Many people talk in a blasé way about anxiety, but this disorder is much more serious than you might imagine it to be. After all, spending hours dreading what-if scenarios and worse-case situations will not only interfere with your daily duties and responsibilities. It will seriously lower your quality of life and will negatively affect physical health too.
The good news is that it’s possible to minimize – if not mitigate – feelings of fear, worry or nervousness. With the proven strategies listed below, you’ll be able to work through your feelings of anxiety and maintain your inner calm.
1. Disprove your fears
Anxiety usually presents itself when we’re faced with threatening situations. While it might sound counterproductive, exposing yourself to these triggers and proving your fears wrong may help you cope with the emotional strain better. If you’re scared of getting stuck or stranded underground for example, trying taking the subway train. Short journeys at first, and once you reach your destination safely you’ll disprove the what-if scenario wrong. And, in turn, alleviate any worries that you may have had in the beginning.
2. Remember that it’s treatable
While most cases of anxiety aren’t serious and can be managed with little more than making small changes to our lifestyle, there are some instances wherein the condition is much more severe. But even if you find yourself dealing with frequent bouts of paralyzing anxiety, always remember that it’s treatable. From online therapy to other forms of treatment for mental health, there are ways to beat anxiety and get back your equilibrium regardless of the severity of the condition.
3. Adopt an exercise routine
There’s a good reason why many recommend physical activity when faced with bouts of anxiety. When you get right down to it, exercising helps in the stimulation of natural chemicals in our brains called endorphins. These chemicals not only act as natural pain relievers. But they are also known for elevating our moods too. And since physical activities can lessen cortisol and other stress hormones in our bodies, it makes sense to have a regular exercise routine.
4. Distract yourself
Whenever we feel anxious, it’s normal to seek solitude and be alone. However, this can enhance our feelings of worry and fear even more since it leaves us alone with our thoughts. Instead, better to find healthy ways to distract yourself. Playing video games with friends or watching a movie with the family, enjoying an activity with good company can go a long way in keeping the undesirable feelings of anxiousness at bay. As a result, it will help you to feel better in yourself.
It’s not hard to see why it can be challenging to cope with anxiety. After all, it’s not easy to function if you struggle with too much worry and fear. But by learning to distract yourself with enjoyable activities, adopting a daily exercise regimen, disproving any of your worries, and seeking help if needed, you’ll be able to overcome your anxiousness and manage it much better than you would have otherwise.
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