5 Ways to Manage Your Anxiety

Did you know that anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the entire United States? More than 40 million American adults are affected by anxiety disorders every single year. For reference, that number amounts to over 18% of the entire US population every year.

What’s even more surprising is that less than 37% of adults living with an anxiety disorder receive the treatment they need, despite anxiety disorder being highly treatable. The longer these people go without receiving treatment, the more harm the anxiety can have on their life.

If you or someone you love is living with anxiety, it’s very important that it doesn’t go unnoticed and doesn’t get ignored. Not only is there therapy available for those experiencing symptoms, but there are a variety of things you can do on your own to manage these symptoms daily.

So, how can you better manage your anxiety?

Anxiety is your body’s natural response to stress. It generally occurs when we feel fear about something that’s about to happen — such as being stopped by the police, attending the first day of school, moving to a new city, interviewing for a job, or having to give a speech in public.

Although anxiety is a normal part of life, some people have difficulty managing these symptoms and others might see their anxiety occur all day — whether they have something to be stressed about or not. Either way, everyone should know how to manage their anxiety on a daily basis.

Here are five of our most prominent ways you can better manage your anxiety to help you live a happier, healthier, and fulfilling life: 

Breathe, Relax, & Meditate

Anytime you start to feel anxious throughout the day, one of the first things you should do is take a moment to breathe. It’s very easy to let these anxious feelings overcome you, but taking a second to sit back and relax can help you realize that everything is going to be fine and okay.

Even if you don’t feel anxious, it’s very important to take moments throughout the day to sit back, relax, and take in the beauty that the day has given us. Living in the moment and being thankful for every living second is an excellent way to live your life — every single waking day.

Exercise & Eat Well

Of all the lifestyle changes you can make when managing your anxiety, two of the most important are changes to your exercise and eating habits. Most people don’t think about these when talking about mental health, but caring for your physical health can help in a major way.

In regards to exercise, you don’t have to overdo yourself. In fact, going too heavy on the weights, working out for extremely long periods of time, and overworking yourself with physical activity can do more harm than good. Instead, focus on just a little activity each and every day.

Understand Your Triggers

We all experience anxiety at some point in our daily lives. In fact, anxiety is 100% normal and we need to learn how to manage it — whether it’s temporary or more permanent. Of course, the only way we’ll know how to manage it is by understanding what’s triggering it throughout the day.

Everyone has different triggers and everyone overcomes those triggers differently. When you understand what your triggers are, you can start to learn the different ways to avoid those triggers and overcome them when they appear. This is necessary when living with anxiety.

Talk to Someone You Trust

Anytime you come across anxious or stressful moments in your life, it helps to have a support system that you can trust. Your support system is supposed to be there for you whenever you need it and they’re the ones that can help calm you down in moments of distress — every day.

Everyone’s support system looks a little different, but they all serve the same purpose. Some support systems are filled with friends, some are filled with family members, some are filled with support groups, and some are filled with therapists or doctors. Some might have a combination!

Contact a Local Therapist

Anxiety can be difficult to deal with sometimes. The good news is there are professionals out there ready to help you manage your anxiety symptoms — especially if the above tactics don’t seem to do the trick. With a therapist’s help, they can figure out why and help you find a solution.

In the event your anxiety becomes too much to handle on a daily basis, you shouldn’t hesitate to contact your primary doctor or a local therapist. You could be living with an anxiety disorder, which would need to be diagnosed and treated to ensure it doesn’t get any worse in the future.

Even if you don’t know who to contact in this situation, there are people that can help you find the right assistance. Our good friends over at BetterHelp specialize in this. They not only help you find a therapist or psychologist, but they find one that’s in your local area and ready to help.

If you have an anxiety disorder cognitive behavioral therapy can be one methodology that you discuss with your mental health professional.

Is Your Anxiety Taking Control of Your Life?

Anxiety comes in different waves and everyone has a different experience with it. Some people learn how to manage these symptoms at an early age, while others struggle with it their entire lives. Either way, no one should have to experience their anxiety take control of their life. 

If your anxiety becomes too overwhelming in your life or if you’re struggling to manage the symptoms on a daily basis, it’s important you don’t let these feelings go unnoticed or untreated. Instead, contact our friends at BetterHelp so they can connect you with the help you need. 

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