7 Useful Tips for Dealing with Anxiety
Have you ever been in a position that made you break out in sweats, get a rapid heart beat and have a hard time breathing? You probably weren’t having a heart attack but instead it may have been an panic attack. If you experience an anxiety disorder, learning to manage it is the first step to be able to overcoming it.
Anxiety usually means having extreme reactions to what seems like fearful events. If someone follows you into a dark alley, those anxious feelings of a fiercely racing heartbeat and sweaty palms lead to heightened senses along with a rush of adrenalin that may actually help to save your life. This is referred to as the fight or flight response.
When there is frequent stress and anxiety, the fearful sensations are due to the dread of the particular situation rather than the situation alone. Getting caught in traffic may cause an anxiety attack over what may well happen when you get to work late. Starting a new job can induce anxiety attacks. You don’t understand the culture and fear of that unknown can certainly send you into a panic.
Everyone experiences anxiety from time to . Like the fight or flight case in point above, it can save your valuable life. In a completely new situation, we can get panicky, but if the outcome we were worried about doesn’t happen, the stress and anxiety goes away naturally. This is not the case for someone with chronic stress and a anxiety disorder.
Not every situation that brings on anxiety is seriously life-threatening. More than likely it really is an extremely stressful situation that triggers the anxiety as an easy way of coping with the situation. Unchecked anxiety like this type may result in depression.
If you experience anxiety attacks on occasion or a more frequent anxiety disorder, there are things you can do to keep your anxiety under control. Here are 7 useful tips for handling anxiety.
1. See a professional. This is always a great first step. Self-diagnosis of almost any physical or mental condition is unwise and may be dangerous. A professional psychologist can assist you in understanding your stress and anxiety triggers and recommend appropriate therapy or other useful techniques. An integrative medicine doctor like Dr. Johnson can also help determine if your stress response is being affected by other physical conditions.
2. Have a good night’s rest. During the deep sleep cycles, your entire body repairs itself. You really feel more rested after consistent hours of restorative sleep, especially when reaching multiple REM phases. Most people require at least eight hours of sleep per night which varies from person to person within a couple of hours each way.
3. Exercise consistently. Exercise allows you to use oxygen better. It helps to get more oxygen to your brain for enhanced mental performance. It also increases your ability to focus, which could help you find answers to problems rather than worrying about them.
4. Meditate. Meditation is a lot more than chanting mantras. Yoga is surely an exercise that involves quieting your brain and controlling the breathing. Simple meditation like taking a few minutes to clear your head everyday can work wonders to help fight against chronic stress and anxiety.
5. Manage the worry. When you’re feeling your pulse start to quicken, count backwards from ten. While you count, pay attention to the situation. What has really happened? Resist the urge to read anything more in the situation.
6. Don’t drink alcohol for relief. You might believe a glass of wine will be comforting for your nerves, but alcohol is really a mental depressant. In anxious situations you can easily rely on drinking too much and gradually find yourself with another problem to deal with.
7. Find a variety of relaxing activities. Stress can rob you of energy. On a consistent basis, do something you prefer to do such as working in a garden, painting, reading or playing music.
Anxiety can come into your life whenever it wants. It’s a normal part of life. When the stress and anxiety becomes frequent is when you may be at risk for more severe conditions. If you’re feeling your anxiety is starting to take over your health or increasingly causing you problems, seek a specialist’s care immediately. You can call for a consultation with Dr. Johnson at 781-344-0720.
There is no reason to suffer this terrible condition in silence.