What to do when you’re stressed out

Everybody deals with stress and anxiety. However the key is to know what to do when your stressed out. It is not always easy to keep your feelings from getting the best of you.

With this in mind, here are seven tips that a person can use to help manage their daily stresses and anxieties before they get out of control:

• Get All of the Facts of the Situation — Gathering the facts of a certain event can prevent us from relying on exaggerated and fearful assumptions. By focusing on the facts, a person can rely on what is reality and what is not. Most importantly, do not focus on your fearful thoughts when your stressed out.

• Take a Break — Sometimes we get stressed out when everything happens all at once. When this happens, a person should take a deep breath and try to find something to do for a few minutes to get their mind off of the problem. A person could take a walk, listen to some music, read the newspaper or do an activity that will give them a fresh perspective on things.

• Carry a Small Notebook of Positive Statements with You — Another technique that is very helpful in managing fear is to have a small notebook of positive statements that makes you feel good. Whenever you come across an affirmation that relaxes you, write it down in a small notebook that you can carry around with you in your pocket. Whenever you feel depressed, open up your small notebook and read those statements.

• You Can’t Predict the Future — While the consequences of a particular fear may seem real, there are usually other factors that cannot be anticipated and can affect the results of any situation. We may be 99 percent correct in predicting the future, but all it takes is for that one percent to make a world of difference.

• Challenge Your Negative Thinking with Positive Statements, Realistic Thinking — When encountering thoughts that make you fearful or depressed, challenge those thoughts by asking yourself questions that will maintain objectivity and common sense. Focus on the reality of your situation and not on your thoughts. Your fearful thoughts can make things worse so try to focus on something positive when you get anxious.

• Divide Your Activities into Separate Steps — When facing a current or upcoming task that overwhelms you with a lot of anxiety, divide the task into a series of smaller steps and then complete each of the smaller tasks one step at a time. Completing these smaller activities will make the stress more manageable and increases your chances of success.

• Take Aadvantage of the Help That Is Available Around You — There are many individuals who have been expertly trained in the field of psychology to help you find ways to manage fear and anxiety. Seek out someone whom you trust to provide sound advice and guidance. This same professional can also help you create an action plan for dealing with your fears and anxieties in the future.

Popovich is the author of the popular managing fear book, “A Layman’s Guide to Managing Fear.” For more information about Stan’s book and to get some more free mental health advice, please visit his website at http://www.managingfear.com.