3 ways to manage anxiety
It’s mid October. Fall is taking it’s time to arrive in Texas. It’s a busy season for a lot of people. Plus there are some major world events going on too. You may have met anxiety in the past and it feels like an old acquaintance. For some people, you are noticing changes at work, at home or at night when you are trying to fall asleep. Anxiety can show differently for each person.
Part of managing anxiety is understanding it. Read about anxiety and learn when anxiety shows up for you. If anxiety is interfering with your life, there are steps you can take. It takes practicing these tasks to see how they work. Here are few ways to manage your anxiety.
Deep breathing - I’ve found people have strong opinions about using deep breathing as a tool to manage their mental health. In session, I have heard “I hate deep breathing” or “deep breathing doesn’t work for me”. As a therapist, I have seen practicing using different breathing techniques can help clients. Two of my favorites are belly breathing where you breathe in through your nose expanding your belly and then slowly exhale. Another favorite is box breathing. 4-4-4-4 Intake for four breaths, hold for four counts, exhale slowly for 4 counts and another four counts. Repeat.
Grab some paper. - Sometimes when we start to notice anxiety rise, It helps to write down your thoughts, feelings or ideas on a piece of paper or make a list on your phone. There is something helpful about seeing what’s in your head on a piece of paper. You can take some time to make a plan and you can prioritize what you need to get done.
5-4-3-2-1 - Take a few minutes Scan your environment to find 5 things you can see, 4 things you can hear, 3 things you can smell, 2 things you can feel and 1 thing you can taste. This trick can be used most anywhere. It just takes a few seconds to complete it.
If you notice you have tried the above tools or some of your favorite tools and you’re not seeing a change, you may want to consider considering talking to a therapist. There are plenty of therapists in DFW. It takes some research to find the one that works for you.
