Simple Anxiety Management Techniques to Try

When you're feeling anxious, it can seem like the moment won't ever pass. "Just relax" and "breathe" are nice platitudes, but when the fear strikes it can feel like you're spiraling out of control. Whether your heart quickens or a cold sweat overcomes you, or whether it's all just too much to deal with and you need to escape to a safer place, anxiety is a natural response to stress.

We all have different ways of dealing with stressors in our lives. But regardless of what we use to cope, anxiety is a very real aspect of modern day life. You could be triggered by work, problems at home or even worldwide events -- looking at you, Covid-19. However, just because something feels overwhelming doesn't mean it has to take over your life. There are a lot of challenging aspects to navigating day-to-day life, and the first step towards the calm you need to make it work is to get in front of your anxiety before it takes hold.

They're called anxiety management techniques, and utilizing them when you feel your anxiety cresting is a great way to stay composed and in control of your feelings and your interactions with other people. It all starts with identifying your triggers, those things that send you spiraling and in search of some fast relief, giving you a chance at managing an anxiety attack before it takes hold. Still, coping with anxiety is a daily struggle for some, and finding the right coping mechanism is trial-and-error process that can take months to figure out, even with the help of a professional.
But for lesser forms of anxiety, proper anxiety management techniques can help you focus enough to complete your tasks, or at least prevent an issue from quickly escalating into something bigger. Some are thought experiments that are designed to help challenge a damaging train of thought, while others reach the mind through our senses or our body. They're not necessarily successful 100 percent of the time -- what technique is? -- but they can help you wage an in-the-moment challenge before the worry takes hold.

If your anxiety is driven by an upcoming event, encounter or interaction, the good news is that what you're feeling will likely be short-lived and will fade away after the event takes place. If it doesn't, you could be dealing with a longer-term issue, though you may have also misidentified your trigger. But whether you know what's pulling at your psyche, there are various anxiety management techniques that can have you feeling better in short order. 

First up -- do a deep dive into why you're feeling this way. Challenge your negative thoughts with positivity and see if you can't shift your perception. It's called questioning your thought pattern, and it can give you new insight into why you're feeling fearful or anxious about something. It can also help to talk to a friend or trusted family member -- as long as they're not one of your triggers, otherwise you could risk the onset of more severe symptoms that could be more difficult to overcome.

Another anxiety management technique is to, yes, breathe. It sounds like a cliché because it is -- but it can really work. With focused, deep breathing where you count out slow, drawn-out breaths over the course of several minutes, you'll actually slow your heart rate, which should help reduce the anxiety you feel. Start by breathing in over the course of four seconds, then breathe out for another four seconds. Repeat this for five minutes or until you start to feel relief. If needed, you can continue deep breathing for as long as you'd like.

Aromatherapy is yet another anxiety management technique that can actually activate certain receptors in your brain, easing your anxiety while giving you a room full of calming scents. Whether you enjoy candles, oils, incense, sage or other herbs, be sure to pick a smell and activity that you can get into. Now's not the time to go for the craziest bit of incense you can find -- go with the comfort and smell of something you're fond of. Lavender, sandalwood and chamomile are common favorites, but take some time to find the right one for you.

If you're feeling overwhelmed like you have a ton of pent up energy, one of the best anxiety management techniques is to go for a walk, hit the gym or settle in for a nice 15 or 20 minutes of yoga. The physical activity will give your body something to do while your mind is focused on the task at hand, and sometimes getting out is better than staying cooped up indoors while you let your feelings fester.

Like our first anxiety management technique, this next technique is about facing the issue head-on. If you're feeling overwhelmed, grab a journal, computer or your favorite way to jot stuff down and just start writing it out. Getting your feelings out on paper or the screen can be a great way to organize your thoughts and to make it all seem a little less daunting. When you write it down and then come back to it later, it can also help contextualize your feelings in the moment, giving you insight into the role that time plays in the battle with anxiety.

Long-Term Anxiety Management Techniques
But if your anxiety is long-lasting or more severe than can be addressed with some anxiety management techniques, you may need more specialized help. Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) can be a years-long or a lifetime battle, and the techniques we outlined above may not do the trick when it comes to more severe anxiety and other mental health issues. For more serious anxieties, you'll need to adopt behavioral changes and other things that can help you stay ahead of your anxiety.

One long-term anxiety management technique is cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT. CBT combines cognitive therapy and behavioral therapy into one treatment that is designed to address your thoughts and belief systems, as well as your moods and actions. Instead of looking at the outside world and its triggers, CBT asks how you can adapt to the world around you, addressing your problems and developing approaches on how to solve them. At its core, CBT is intended to change a patient's behavior and way of thinking, substituting poor habits with healthier ones.

Daily meditation is another long-term anxiety management technique, and there are various meditation techniques to try if one isn't doing it for you. The important part is to do it regularly, developing a habit of mindful meditation instead of only seeking it out when your anxiety gets the best of you. With regular meditation, you'll eventually train the brain to discard the anxious thoughts during your normal, day-to-day activities or whenever a triggering event competes for your attention.

Diet can also be a long-term anxiety management technique, where poor eating habits are replaced by healthy ones that target certain foods or supplements such as green tea, lemon balm, omega-3 fatty acids, ashwagandha, valerian root, kava kava and dark chocolate. Like with most things, moderation is the key to success, but eating right can have you feeling better and dealing with less anxiety in as little as a few months. 
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If all else fails, or if your anxiety is increasing and you feel like nothing's working, you may need professional help to keep the anxiety at bay. Here at Quick Results Counseling, we provide Bay Area and online counseling for anxiety and other mental health issues. Unlike the trope of year-after-year counseling, we believe that most clients can be discharged from mental health counseling after 12 to 24 sessions, or three to six months. Book a free, 45-minute consultation call and get started on your path towards an anxiety-free life today.