How to Mitigate Anxious Thoughts
Feeling anxious all the time can take a serious toll on your quality of life. Rather than suffering in silence, take action against your anxious thoughts. There are plenty of ways you can mitigate your feelings of anxiety. Keep reading to learn more about what you can do to calm your anxiety.
Ways to overcome anxiety mentally
Since anxiety is a mental health condition, it is natural that one of the ways you can combat it is through your brain. Although anxiety may feel unstoppable, there are plenty of ways you can begin to fight back against your anxiety. Try out a few of the following to see what fits you and your lifestyle.
Change how you view your thoughts: Believe it or not, there is a very thin line separating anxiety from excitement. The next time you feel anxiety creeping in, try reframing your thoughts. Instead of being anxious that you are going on a first date, flip the script and channel excitement instead. This may not work in every situation, but it will help in some.
Accept your anxiety: Do not try and force your anxiety away. This will only lead to further anxious thoughts. Rather, embrace your anxiety. Let yourself fully feel it for five minutes, then release it and move on. This removes some of the power your anxiety holds over you and puts you back into control.
Identify what you are truly upset about: Most of the time, our anxiety comes from a specific place within us. If you are worrying about running late or things going off schedule, perhaps the root cause is truly that you are afraid to relinquish control of certain situations. Once you understand that you can begin to work on eliminating that feeling.
Physical coping mechanisms for anxiety
Our mind and body are very closely related. In addition to having mental effects, anxiety can also cause a physical reaction in your body. While this may sound scary, the good news is that this relationship goes both ways. This means you can calm your mind through physical mechanisms as well.
Focus on your breathing: Feeling anxious can cause your breathing to become rapid and shallow. A great way to combat this is to intently focus on your breathing. One method you can utilize is called box breathing. This includes breathing in for a count of two, holding for another count of two, exhaling for a count of two, holding once more, and repeating.
Find comforting movement: Finding movement that feels good for your body is a great way to relieve anxious thoughts. This can be anything from running to swimming to kickboxing. However, practicing yoga gives the added benefits of keeping your heart rate low and focusing on breath work.
Set an exercise routine: Regular exercise has great effects on your mental health. By engaging in intentional movement on a regular basis, you can train your body to have a healthy outlet for stress and stop anxiety before it starts.
Limit caffeine and sugar intake: As delicious and comforting as a full French press of coffee is every morning, the caffeine intake might not be helping your anxious thoughts. Try limiting the amount of caffeine and sugar you consume to keep your heart rate and blood sugar stable.
Of course, one of the best ways to combat anxiety is by seeking out talk therapy. While this may seem daunting, counseling is a wonderful outlet for anyone who needs an extra bit of help. Asking for what you need when it comes to your health is not a sign of weakness but rather a great sign of strength. I hope you reach out to me to schedule an appointment today for anxiety therapy.