting chemicals such as endorphins. Decrease your intake of caffeine and sugar; they can both negatively effect anxiety levels.
Step 5
Get support from your family and friends. Share your anxieties and worries with those who are close to you; this will make your anxieties feel less threatening, reports the HelpGuide.org.
