Here’s help to reduce anxiety when you’re overwhelmed

Do you feel depressed because you’re battling several large problems at once?

Maybe you have a financial problem that’s growing. On top of this, you might have a serious family illness. In addition, maybe you have a teenager in the family who’s in trouble at school. Each of these problems is a “10” on a scale of 1 to 10.

You can feel your stomach tighten as you fight off anxiety. Sleeping a few hours straight might seem next to impossible, and one defeated thought leads to another.

If you’re completely overwhelmed, sit down and do a little planning. There’s nothing like a plan of action to help you get back on track.

“Before you address your problems, take control of your thought processes,” says a family counsellor we’ll call Sherry. Sherry insists, “If you can visualize your steps, you’re going to be a lot better off.”

She’s found that stress grows when you feel there’s nothing you can do.

Here’s her advice to create a plan to reduce anxiety:

> Never overlook small changes to help a problem: three or four improvements in your spending habits will add up.

> Make time to focus on fixing the problems. Set a time each week to figure out what you’ll change in the coming week.

> Balance pain with healthy activities you can control. For example, ask a friend to join you for lunch, if you’re going to face your child’s irate guidance counsellor the same afternoon.

> Don’t let your thoughts run wild. Write down what’s bugging you and ask yourself what options you really do have to correct things.

Having several overwhelming struggles at once can boggle the mind. If you’re in such a situation, it pays to find some people to help. The minute you can find a friend, mentor, or paid consultant to help you, you will have a new influx of knowledge to address an illness, financial setback, or family problem.