Anxiety can negatively interfere with your daily life, seriously jeopardizing your well-being. When you feel anxious, you can experience feelings of discomfort and fear. Fortunately, there are several ways to stop anxiety and get back to feeling good, many of which can be put into practice right now as well. To reduce the likelihood of anxiety coming back to bother you, you can learn self-help techniques and make lifestyle changes. In addition, if anxiety is hindering the normal course of your daily life, it may be helpful to see a qualified therapist.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Stop Anxiety with Relaxation Techniques
Step 1. Breathe deeply
Performing diaphragmatic breathing exercises is one of the most effective ways to relieve anxiety quickly. You can use this technique wherever you are, it will only take a few minutes to start benefiting from its effects.
- Before you start practicing diaphragmatic breathing, find a quiet place to sit or lie down in a comfortable position.
- Place both hands on your stomach, just below your rib cage.
- Inhale slowly and deeply as you count to five. Focus on drawing air up into your abdomen, rather than just filling your lungs.
- Hold your breath for a few seconds, then exhale just as slowly.
- Continue to inhale and exhale at a relaxed pace pushing the air up into the abdomen. A time of 5-10 minutes should be sufficient.
Step 2. Experience progressive muscle relaxation
This is an equally effective technique in relieving anxiety quickly. All you have to do is contract the different muscles and then relax them after a few seconds, proceeding with one muscle group at a time, starting from the feet up to the head.
- Before you begin, find a quiet place to lie down in a comfortable position.
- Close your eyes, then contract the muscles in your toes by curving the toes forward.
- After a few seconds, release any tension. Continue by flexing your feet upward to contract the muscles.
- Release any tension again, then move on to the calf muscles.
- Continue by contracting and relaxing the different muscles of the body, one at a time, until you reach the top of the head.
Step 3. Call a friend
Talking to someone expressing your emotions is another way to reduce anxiety. Look for a friend who can listen to you when you share the thoughts that crowd your mind. If possible, arrange an in-person appointment or chat on the phone.
Avoid sharing your feelings via text or social media, the best thing to do is meet face to face or talk on the phone. If you don't have the ability to leave or leave your workplace, video calling can be a very useful tool
Step 4. Exercise
Any form of exercise can help calm you down. Even mainstream science considers it an effective treatment for stopping anxiety; so, if you're feeling anxious, exercise is a win-win option. Decide for yourself which discipline you like best, the important thing is to train for about thirty minutes every day.
- Go for a walk. Starting walking is probably the easiest way to exercise quickly. Try taking a quick walk around the block.
- Take a yoga class. Practicing yoga leads you to perform numerous exercises to strengthen and relax the body, combining them with excellent breathing and meditation techniques, very useful tools to reduce anxiety.
- Dance in your living room. It is not necessary to leave the house to exercise. Go wild in the center of your living room or bedroom while listening to the notes of your favorite band.
Step 5. Visualize a soothing scenario
Imagining a quiet place can help you calm down quickly. Try visualizing one of your favorite places, including as much detail as possible: looks, sounds, smells and textures. Stay in your corner of peace for as long as possible.
For example, you might imagine that you are sitting in a beautiful sunny meadow. Looking around you will notice the many varieties of flowers that surround you, you will also be able to smell their scent, mixed with that of the grass, hear the sound of the wind in the branches of the trees and appreciate the warmth of the sun that warms your skin
Step 6. Find ways to distract yourself
Focusing on something different can help you feel less anxious right away. When you feel overwhelmed with anxiety, make an effort to do something that requires your full attention. After doing some engaging activity for 10-15 minutes, you should naturally feel calmer.
For example, read a book, soak in a hot bath, play with your pet, or tidy up your desk
Step 7. Take advantage of the properties of essential oils
Lavender is known to help relieve anxiety in some particular situations, for example in moments of tension before an exam. You can use a perfume with notes of lavender or have a bottle of essential oil on hand that you can smell from time to time.
Other essential oils that can help reduce anxiety include chamomile, nutmeg, lemon, and bergamot
Step 8. Listen to relaxing music
Listening to calming music may also help reduce anxiety. Research has shown that music therapy can effectively relieve tension in patients waiting to be operated on.
You can choose classical, new age or jazz music or you can opt for your favorite band
Method 2 of 4: Stop Anxiety with Self-Help Techniques
Step 1. Ask yourself questions that will help you cope with the symptoms of anxiety
List a series of objective questions to help you uncover the fragility of its foundations. Trying to rationalize your feelings may allow you to take more control over your fears. Some of the questions you might try to answer are:
- What is the objective evidence that something is wrong?
- Conversely, what is the real evidence that the situation is not as dire as it seems?
- How likely is it that the worst possible scenario will come true?
- What are the objectively more realistic scenarios?
- What advice would you give to a friend who has a problem the same or similar to yours?
Step 2. Put anxiety on the agenda
Since you are likely to feel anxious from time to time, it may be helpful to schedule a time of day for anxiety. This strategy will allow you to limit your worries, preventing you from feeling anxious throughout the day.
- Schedule a 15-30 minute period each day to feel free to release your anxiety and worries. Ideally, you should indulge in your tensions at the same time and place every day.
- If anxiety assaults you outside the allotted period, write down all your worries on a piece of paper, then remind yourself that you will have time to deal with them later.
- During the allotted period, think deeply about your anxieties. Sometimes you may find that some of the worries that had assailed you earlier may already be gone.
Step 3. Describe your feelings in writing
Identify what you are feeling, then record your emotions on a piece of paper; Sometimes you may find that you feel better right away. When you feel anxious, sit down and record your feelings on the pages of a journal or on a simple piece of paper. Keeping a journal in which to describe your thoughts will help you better understand your concerns. Dividing the pages of the diary into three columns will help you organize your writing.
- The first column could describe what the situation is or what is happening. In this section you can specify where you are, what you are doing, who is with you, etc.
- The second column might be about your thoughts. Dedicate this section to describing those thoughts that are making you anxious and worried.
- The third column might answer the question "How intense are my anxieties?". In this part of the page, you can rate your thoughts to express how anxious they make you feel: from 1 (not at all anxious) to 10 (extremely anxious).
Step 4. Remind yourself that your negative feelings are only temporary
Sometimes when anxiety assails us, we are led to believe that this is a permanent situation, which will prevent us from getting well again. The resulting feelings can make you feel noticeably scared, so it's important to remind yourself that these are only passing emotions.
Try telling yourself something like, "This is just a brief moment in my life. These feelings won't last long."
Step 5. Bring your thoughts back to the present moment
Ruminating on past events or what might happen in the future can turn you into an easy prey for anxiety, so make an effort to stay focused on the present moment. Being focused on what is happening right now also allows you to manage situations and problems with greater effectiveness and attention.
- To be more aware of what is happening here and now, pay attention to everything that is happening in the environment around you. Who is around you? What are you seeing? What noises can you hear? Can you distinguish particular smells or perfumes? What do you feel?
- Meditative practice could help you stay more focused on the present moment. Furthermore, meditation is known to be a great way to effectively relieve anxiety.
Method 3 of 4: Ask for Help
Step 1. Get help from a qualified therapist
If anxiety disorders prevent you from living your life normally, you may benefit from getting help from a mental health therapist. Therapeutic approaches that fall within the so-called "talk therapy" (therapy that is based on words) represent an effective way to reduce anxiety and learn techniques to manage its triggers.
For example, if you have been estranged from your family or friends, feel scared about going to certain places, or are having difficulty concentrating on your studies or work due to anxiety, the support of a therapist may be essential to help. your well-being
Step 2. Learn about cognitive therapy
It is a type of psychotherapy designed to change your thoughts and behaviors to be able to stop anxiety. With the help of a qualified psychotherapist you will be able to identify, challenge and replace the negative thoughts that are causing your anxieties.
- For example, thanks to cognitive therapy you may find that you have a recurring thought similar to "I won't make it", which can trigger many of your worries. Over time you will become able to identify such unfavorable thoughts, thus having the ability to counter or challenge them with other positives, such as "I'll do my best".
- Remember that only a competent psychotherapist can undergo cognitive therapy. Ask your doctor to include it in your treatment plan.
Step 3. Gather information about exposure therapy
Exposure therapy can help you cope with the fears that are at the root of your anxiety. Gradually you will be able to increase the intensity of exposure to your fears for a longer and longer time, sometimes being able to overcome them. As a result, your anxiety and fear levels should decrease.
- For example, if you are afraid of flying, you might start by imagining that you are sitting in an airplane. Over time, you may try to go to an airport, fly a short distance, and then, as a final goal, be able to take a long flight.
- Again, remember that only a competent psychotherapist can undergo psychological therapy. If your fears make you anxious, ask your doctor to include exposure therapy in your treatment program.
Step 4. Evaluate the use of medications
If the methods described so far do not allow you to control anxiety, you can consider taking one of the many drugs designed to make you feel less anxious. In this case, to obtain the required prescription, you will necessarily have to go to a psychiatrist (doctor specialized in psychiatry). Some of the medicines you can consider are:
- Benzodiazepines. These are the most used drugs for the treatment of anxiety (anxiolytics). They act fast, but can be addictive; it is therefore advisable to use them only in the most serious cases. Drugs that contain benzodiazepines include: Xanax (alprazolam), Valium (diazepam), Rivotril (clonazepam), and Tavor (lorazepam).
- Antidepressants. Some antidepressant drugs can help reduce anxiety, but the first benefits will only occur after about 4-6 weeks. Commonly prescribed antidepressants to reduce anxiety include: Zoloft (sertraline), Paxil (paroxetine), Prozac (fluoxetine), Cipralex or Entact (escitalopram), and Citalopram (citalopram).
- Buspirone. This is an active ingredient contained in some anxiolytic drugs, called minor tranquilizers, the results of which begin to manifest after about two weeks. Similar to benzodiazepines, however, it has a much milder effect, a smaller list of side effects and less likely to cause addiction.
- Beta blockers. Certain medications for the treatment of hypertension, known as beta blockers, can help reduce the physical ailments caused by anxiety. Given that their main use is to treat heart diseases and hypertension, the use of these drugs to treat anxiety is to be considered "off-label", ie for indications not included in the technical data sheet and therefore not authorized.. Some beta blockers are: Atenol (atenolol) and Inderal (propranolol).
Method 4 of 4: Prevent Anxiety by Changing Your Lifestyle
Step 1. Create a support group
Often, when you feel anxious, you will find relief from reaching out to friends and family. In this regard, it may be useful to identify in advance a group of specific people, capable of making you feel comfortable when you talk and share your concerns.
Be aware of how others affect your life. Perhaps some people tend to make you even more anxious because they themselves are victims of anxiety. For example, perhaps one of your friends is affected by the same fears as you, so when you feel anxious, contacting him is definitely contraindicated
Step 2. Avoid stimulants
If you don't want your anxiety to worsen further, you need to avoid stimulants like nicotine and caffeine. If you have a habit of drinking a lot of drinks that contain caffeine, try cutting back on them. If you are a smoker, do your best to be able to quit.
- Try to quit smoking immediately. In addition to making you even more anxious, smoking seriously damages your health, putting you at risk of developing serious conditions, such as cancer, emphysema, heart attack and stroke. Ask your doctor for advice, he will be able to point you to the nearest anti-smoking centers.
- Try not to exceed the dose of 200 mg of caffeine per day, which is just over two cups of coffee.
Step 3. Limit your alcohol intake
Alcoholic beverages can provide you with temporary relief from anxiety, but make it even more intense soon after. Limit alcoholic beverages, avoiding seeking solace in alcohol when you feel anxious.
If you are in the habit of drinking too much or consuming large amounts of alcohol quickly in an effort to counter anxiety, you may need help to be able to quit. Ask your doctor for advice on the options available to you
Step 4. Eat healthy and balanced
Some studies have shown a close connection between eating habits and disorders caused by anxiety; therefore try to follow a balanced diet, eliminating harmful foods, such as industrial ones, in favor of healthy and natural foods. In addition to having a healthier body, you may find that you also feel much less anxious. Bring fresh foods, such as fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, and complex carbohydrates to the table.
- Add fish to your diet, including salmon which contains omega-3s. Eating regularly those foods that contain omega-3 fatty acids can help you relieve anxiety.
- Try to cut down on your consumption of sweets, sugary grains, baked goods, and other sugar-rich foods. When you feel like eating something sweet, opt for a ripe seasonal fruit.
- Include complex carbohydrates in your diet, including whole grain oats, quinoa, bread, pasta, and rice. These carbohydrate sources can increase serotonin levels in the brain resulting in you feeling calmer and calmer.
Step 5. Get more sleep
A lack of sleep can make you feel even more anxious, so it's important to get about eight hours of sleep a night. Try to go to bed at the same time every night, and stick to an evening routine that helps you prepare for sleep. For instance:
- Reduce the intensity of the lights.
- Take a warm bath.
- Listen to relaxing music or use a white noise player.
- Read a book.
