Overcoming Anxiety: How to Deal with Anxiety Using 5 Proven Steps
Have you ever experienced such intense nervousness that it causes palpitations, profuse sweating, and makes your heart race? Experiencing chills running up and down your spine, hands and legs suddenly for seemingly no reason is more than simple stress. Such intense stress or panic is anxiety.
Anxiety affects both your mental and physical health. You need proper treatment or relaxation techniques if you are dealing with it. Negligence may lead to serious mental and physical health complications as per experts.
Research shows more than 20% of the people in the UAE have anxiety. In this blog, we'll explore intricacies of anxiety and understand its underlying causes. You will also learn to recognise its varied manifestations, and equip yourself with practical tools for your mental well-being.
The key to dealing with anxiety lies in first identifying its root causes. Also, anxiety manifests differently in each person. What you may experience as “symptoms” might not be the case for everyone.
Learn practical ways to handle anxiety, improving your mental well-being. The Bubble Wrap will equip you with the tools and self-help techniques to know how to deal with anxiety. Let’s embark on a journey toward improved mental well-being!
Understanding Anxiety
Anxiety disorders can make you feel scared and worried about certain things or situations. Sometimes, your body might even react with a fast heartbeat and sweating.
If you wonder too much about what others think or if you overthink small tasks it might indicate anxiety. Having anxiety is not shameful provided you are seeking treatment. Know more about how to deal with anxiety.
Normal Anxiety vs. Anxiety Disorders
Feeling a bit anxious before a big event or decision is normal. But if your worry is extreme and constant, even without a reason, you might have a condition like Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD). With such anxiety effects, you can't stop worrying about various things like health, work, or relationships.
Panic Attacks
This feels like having super-intense and sudden fear attacks. Sometimes, they can feel a heart attack. Experiencing panic attacks? Know how to deal with anxiety by going for anxiety attack treatment.
During a panic attack, you might:
Facing Phobias
Phobias refer to fear of something specific, like spiders or flying. You might go out of your way to avoid these things. There are different treatments for each issue for instance, panic attack vs anxiety attack. Professionals can show you how to deal with anxiety with meditation and other healing techniques.
So, what are the methods to deal with anxiety? Keep reading to find out below.
5 Steps For Treating Anxiety Attacks
Step 1: Recognise Signs
Recognising patterns or situations that tend to trigger your anxiety can greatly improve your chances of curbing it. To know how to deal with anxiety look for following symptoms.
Physical Effects:
- Stomach-churning
- Dizziness
- Restlessness
- Rapid breathing
- Irregular heartbeat
- Sweating or hot flushes
Mental Effects:
- Tension and nervousness
- Sense of dread or impending doom
- Feeling observed and judged
- Persistent worry
- Anxiety about anxiety, including fear of panic attacks.
Step 2: Seek Professional Help
Self-help resources are the initial treatment. They are readily available and can potentially alleviate your symptoms without exploring other options.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT): CBT courses can help with anxiety and panic attacks. It focuses on how thoughts and beliefs influence feelings and behaviour, teaching coping strategies.
Applied Relaxation Therapy: Teaches muscle relaxation in anxiety-inducing situations.
Medication is another option, which may include:
Antidepressants (or Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors - SSRIs) and beta-blockers also treat symptoms as you find ways on how to deal with anxiety. Along with treatments you need to make significant lifestyle changes as well.
Step 3: Lifestyle Changes
Significant lifestyle changes do more than curbing anxiety effects. It prevents root causes from recurring. Know what steps you should undertake to gradually conquer your anxiety:
- Prioritise Sleep
Want to know how to deal with anxiety most easily? Get proper sleep. Inadequate sleep significantly affects mood owing to a lack of crucial neurotransmitters. Thus, restorative sleep is essential to maintain a balanced brain and help alleviate depression and anxiety.
Additionally, research indicates that sleep-deprived individuals tend to perceive neutral images as "negative”. It contributes to feelings of anxiety. It is crucial to prioritise obtaining the necessary amount of good-quality sleep to know how to deal with anxiety.
- Exercise
You cannot miss out on exercise. It keeps both your mental and physical state in top condition. It elevates your mood, reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety. Your body releases serotonin and endorphins positively impacting your brain.
- Good Nutrition
Experts believe that anxiety correlates with a reduced overall antioxidant state. Therefore, incorporating antioxidant-rich foods into your diet may logically help alleviate symptoms of anxiety disorders. Such foods are beans, berries, nuts and vegetables and spices like turmeric and ginger.
Step 4: Stress Reduction Techniques
- Time Management
Effective time management through scheduling and prioritising tasks helps you to regain a sense of control. It reduces stress levels. Set realistic deadlines, know how to deal with anxiety and manage your stress.
- Deep Breathing Exercises
Such a practice makes it easy to calm your anxiety and stress. You can include them in your daily routine. Practice them anywhere. Start with doing them a few minutes a day. Try the 4-7-8 approach.
- Aromatherapy
Do you know how to deal with anxiety through smells? Smell is a really strong sensation and has the power to associate with good or bad things. Through aromatherapy, you can associate certain fragrances with a positive mind.
Light candles as you sit down to relax. For instance, with the Voluspa Moroccan Mint Luxe Candle, you can soothe your mind with this elegant combination of jasmine and ylang-ylang.
Invest in candles with strong top notes like Locherber Milano Azad Kashmere Candle. Strong and musky scents can calm your brain and empty it of all “noise”. It allows you to slowly bring quietness and peace to your mind and body.
Light fruity and light scents like on occasions with Voluspa Goji Tarocco Orange Classic Candle or the Gardenia Colonia Luxe Candle to create a harmonious ambience for your guests.
You can also light your favourite candle as you pen down your thoughts- or “journal”. Journaling is one of many popular ways to address your anxiety issues. Writing down all the negative thoughts may help you to channel and process them better. Let’s see how journaling helps your mental health.
Step 5: Journalling
Journaling serves as a valuable outlet for managing negative thoughts and achieving mental clarity. Consider the following journaling methods to find the one that suits you best:
Freewriting is about jotting down your thoughts without judgement on this Therapy Notebooks Build-A-Habit Guide Notebook. Set a timer, write freely, and don't worry about grammar or spelling. It's a personal exploration to understand your feelings better on how to deal with anxiety.
Expressive writing involves a 20-minute continuous reflection on your deepest thoughts and emotions. While it may initially bring discomfort, it can offer insight and reduce symptoms of depression, ultimately providing a sense of meaning.
This cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) exercise requires you to record thoughts, feelings, and their context in your Therapy Journal. By dissecting your experiences, you can gain new insights. Understand how to deal with anxiety by effectively managing your emotions.
3 Tips to Start Journaling Today
- Develop a Journaling Habit
Make journaling a routine in your day to understand how to deal with anxiety. Choose a time that suits you, whether it's when you wake up or before bedtime.
- Start Simple
When you begin, keep it straightforward. Write for a few minutes using a timer on your Therapy Notebooks- The Anti-Anxiety Notebook.
- Follow Your Feelings
There are no strict rules about what to write. It's your space to express your feelings to learn how to deal with anxiety. Don't stress about spelling, grammar, or others' opinions.
FAQs: Overcoming Anxiety: How to Deal with Anxiety Using 5 Proven Steps
How do I get rid of anxiety now?
Take in deep breaths and say loudly what is causing your anxiety. Do simple stretches and keep yourself motivated with positive words.
What is 5 4 3 2 1 rule for anxiety?
Identify five things you can see and four things you can touch. Then three things you can hear and two things you can smell, lastly one thing you can taste.
What is anxiety exercise?
Exercises such as rapid breathing, racing heart rate, and tense muscles are some relaxation techniques that you can try.
How do I train myself to get rid of anxiety?
Identify your triggers and make a self-care routine. Try to get adequate sleep along with maintaining a proper diet.
What are some home therapies that I can try to treat anxiety?
Consider techniques like deep breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, mindfulness meditation, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle with regular exercise and a balanced diet. Additionally, limit caffeine and alcohol intake and get enough sleep.
Conclusion
At the core of wellness lies relaxation. Give yourself the grace to take things slow. By understanding root causes of anxiety, you can use multiple practical tools to manage it. With various wellness products from The Bubblewrap, learning how to deal with anxiety by developing a journaling habit amongst other practices can significantly improve mental well-being.