Coping with Anxiety

What can you do to curb your anxieties?

Anxiety is an unpleasant feeling that everyone experiences at some point in their life. You might describe it as feeling very nervous or “wound up”. General anxiety symptoms can last for extended periods of time – it could go on for a couple of weeks or longer. It’s more than just being nervous. You might have anxious thoughts about yourself, other people, and how you think other people feel about you. You might also have anxious thoughts about the world around you and what could happen in the future.

Identifying your anxiety




Anxiety manifests from what your mind perceives to be 'problems' that you face. Not all problems are the same and a good activity to do is first group your anxieties into big, mid-level and little problems.



By grouping your anxieties into the different levels, you can then target specific interventions to help you cope with a certain anxiety.

The things you think, feel and do when you're anxious can actually keep your anxiety going.

When you're anxious, you might worry all the time and feel like you can't get it under control. You might spend long periods of time worrying and this can then make it difficult to relax or sleep. These worries can stop you from doing things you enjoy, or things you need to do like going to school/work.

Looking at this image as an example, think about a situation when you have felt anxious. Filling this in helps you see and visualise how your feelings, thoughts, behaviour and how your body feels are all linked, meaning they can all then affect one another.

Giving yourself 'worry time'

Anxious people can and tend to worry a lot of the time, but worrying can be useful, however it can only be useful when it reminds you to do something. Otherwise, it can result in you becoming stuck in a loop which isn't useful or helpful. One of the most frustrating things about anxieties is that they can make you feel like you have no control over how much you worry.

One way you can manage your worries is by setting aside 'worry time'. This can allow you to feel in control of your worries, therefore it won't then become overwhelming for yourself.

Breathing Exercises

Grounding

Grounding involves trying to take your mind off uncomfortable symptoms or thoughts.

You can use the 5,4,3,2,1 method to ground yourself. Start by sitting in a comfortable place and taking a deep breath. Then try to focus on the following:

  • 5 things you can see

  • 4 things you can feel

  • 3 things you can hear

  • 2 things you can smell

  • 1 thing you can taste

Distraction Techniques

Keep a diary

It might help to make a note of what happens when you get anxious or have a panic attack. This could help you spot patterns in what triggers these experiences for you, or notice early signs that they are beginning to happen.

Have a fidget 'toy'

Having a fidget toy such as a stress ball or something as simple as blue-tac can keep your mind focused on the object in your hand and therefore distract away from the worries you are experiencing.

Talk to someone

Talking to someone you trust often feels like a relief. It may be that having someone to listen and care could be a help in itself. If you can't open up to your family or friends then there are a number of helplines you can contact, some of which are here or here.

Other ways to manage your anxiety