Anxiety is a potent mix of different symptoms which can be emotional, behavioral, mental as well as physical. Learning how to work specifically with each component of anxiety can help us cope with the overall anxiety. We can learn different strategies to help us both cope with anxiety in the moment and potentially prevent anxiety. Learning how to deal with anxiety when it presents itself, as well as when preventing it can be useful ways to deal with anxiety. Now we know what anxiety is, and how to prevent the onset of anxiety, we can explore different ways to cope with anxiety in the moment when it arises.
Looking into different ways to cope with anxiety and practicing how to use them, before you are anxious, can be helpful for when you are feeling anxious. This way you know what you can do, what is useful for what you are experiencing and how to do it successfully. It can take time to find what works for you so here are a few different things that may work for you.
- Grounding Techniques – These are things we do to help up get back into the present moment. Often when people are anxious, we can get swept away with our thoughts and this can help us get back in control in the moment. One technique that is popular and I have used is the 5,4,3,2,1 method. This is where we name 5 things we can see in our environment, 4 things we can touch, 3 things we can hear, 2 things we can smell and 1 thing we can taste. We can do this with someone nearby or in our own head until our anxiety is less.
- Breathing techniques – These can help regulate our nervous system, calming the symptoms of anxiety. Box breathing is a popular breathing technique. This is where we focus on a 4-4-4-4 pattern when breathing - inhale, hold, exhale, hold. When you inhale, inhale through your nose for 4 counts, expanding both your belly and ribs – making sure you have a full breath. Then hold for 4 counts without inhaling or exhaling. Then, exhale through your mouth for 4 counts, making sure to empty your lungs – allowing the bely and ribs to return to their normal position. Then Hold with empty lungs for 4 counts. Think of it like the 4 sides of a square.
- Going for a walk – Honestly, this is such an underrated way, and very effective way, to help cope with anxiety. It can feel hard, especially when it is cold or rainy, but it is actually very effective as going into nature and green spaces can help us know what may be happening in our bodies when we are anxious. Going for a walk can also help it the anxiety is being triggered by your surroundings, e.g. a situation or place. Also, going for a walk also releases endorphins (chemicals which promote happiness) while we move. Walking can also reduce the stress hormone cortisol.
- Journaling – When we are anxious it can feel like our thoughts overwhelm us, so externalizing our thoughts can help bring relief. By writing down our feelings, they can feel less overwhelming, and then we can start to question them which can help you process them and move forward. We can even gain a feeling of control and autonomy over them by choosing to do something with them, like throwing them away, pinning them to a wall, or destroying them in a controlled way.
- Accept the anxiety – Notice the anxiety and notice how your body responds to it. Don’t fight off the feeling or thoughts, just let them be. Accept that you feel those feelings and be compassionate with yourself that you are feeling them. These feelings will pass, and a certain level of anxiety is normal and healthy.
- Counselling and Psychotherapy – Anxiety can often come from core beliefs which we may not be aware of that we’ve earned throughout our lives. Working with a professional can help find where our anxiety comes from, bringing these core beliefs into our awareness. Then we can learn and manage our triggers of anxiety. This can help us both reduce anxiety and gain some control over it.
Check out my next blog post where I go over daily practices which can help prevent the onset of anxiety, or my blog on what is anxiety to gain a better understanding. If you have any further questions or want to know more about how counselling for anxiety, please feel free to get in touch.