This article was reviewed by Daniel Z. Lieberman, MD.
Like getting your teeth cleaned at the dentist or forgetting your umbrella on the one day it downpours, occasional anxiety is a typical part of life. And while worrying is a completely natural reaction to stressful situations, anxiety disorders can amplify these feelings for some people.
Coping skills for anxiety can help.
Anxiety disorders come in all shapes and sizes, but even in the most severe cases, there are effective strategies for dealing with anxious thoughts and feelings.
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11 Anxiety Coping Skills to Try
First off, no matter how overwhelmed you get, it’s important to know that you’re not alone. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), roughly 31.1 percent of U.S. adults experience an anxiety disorder at some point in their lives.
If anxiety makes you feel out of control, focusing on what you can control might help.
How do you do this? There are simple coping skills you can learn to keep anxiety from taking the wheel.
Here are 11 science-backed skills for coping with anxiety:
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1. Talk to a Healthcare Provider About Your Anxiety
First things first: If you think your anxiety (or any mental health disorder like depression, which shares similar symptoms with anxiety) is getting in the way of everyday life, the most crucial step is speaking to a healthcare provider.
This may not sound like a quick-fix coping skill for anxiety, but it’s a move that can help you manage your anxiety long term.
A healthcare professional can go over your symptoms, give you a diagnosis (if you don’t have one already), and recommend the best anxiety treatments for your unique situation.
For example, if suitable, they may recommend anxiety medication, which can help keep your symptoms under control.
Anxiety medications include:
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Antidepressants, like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs)
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Beta blockers
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Benzodiazepines
Consider talking with your primary care provider for a therapy referral or reaching out directly to a therapist in your area.
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2. Try Anti-Anxiety Supplements
Some supplements may help reduce feelings of anxiety, including:
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L-theanine
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Passionflower
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Valerian root
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Chamomile
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Lemon balm
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Lavender
You can find these in gummy, powder, or pill form — or even as a supplement blend.
Hers Balance Blend contains an SSRI ingredient, L-theanine, and vitamin B6 in one pill. Ingredients like these can help reduce stress and anxiety, improve sleep, and promote overall well-being.
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3. Try Deep Breathing
Deep breathing is one method you can do any time, any place to calm your anxiety.
More specifically, the 4-7-8 breathing technique is a controlled breathing pattern that you can use to slow your mind, relax your body, and improve your sleep.
One study found that using 4‐7‐8 breathing improved sleep, heart rate variability (HRV), and blood pressure in healthy young adults.
Diaphragmatic breathing, a relaxation technique that involves breathing into your stomach — not just your chest — also has the potential to help anxiety. Research indicates this type of breathing exercise can trigger a relaxation response in your body, which can lower stress hormones such as cortisol
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4. Practice Mindfulness Meditation
Practicing mindfulness is about focusing on the present moment, allowing feelings and thoughts to pass through your mind without judgment.
Here’s why it’s worth trying: Studies suggest this technique can help decrease the intensity of anxiety, depression, and severe stress.
Learning mindfulness can be tricky, but like any muscle in your body, you have to exercise it. We’ve got a guide on how to meditate to get you started.
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5. Practice Yoga
Yoga therapy is another tool for practicing mindfulness. This type of therapy combines the physical components of yoga with various breathing techniques, like alternate nostril breathing, to help regulate your emotions.
You can also practice regular yoga, which is another grounding exercise and useful coping strategy for anxiety.
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6. Get Physical
Sometimes, the best way to shake off anxious thoughts is to get your body moving. Whether it’s a spin class, a virtual yoga session, or a stroll around your neighborhood, breaking a sweat is great for your physical health and stress relief.
Even better news: It doesn’t take much to get mental health benefits from exercise. According to the NIMH, just 30 minutes of walking a day can significantly boost your mood.
Bonus points if you’re able to get outdoors. Research shows surrounding yourself with green spaces can lower stress levels, too.
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7. Reframe Your Emotions
A big part of managing mental health issues is knowing when you need to reframe harmful, scary, and uncomfortable emotions and thought patterns.
When you have feelings of anxiety, it can be easy to let negative emotions spiral out of control and convince you of a narrative that simply isn’t true.
To prevent this, it’s important to be able to look at situations –– including the ones that cause stress and frustration –– from another angle.
For example, if you get bad feedback at work, you might have the instinct to (mentally) beat yourself up, making your anxiety symptoms even worse. Try reframing these by reminding yourself that you tried your best.
You can also stop yourself from falling into a negativity trap by finding a mantra for anxiety that works for you. It might feel strange the first time you do it, but saying to yourself, “I’ve been through this kind of experience before and I will be okay” — or another similar phrase that speaks to you — can be a powerful reframing exercise. By doing this, you’re building resiliency for similar situations in the future.
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8. Practice Self-Care
“Self-care” may seem like a buzzword these days, but it’s truly one of the most important coping strategies for anxiety you can have in your toolkit. It involves actively taking steps to take care of your well-being.
Self-care can include:
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Making sure your head hits the pillow by 10 p.m. every night
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Preparing balanced meals that nourish and satisfy
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Punching it out at a boxing class
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Socializing with friends at happy hour
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Integrating relaxation techniques, like progressive muscle relaxation, into your routine
If you’re looking to build more self-care habits to help with anxiety, journaling for mental health can be a powerful place to start. Journaling is a great outlet for expressing your thoughts and emotions (anxious or otherwise), and it may even help reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety.
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9. Open Up to Others
Despite the fact that millions of Americans deal with anxiety on a daily basis, there’s still some shame and stigma associated with this condition. This can make it hard to open up to others.
It can also be difficult to maintain friendships when you’re dealing with anxiety.
But opening up to your friends, loved ones, and other people who care about your well-being, can help you get the support you need.
If you don’t feel comfortable talking to someone who knows you personally, that’s totally understandable. Anonymous support groups can provide the support you need while adding a layer of privacy.
And even if you don’t want to talk about your anxiety, spending time with friends and family can be a mood-boosting distraction to help you manage your symptoms.
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10. Avoid Alcohol and Drugs
Here’s a coping skill that shouldn’t be in your toolkit.
Occasionally engaging with alcohol and drugs might seem harmless, but if you have a mental health condition, there’s a chance you could be making things worse.
Research tells us that people with mental disorders, like anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), may use alcohol and drugs to self-medicate.
It’s important to take stock of the substances you’re consuming and whether they’re affecting your mental health in a negative way. If you feel like you have a problem, consider reaching out to someone for help — whether that’s a friend, medical professional, or anonymous support group.
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11. Improve Your Sleep
It’s a cruel twist of fate that anxiety can cause sleep loss, since sleep loss can also cause anxiety.
If you can, try taking the following steps to improve your sleep and better manage your anxiety:
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Keep a regular sleep schedule
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Limit your caffeine (this can also reduce those anxious jitters during the day)
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Take time to wind down before bed with relaxing activities like reading or meditating
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Try supplements like L-theanine, chamomile, and lavender (bonus: these may help with anxiety too)
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Coping Skills for Anxiety: Final Thoughts
Symptoms of anxiety can feel all-consuming –– but that doesn’t mean those feelings have to consume you. Luckily, there are coping mechanisms for anxiety you can add to your routine to make your day-to-day a bit easier.
Here are some takeaways to keep in mind as you get started:
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Anxiety is super common. From occasional anxiety about stressful situations to full-blown anxiety disorders, remember that you are not alone, no matter how isolated you may feel.
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Talk to a healthcare provider. Whether an online crisis counselor or an in-person psychiatrist, a healthcare professional can give you medical advice and work with you to develop a personalized treatment plan.
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It may feel overwhelming, but it’s very treatable. Therapy, medication, and day-to-day coping skills (like mindfulness and exercise) can help with anxiety symptoms.
Related: How To Get Antidepressants
Related: How to Ask Your Doctor For Anxiety Medication
This article originally appeared on Forhers.com and was syndicated by MediaFeed.org
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