Ways to manage anxiety
Anxiety is a normal response to situations that we see as threatening. For example, if we see an angry dog coming towards us, have to sit an exam or spend time around someone very critical, it’s natural to feel anxious. At an appropriate level, anxiety is helpful as it motivates us to perform well or get out of danger’s way. However, excessive anxiety can put our threat systems into overdrive, leaving us stressed out, on edge and drained. Feeling anxious too often can also get in the way of our day-to-day activities, and we may withdraw from people, places and situations in an attempt to reduce our anxiety. Here are three tried and tested ways to help manage anxiety when it becomes problematic.
PACE YOUR BREATHING
Slowing your breathing down to around five to six breaths per minute activates the body’s parasympathetic nervous system, which counteracts the fight or flight response and calms your system down again. Make sure that your out breath is longer than your in breath for maximum effect.
check the facts
Many of us have developed oversensitive anxiety responses that are triggered by our minds’ tendency to look for the worst case scenarios in any given situation. when you’re feeling anxious, ask yourself, what is the threat that i am anticipating? For example, if you’re anxious about talking to people at a social event the threat might be saying something “stupid” and being rejected. once you’ve identified the potential threat, see if you can check the facts. is there another way of looking at this situation? what is the likelihood of the feared outcome actually happening? Are there other outcomes that are more likely?
HAVE A DAILY WORRY PERIOD
Choose a designated time place to worry, preferably the same time each day and not late in the evening. During this period, worry about anything you like. when you catch yourself worrying at other times, make a note of your worry and postpone it until your worry period. Having a regular worry period can help you gain some control over when you worry and the impact it has on your daily life.