It’s rare that any of us will get through life without experiencing anxiety at some point. It is so important to learn skills to reduce anxiety. Especially right now due to corona virus, health anxiety for many is higher than it has ever been. But some people have the burden of dealing with anxiety on a daily basis. Whether it’s over something big or insignificant, anxiety stops us from living a normal life full of joy and potential.
Here are 5 ways you can work to reduce anxiety:
1. Recognize You Are in Control
When you are in the grips of anxiety, it feels very much like it has total control over you. But the reality is, you are in control. Your mindset is everything. While external events can trigger our emotions, ultimately, we have the choice whether we allow those emotions to take control over our behaviors or not. So the good news is, you don’t have to suffer with anxiety, you simply have to decide to show it who’s really boss.
2. Diaphragmatic breathing
This physical strategy is very helpful to relax in stressful situations. While breathing, focus on breathing into the belly while keeping your shoulders down and relaxed. As opposed to expanding your chest, focus on letting your abdomen expand while inhaling.
Guided meditations are also a powerful tool to reduce anxiety. Here is a short video of a guided anxiety-reducing meditation.
3. Move Your Body
Exercise is a great way to alleviate the muscle tension that goes along with chronic anxiety. Plus, exercise releases feel good chemicals in your body like serotonin. But don’t sweat it, you don’t have to do a grueling workout at the gym to gain these benefits. Just a half hour a day of walking, biking, swimming or yoga can significantly help to reduce anxiety. Even if you’re stuck at home right now, there are so many free YouTube videos for home workouts you can do online from the comfort of your house.
4. Start a Gratitude Journal
Get into the habit of writing down three to five things you are grateful for each night before retiring. This is a simple way to train your mind to focus on all of the good that surrounds you. It can be even more beneficial to write down specific things you are grateful for that happened during that day. For example, saying I am grateful that I have a loving partner is not always as powerful as writing down something they did that day to make you feel loved.
5. Speak with a Professional
The cure for any physical or psychological ailment is to get to the root cause of it, not simply manage the symptoms. A therapist can help you access your inner world to uncover what is triggering your fear and also offer coping tools and strategies.
If you or a loved one is interested in exploring treatment, please contact me today. I would be happy to speak with you about how I may be able to help.
Modern Change offers therapy for anxiety in Durham, NC.
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