Take Action
If your anxiety has a definitive cause, and you have concretely identified that cause, take positive steps to address it. If work is the cause, set forth a schedule that lets you complete stressful tasks in a timely fashion. If finances are the cause, discuss your financial situation with a knowledgeable advisor and start taking steps toward a solution. Don't try to address a given problem all at once. Rather, set forth a plan of action that allows you to address it in smaller steps. For instance, if you have debt that you're trying to pay down, develop a monthly payment schedule that fits within your budget and still lets you pay it off in a timely fashion. In particular, look to increase your physical activity. A regular exercise regimen elevates your endorphin levels and helps you feel energized--both of which do wonders for lessening the severity of anxiety symptoms.
Yoga, Meditation and Breathing
Doctors at the Mayo Clinic believe that yoga exercises have a positive effect on anxiety disorders. Meditation can also help restore calm and prevent your anxiety from becoming overwhelming. If you don't wish to enroll in a formal yoga or meditation course, learn some simple deep breathing exercises. Find a quiet place and close your eyes, turning your awareness inward to your body. As you breathe in, focus on making your diaphragm, rather than your stomach, rise. Take slow, even breaths and be aware of how your body responds to each inhalation and exhalation. Continue this process until you feel the anxiety diminishing. Breathing exercises are beneficial because they are instantly actionable, and you can use them as a weapon whenever you feel an anxiety attack coming on.
Positives and Negatives
When dealing with anxiety disorders, it's helpful to give yourself a break. Take a moment every day and acknowledge something positive that happened--something you did to help you accomplish a goal or make someone else's day brighter. It becomes empowering, which in turn makes you feel more capable of dealing with your anxiety. Authors Tracy L. Morris and John S. March suggest establishing a set "worry time" each day, lasting 30 minutes to an hour. When you're in your worry time, you do nothing but focus on your anxieties. When your worry time is up, stop addressing your concerns and do not allow yourself to be troubled by them for the rest of the day. It keeps your anxieties from overwhelming you while providing a "safety valve" to release them.
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