9 Tips: How to gain control over your Anxiety?

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Psychology

Mindfulness

Personal Development

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#1: the most important: The 4/7/8 Breath technics

Control your breath. When anxious, we tend to overestimate a situation, signaling the nervous systems that it's a danger.

This triggers physiological responses, like increased heart rate and breathing. So, you might feel breathless or hyperventilate, creating a loop that worsens anxiety.

Focus on your breath; breathe slowly. Inhale through the nose for 4 seconds, hold for 7 seconds, and exhale through the mouth for 8 seconds. Repeat until you feel calmer.

So... breathe

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#2: Cognitive restructuring - Bringing evidence to your though

Remember, your feelings and thoughts aren't facts and don't necessarily reflect your reality.

Replace anxious thoughts with rational ones through cognitive restructuring.

For example, before a presentation, if you tell yourself you'll fail, ask: How often have you genuinely failed a presentation? Have you succeeded many times? Did you prepare well? Recall your acquired skills over the years.

Then, Replace anxious thoughts with rational ones: you have the necessary skills for unexpected situations, and you've prepared well. So, you'll do just your best to succeed.

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#3: Sensory Grounding Technique 5/4/3/2/1 (Mindfulness)

In a state of anxiety, our thoughts tend to shift towards the future, anticipating the worst-case scenario.

When you notice yourself envisioning the worst and physiological symptoms are arising, bring your thoughts back to the present using the "Sensory Grounding Technique 5/4/3/2/1/":

Name 5 objects you see.
Touch 4 textures with your hands/feet.
Identify 3 sounds you hear.
Sense 2 smells.
Identify one thing you can taste.

By engaging your senses, you can anchor yourself more firmly in the present moment

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#4: Don't avoid THE situation

Comfort feeds anxiety.

Anxiety is triggered by situations deemed uncomfortable or dangerous. The comfort gained is only temporary, and comfort feeds anxiety.

For instance, those with social anxiety may find events uncomfortable, leading to excuses for cancellations, that will lead to another one.

The key is not to dive straight into such situations. Take baby steps. If big events trigger fear, start by hanging out with friends, then just acquaintances, and so on.

The more you confront these situations, the more you tackle your anxiety. Over time, it becomes easier to live with.

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#5:Don't let that monster make the decision for YOU

In decision-making, anxiety might push you toward the most comfortable and seemingly secure option in the moment, but it will only worsen.

Instead, base your decisions on the future you desire, aligned with your long-term goals.

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#6: Be grateful, even for the smalest step you did

Celebrate taking a step, no matter how small it was.

For those with generalized anxiety, congratulate yourself for responding to that lingering message. For those with social anxiety, celebrate saying hello to your neighbor

Don't dwell on whether you did things perfectly; simply acknowledge and celebrate the action you took 'cause we know the courage you gathers to do such

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#7: Stop the negative self talk by asking "HOW?"

Our brain doesn't distinguish between what you say and what you think. If you think, "I can't do it," your brain accepts it as a fact.

To avoid this, instead of saying, "I can't do it," ask yourself, "How can I do it?"

It will redirect your brain to think and find solutions rather than getting stuck in a negative spiral.

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#8: Take care of yourself

Do sport, take a ray of sun, drink water, get enough sleep, meditate, etc.

Avoid coffee, sugar, and overly fatty foods.

Don't forget, you try to control a monster so the better you take care of your physical health, the more effectively you'll manage your anxiety 💪

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#9: Use the sexy inside voice tone

This one is a comical but effective tip!

Picture yourself before a significant performance, and a little voice in your head keeps saying, "You won't make it."

Now, imagine that voice in a sexy and seductive tone, almost like a sexual caress, saying, "You won't make it."

It's likely to make you want to do the opposite.

This practice is one of the countless techniques in Neuro-Linguistic Programming or NLP. A very interesting subject that I'll talk here soon x)

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A brief message for those who deal with Anxiety

Just want to say, you're not as fragile as your anxiety try to convince you. Quite the opposite.

Someone dealing with anxiety yet managing daily life and continuing to live like anyone else is far from fragile.

Celebrate yourself for navigating through life despite it all! ❤️

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IDEAS CURATED BY

@imberly

CURATOR'S NOTE

When asking how to overcome anxiety, we always hear the "Build your confidence and self-esteem!". But that takes time to accomplish. We might die of our anxiety before fully getting there. So, alongside your journey to build confidence, these tips can help you control your anxiety :)

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