5 Coping Strategies For Anxiety
Suffer from generalised anxiety disorder?
Here are 5 coping strategies.
In this post, you will learn about very simple ideas that can transform how you view your anxiety and ultimately how to deal with it when it arises.
The past couple of years have been very difficult for many of us, with many unforeseen circumstances we couldn’t have imagined. According to King's College London, there is a general consensus that our anxiety levels are at an all-time high.
I’m not going to bore you with a million definitions of all variants of anxiety. However, it is often characterised by a persistent state of worry or displaying excessive amounts of fear. Everyone worries about things now and again but to suffer from anxiety means that worrying has a significant impact on your daily life. Excessive worry is the primary symptom of generalised anxiety disorder (GAD). Read more about it here.
Let’s dive into the coping strategies.
Maintain a Worry Diary.
It is important to distinguish the difference between real event (actual) worry and hypothetical worry. Worries can often link together, they might start off as an actual worry but end up worrying about a hypothetical (often low probability) situation. Hope you’re still with me.
It’s difficult to rationally analyse distressing thoughts as they dance and swirl through your mind, but by writing them down on paper and tackling them with a structured set of questions, you can find the truth - and you can usually stop worrying about what’s unlikely to happen.
A worry diary is simply a notebook/worksheet you keep to record and challenge your worrisome thoughts.
Use the following steps:
Date and Time
What’s the situation?
What am I worried about?
How anxious am I (scale 1-10)?
What type of worry am I having? Actual or hypothetical?
Here’s an example - 01/09/2021 10:30. Situation - I don't deserve this promotion at work. Everyone else is so much quicker at completing tasks. My worry - I’m feeling really incompetent. I am going to lose this job. How anxious am I? - I am feeling very anxious (7/10). Type of worry - Hypothetical, why? I guess I have always managed to complete all my daily tasks promptly and one of the reasons I received a promotion is the quality of my work which has always been great.
With the help of your worry diary, you can start recognising certain patterns and triggers that can help you manage your worry in a new way. It is very useful when classifying worrying thoughts.
The diary will train your mind into classifying the thoughts automatically and by then you might not even need your worry diary.
2. Start Exercising
It has been proven that people with anxiety tend to be more inactive and perform little to no physical activity.
How does exercise help ease the anxiety I hear you ask?
Engaging in exercise temporarily distracts you from the things you are anxious about, essentially acting as a buffer.
Moving your body decreases muscle tensions, lowering your body contribution to feeling anxious.
Getting your heart rate up alters brain chemistry, increasing the availability of important anti-anxiety neurochemicals which help create a feel-good effect.
There is no best form of exercise for anxiety. Everyone responds differently to various activities. To maximise benefits:
Chose something enjoyable so you’re more likely to repeat it - build resilience.
Find a friend or a group to reap the added benefit of social support.
Exercise outdoors, if possible in nature which has also proven to lower anxiety.
Just remember the aim is not to be as superior as everyone else. Your goal is to gain confidence.
Exercise promotes confidence. Exercise can help you lose weight, tone your body, and maintain a healthy glow and a smile. You may feel a subtle boost in your mood as your clothes look more flattering and you project an aura of increased strength.
3. Practice Breathing
When people are anxious, they tend to take rapid shallow breaths that come directly from the chest. There are many breathing techniques out there but here’s what’s worked for me - box breathing, also known as four-square breathing.
Step 1: Breath in through your nose, counting to four slowly. Feel the air enter your lungs
Step 2: Hold your breath for 4 seconds. Try to avoid inhaling or exhaling during this step
Step 3: Slowly exhale through your mouth for 4 seconds
Step 4: Repeat steps 1 to 3 until you feel re-centred
Repeat this exercise as many times as you can. 1 uninterrupted minute of deep breathing will help you feel more relaxed and in control.
You can practice this anywhere, at work, at home, during your studies, right before bed or in any stressful situation. Try to incorporate box breathing into your daily activities even when not faced with anxiety. This strategy will allow you to reset and stay fresh.
To read up on the benefits of box breathing click here.
Always Remember
1-2-3-4
4. Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Progressive Muscle Relaxation teaches you how to relax your muscles through a two-step process.
First, you systematically tense particular muscle groups in your body, such as your neck and shoulders. Next, you release the tension and notice how your muscles feel when you relax them.
This exercise will help you to lower your overall tension and stress levels. It can also help reduce physical problems such as stomachaches and headaches, as well as improve your sleep.
Those of us with GAD often feel very tense throughout the day that we don’t even recognise what being relaxed feels like.
Watch this short video that talks you through it.
5. Talk to someone you can trust
All the above are incredible strategies that I can swear by however, none of it means anything if you’re someone like me who needs ongoing reassurance and support. Whether it’s contacting your GP, speaking to occupational health in work or simply turning to a trusted friend or family member someone will always be willing to listen because they care about you.
There are many services that can help kick start your coping journey.
https://www.selfhelpservices.org.uk
https://www.helpguide.org/home-pages/anxiety.htm#
Once you find what strategies or treatments work best for you, life should be a lot more enjoyable and a lot less daunting.
5 coping strategies for anxiety.
Disclaimer: The information provided is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be used in place of your doctor or other qualified healthcare providers.