What is Anxiety and How Can It Be Managed?

Anxiety is a normal and predictable part of our lives. It can be viewed as worry about the future, characterized by chronic hyperarousal and a sense of an unpredictable or uncontrollable situation.

However, people who suffer from an Anxiety Disorder are essentially phobic of the feeling of anxiety itself, and because they get anxious, they avoid daily activities, resulting in becoming dysfunctional.

The good news is that, whether you experience occasional anxiety or a diagnosed disorder, you can always take small and easy steps to manage it.

1. Relaxed Breathing

Take a breath through your nose, exhale slowly while relaxing the muscles in your face, jaw, shoulders, and stomach. The goal is to keep the duration of the exhalation as long as you can.

2. Get Active

A brisk walk for 30-60 minutes releases endorphins that reduce anxiety and makes neural circuits more resilient to stress.

3. Stay Connected with Others

Social interaction is vital. By talking with others, you can resolve the things that concern you with greater ease.

4. Say an Encouraging Statement to Yourself

We tend to focus on the negatives. Every night, say three positive things that happened during your day.

5. Accept Your Anxiety

The problem is often created by our attempt to control and eliminate it, not by the anxiety itself.

6. Challenge Anxious Thoughts

Identify and write down these thoughts at a specific time of the day, and think about how they affect your emotions and behavior.

7. Connect with a Psychologist

Psychotherapy helps you change to the extent that you want, without feeling like you are losing yourself.