Living with anxiety makes life feel unnecessarily difficult. When an attack of anxiety strikes, it leaves you feeling paralyzed. Luckily, there are tested ways to beat back your anxiety before it starts.
If you are interested in learning more about stopping your anxiety before it starts, then keep reading.
Anxiety and our thoughts
Sometimes, mental illnesses are hard to understand. Conditions like anxiety and depression make you feel as if you are at war with your own brain. However, even though anxiety triggers real feelings and emotions, we can use our thoughts to counteract the reaction we feel.
One of the most effective thought methods to reduce anxiety is by simply accepting your anxious feelings. When you deny your anxiety, you are giving in to fear and fighting against your thoughts, which is what usually triggers an anxiety attack.
Think of your anxiety as a natural reaction–because they are! For example, if you feel yourself becoming anxious to give a speech or presentation, recognize that you are feeling this way because you are worried about public speaking. Accept these thoughts and reassure yourself that you can still function in spite of your anxiety. Hopefully, this helps to quell an anxiety attack.
In order to prevent your anxiety before it starts, take some of the following actions as well.
Practice your meditation
The practice of meditation can be a great help when it comes to reducing anxiety. Overall, meditation elevates your mood and increases calm feelings. Additionally, there are dozens of forms of meditation, so you are guaranteed to find a practice that works for you.
Some great examples of meditation include:
- Reciting an affirming mantra
- Focusing on your breathwork
- Following a guided meditation video
Find your calming routines
There are many activities you can do to help reduce your levels of anxiety. Try implementing some of these activities into your weekly routine to feel the positive effects.
- Journaling your thoughts
- Exercises such as hiking, walking, or yoga
- Taking a relaxing bath or shower
Talk to someone who understands
If you feel a bout of anxiety coming on, there is no shame in reaching out for help. Having a support system in place makes it easy to talk to someone who understands where you are coming from.
Although it may sound intimidating, reach out to your family and friends to let them know what you are dealing with. This way, if you begin to have anxious thoughts, you can get in touch with them to notify them that you need extra support.
If you do not have friends or family you feel comfortable talking to about your anxiety, consider looking for outside help. This can come in the form of a therapist or even a support group. Again, this gives you the opportunity to reach out for extra affirmation when going through anxiety.
Go easy on yourself
Whether you like it or not, it takes some time and practice to stop anxiety in its tracks. There is no quick fix to or easy answer to overcome your anxious thoughts. Throughout this process, remember to be gentle with yourself.
By putting in the work and talking to a professional, you will see results with time. Some of these may work for you, while others may not. However, even if it feels like your preventative steps are pointless at times, I promise that you can beat back your anxiety.
If you feel as if your anxiety is getting too big for you to manage alone or you simply want someone to talk to, I am here to help. Schedule an appointment today to get started.