Having anxiety is not an uncommon phenomenon, but when it’s so bad that it starts to cause you trouble, it’s time to take action. Knowing how to cope with anxiety and the thoughts in your head may help you get back on your feet and feel better fast.
One of the reasons for the high level anxiety during this time comes from the fact that they’re going through a lot of change and pressure. So it’s a good idea to try and keep yourself busy, distracted, and positive during these stressful times. You have to know that you’re going to be fine no matter what.
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Here are some coping skills you can try when you feel like anxiety is getting the best of you:
1. Stay busy — Find something to do other than lie around feeling anxious about the situation at hand. Do something productive like working out, meditating or doing yoga or whatever activity will help clear your mind and focus on something else besides what’s causing your stress.
2. Exercise — Exercise gives you physical energy and stress relief. You can breathe through it as well as burn off the excess energy from anxiety. It’s a good idea to mix up your workout routine so you don’t get bored with it, this will help you stay motivated and keep the boredom at bay.
3. Meditation — Meditation is another good way to clear your mind and get rid of those anxious thoughts that are weighing down on you. How this works is very simple, just focus on your breathing to clear your mind, think about something else other than what is making you stressed or anxious, and relax.
4. Relaxation — Relaxation is a great way to get rid of anxiety. It helps you to calm down and reduces your overall stress level. Try breathing deeply, taking a relaxing bath or shower, or finding time for rest without any distractions.
5. Healthy eating — A good diet can help you feel better physically and mentally. Eat lots of vegetables and fruits, drink plenty of water, drink herbal tea for relaxation, and do some exercise every day if you can to release endorphins that will provide you with more energy and help you cope better with stress related to schoolwork or other activities.
6. Get enough sleep — Sleep is an important part of the process. Your mind is at peace when you’re sleeping, and it’s a great time for your body to heal itself. It’s very important to get a good night’s rest so you can feel rested and rejuvenated the next day.
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One more observation from my research, “Divide and conquer” and “short-term stress relief” are two main strategies people use to cope with anxiety, and they are both on the same page.
For example, if you find that every time you’re feeling anxious, you try to distract yourself from it by doing something else but it leads back to thinking about the source of your anxiety, then try a different distraction or activity. This way, while you’re still aware that anxiety is present, your mind is busy at least for a couple of hours.
There’s also something in the way you think about your anxiety that can make it even worse. When you tell yourself things like “I can’t do this” or “This anxiety is killing me”, you’re telling yourself it won’t get better, and that’s exactly what feeds your anxiety and helps keep it alive.
The next time you’re at a doctor’s visit and they ask you if you have any problems, turn it around. You can now say “no, I actually don’t have any problems”. If you try this, your doctor might not even notice your anxiety any more.
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Don’t know what to do? Try one thing at first, then another one (maybe the third one works better too). Keep doing that until the problem is solved or until you realize that the issue is not worth worrying about.
Also, a lot of people find it helpful to keep a list of things they have done that helped them in the past. This way, you can revisit any past experience to refresh your memory and see what made so many things easier.
Sometimes all you need is something that can help you remember how to cope with anxiety. You’re not alone in this war, everyone is, This too shall pass
Note: This is a summarization of the book Bend without Breaking: amazon.in/dp/B096QWP35F/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_.., do check it out if plausible…