What Are the Different Common Ways to Counter Anxiety?

Feeling Anxiety is a normal experience of our life. And it is normal if you feel anxiety in response to stressful events and situations. But if anyone experiences anxiety for prolonged periods of time that can affect their social, work, or personal lives then that can be a serious problem.

When is anxiety harmful?

When symptoms start to affect social, work, or personal life, this may indicate an anxiety disorder. When someone panics frequently or gives very frequently anxious reactions to any situations and events then that indicates an anxiety disorder. Anxiety becomes complicated when it is not compatible with the situation or is persistent, continuous and uncontrollable.

Anxiety disorders occur when the feelings of anxiety and worry both stay with you all the time and become highly disruptive then that condition needs treatment. People generally use some generic medicine such as Alprazolam sold under brand name xanax 1mg and various other methods to cope up with anxiety for a short period of time.

In some cases, anxiety can become a disorder like Persons with agoraphobic conditions can also have anxiety in which an uneven fear of places or height which might be difficult to control, later it might become anxiety disorder.

Also read: 4 Physical Signs of Anxiety You Shouldn’t Ignore

Some Common symptoms of anxiety disorders are:

  • Sweating
  • Feeling nervius
  • Disbelief
  • Trembling
  • Feeling helpless
  • Increased heart rate
  • Hyperventilation
  • A sense of danger or doom or impending panic
  • Obsessively thinking about the panic trigger
  • Feelings of sadness, worry, numbness, fear, shock, anger, or frustration
  • Changes in appetite, interests energy, and desires
  • Difficulty in sleeping or having nightmares
  • Difficulty in concentrating and making decisions
  • Physical side effects like headaches, constipation, body pains, stomach problems, and skin rashes
  • Worsening of chronic health problems or mental health conditions.
  • Increased use of tobacco, alcohol and other substances.

If any of the symptoms persist with you and become unmanageable then to cope up with that anxiety at that moment you may try some recommended medicines such as tramadol, later you must visit your doctor’s place. To counter anxiety for some period of time you can try some other tips and methods to control anxiety such as;

Breathing tips to overcome with anxiety

breathing exercise for anxiety

When some people become anxious, they start breathing faster and our breathing becomes shorter and shallower. Therefore gradually controlling your breathing or doing some breathing exercise can give some relief from the anxiety.

Breathing exercises such as, try out the 4-7-8 technique, inhaling to the count of four, holding the breath for a count of seven, exhaling for a count of eight or simply focus on filling your belly not just your chest with each inhalation.

Laughing and Counting; start laughing loudly by opening your mouth or Start Counting to 100, slowly and silently.

Strategies to counter anxiety disorder

You can follow the best strategies to counter your anxiety level by following below mentioned tips

Daily Meditation and physical exercise

It is one of the best methods by which anxiety can be controlled permanently. It might take time to show its effects but it can be a very effective tool to overcome anxiety. Meditation like yoga or mindful meditation so that you can sharpen your mind and doing regular exercise to push your body and mind through pain and exhaustion to get stronger.

Exercise is an effective and powerful process to reduce stress and overcome anxiety. Develop a habit of doing regular exercise so that you remain physically active the whole day. Initially start doing exercise activities slowly and gradually increase the amount and intensity of your workout. It will improve blood circulation throughout your body as well as in your brain hence it improves your mood and helps you stay healthy.

Take a balanced diet which have Vitamin-rich foods

Lack of vitamins and minerals in people such as vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin E, vitamin D and vitamin K may be the cause of depression and these vitamins may help the body protect the brain from disorders such as anxiety and depression.

Foods high in vitamin A such as; oily fish like salmon, bluefin tuna, and king mackerel, liver, lamb liver, and butter, cheese.

Foods high in vitamin C such as; chile peppers, guava, fruit like strawberries, blackcurrants, kiwis, and oranges, herbs like thyme and parsley, greens like mustard spinach and kale, vegetables like broccoli and Brussels sprouts

Foods high in vitamin E such as; sunflower seeds, nuts, like almonds, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, and peanuts, cooking oils, like wheat germ oil, sunflower oil, and almond oil, abalone, goose meat

Foods high in vitamin D such as; fortified foods, like non dairy milks and cereals, egg yolks, fatty fish like salmon and mackerel

Foods high in vitamin K such as; leafy greens, nuts, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage

Distraction

Distraction may help you cope up with anxiety for a short period of time. While distraction is not an all time solution for anxiety, it may help you at that moment when you feel anxious thoughts.

Whenever you feel anxiety, distract your mind by doing some activities such as;

  • Distract yourself by reading; when you feel nothing is working to counter your anxious thoughts, then maybe you can find a temporary distraction by focusing only on the things you really enjoy like reading a book on the topic which you like most or by listening relaxing/slow music which might can break the cycle of your anxiety and give you some relief at least until you’re in a better frame of mind.
  • listening to music;  you can also listen to relaxing/slow music which might break the cycle of your anxiety and give you some relief at least until you’re in a better state of mind.
  • Imagination; Sit somewhere in a silent environment and close your eyes and imagine some funny events or picture an image or a place that makes you feel happy. Think about your favorite moment of your life, the moments when you laughed too much. Imagine your school life when you used to laugh at small stories, jokes or cartoons.
  • Go for a walk; Take someone with you and go for a walk somewhere like parks/ gardens or some markets and buy something which you like most.

Talking to a friend or family member

When you get the feeling of anxiety and feel uncomfortable then find someone very close to your life, a family member or a friend to talk who  can call or chat with you, and give you comfort, can give you mentally support and helps to ease anxiety by increasing your confidence and also helps to get rid of loneliness and also helps you distract from your fear by comforting you when you get anxious.

You can also talk or chat with someone who has experienced the same situation that you are going through. Often, just being able to hear from someone who has felt the same things is an enormous help, reminding you that you are not alone.

Conclusion

You are not alone here who feel anxiety or feel depressed. Everyone has gone more or less through these situations, therefore it is normal to experience anxiety in response to stressful events and situations. But if it distracts you all the time then before going for some medication you can try these above tips which might help you to overcome from short term anxiety or short term depression. There are few quick techniques to calm anxious thoughts and feelings. And there are some Long-term coping mechanisms that might include maintaining a healthful lifestyle. But People who experience regular anxiety or when anxiety has become disruptive to normal

Medical Disclaimer: All the content available on the website is just for informational purposes. It’s not a substitute for any Professional advice. Don’t take it personally. As a medical student, I’m just trying to use my information through my content, and please keep in mind it’s not written by a professional doctor. Use the data just for educational purposes.

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