Over 40 million people in the United States suffer from some form of anxiety disorder. That’s just over 19% of the entire population. It is one of the most common mental health problems that people face all over the world.
Suffering with anxiety can often feel like a lonely experience with no get-outs or coping mechanisms. If you suffer from anxiety and feel this way, then it will help you to know that there are some effective ways to help you cope with anxiety.
If you’re wondering how to live with anxiety, then stick with this article to read through some really helpful tips.
1. Take Care of Yourself
The first tip for how to live with anxiety is to just generally take good care of yourself. Make sure you get enough sleep, exercise regularly, and eat well.
Limit your alcohol, caffeine, and recreational drug intake as these things can often exacerbate an anxiety disorder and leave you feeling worse. Things that are good for your body are good for your mind; some TLC really goes a long way.
2. Breathe
One of the best ways to cope with anxiety and keep your anxious thoughts under control is to take a deep breath.
Anxiety triggers your body’s ‘fight or flight’ response, and one of the first things you should do is try to calm this reaction down. There are several breathing techniques that you can use to get your fight or flight response under control.
These breathing techniques will help you to slow everything down and gain the mental clarity you need to process your feelings of anxiety.
If you want to learn more, check out this healing anxious attachment.
3. Face Your Anxious Thoughts Head On
One of the main symptoms of anxiety is that your brain will begin to play tricks on you. You’ll start worrying about things that seem irrational or silly to worry about.
Instead of just accepting thoughts like this, challenge them. Take some time to critically assess whether or not this is something that you should be worrying about or whether your anxiety is playing tricks on you.
4. The Five, Four, Three, Two, One Method
This method is great for grounding yourself and preventing your anxious thoughts from spiraling out of control.
Start off by identifying five things you can see, four things you can feel, three things you can hear, two things you smell, and one thing you taste. You’ll be amazed at how effective this can be.
5. Don’t Avoid Things That Might Make You Anxious
Having an anxiety disorder can make us avoid certain situations that other people seemingly find fun. Maybe you’d find them fun as well if your anxiety wasn’t getting in the way of you doing them.
The next time you try to avoid a situation because of your anxiety, take some time to assess whether or not it’s just your anxiety disorder getting the better of you.
Learn How to Live With Anxiety for a More Fulfilling Life
Learning how to live with anxiety can seem scary. Your anxiety can seem like an all-consuming beast that prevents you from forming relationships or experiencing things. Use the tips listed above to combat your anxiety and start leading the life you want to live.
This article is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to helpful content on how to take care of your mental health. If you’re looking for some further reading, stay on our site and take a look through more of our great content today.
