How to Cope with Anxiety: 11 Simple Ways and When to See a Doctor

Writing down what’s making you anxious gets it out of your head and can make it less daunting.

Try breathing in for 4 counts and breathing out for 4 counts for 5 minutes total. Evening out your breath, you slow your heart rate which may help you calm down.

Negative thoughts can take root in your mind and distort the severity of the situation. Ask yourself if your fears are warranted, and see where you can take back control.

When you figure out your trigger, try to limit your exposure if you can. Some common triggers:

CBT helps people learn different ways of thinking about and reacting to anxiety-causing situations. A therapist can help you develop ways to change negative thought patterns and behaviors before they spiral.

While this takes some practice to do successfully, mindful meditation, when done regularly, can eventually help you train your brain to dismiss anxious thoughts when they arise.

If sitting still and concentrating is difficult, try starting with yoga.

Changing your diet or taking supplements may take up to three months to make an impact in must be discussed with your doctor. But research shows it can help anxiety reduction.

Exercising regularly, eating balanced meals, getting enough sleep, and staying connected to people who care about you are great ways to stave off anxiety symptoms.

If your anxiety is severe enough that your mental health practitioner believes you’d benefit from medication, there are a number of directions to go, depending on your symptoms. Discuss your concerns with your doctor.

Anxiety is part of our brain’s response to a perceived danger. But it may grow out of control into an anxiety attack or a panic attack, or both simultaneously.

Initially, manageable anxiety can build up over a few hours and become an anxiety attack. This is different from a panic attack, which is out of the blue and subsides.

• Feelings of danger, panic, or dread
• Nervousness or restlessness
• Rapid heart rate
• Sweating
• Trembling or chills
• Tiredness or weakness
• Gastrointestinal problems
• Difficulty focusing
• Hyperventilation

• Fear of dying
• Feeling like you’re losing control
• A sense of detachment
• Heart palpitations
• Shortness of breath
• Chest pains or tightness
• Nausea
• Feeling lightheaded or dizzy
• Numbness or tingling in your extremities
• Feeling hot or cold

If you notice that quick tips haven’t been working, you may want to consider seeing a professional for help. Especially if you may have GAD and it's interfering with routine activities and causing physical symptoms.

A mental health professional can help with streamlining the process of identifying your triggers and maintaining long-term strategies. Anxiety may always be a part of your life, but all cases can be managed.