Ah, anxiety—the overly enthusiastic friend who crashes your party and refuses to leave. We’ve all been there, right? As a therapist and coach who’s danced with this unwelcome guest more times than I can count, I’ve learned a thing or two about managing anxiety that I’m eager to share.
I have always looked at tackling anxiety as a multi step process. You want to look at what you can do pro-actively before the train leaves the station, and what to do when you are in the midst of anxiety attack or panic attack.
Proactive Strategies: Taming the Anxiety Beast Before It Strikes
Picture this: It’s a sunny day, you’ve got your favorite playlist on, and life feels good. This is the perfect moment to arm yourself against anxiety. Proactive measures are like going on runs and training before the marathon hits—helpful and and maybe something you want to put off but know you shouldn’t.
1. Mindfulness and Meditation: I can hear the collective eye rolls as I mention mindfulness, but hear me out. Think of it as a mental spa day. Just a few minutes of focused breathing can clear the clutter from your mind and reset your emotional capacity. Apps like Headspace or Calm make this easier to execute on a regular basis. They also have guided meditation so it’s not you sitting their trying so hard to not think about anything to the point that you are only thinking about all things stressful.
2. Physical Activity: Channeling your inner athlete doesn’t mean you need to run a marathon (thank goodness!). Even a brisk walk outside or a dance break in your living room can release those feel-good endorphins and combat anxiety. Trust me, shaking it out like nobody’s watching can do wonders. Just don’t forget to close the curtains—your neighbors will thank you.
3. Journaling: Grab a pen and unleash your thoughts onto paper. This isn’t just for teenage angst; it’s a powerful tool. Write about your anxieties, your victories, or even a ridiculous stories that might still have power over your emotions. When you see your thoughts in black and white, they often lose their power. Lately I even do an video diary on my phone as it helps me to vocalize it to really process through my thoughts.
4. Social Support: Find your tribe. Whether it’s friends, family, or a supportive online community, sharing your feelings can lighten the load. Just remember, it’s not about seeking advice; sometimes, you just need someone to nod and say, “Wow, that sounds tough.” Therapist and coaches can also helps especially if more extensive guidance or a neutral party is needed.
Reactive Strategies: Handling Anxiety When It Crashes the Party
So, what happens when anxiety shows up uninvited? Here’s where you can flex your reactive muscles and kick it to the curb (or at least to a corner of the room).
1. Grounding Techniques: Next time anxiety strikes, try the 5-4-3-2-1 method. Name five things you can see, four you can touch, three you can hear, two you can smell, and one you can taste. It’s like a scavenger hunt for your senses, bringing you back to the present moment. It sounds like it doesn’t work, but it does put you back in your body and out of your head, thus breaking the cycle.
2. Breathing Exercises: Remember those deep breaths we practiced in proactive mode? Now’s the time to put them into action. Inhale deeply through your nose for four counts, hold for four, and exhale through your mouth for six. It’s like telling anxiety to take a chill pill, and I don’t just mean that to be witty. You are telling your body with slow breaths that you are safe, and that is then communicated to the brain.
3. Reframing Thoughts: When anxiety whispers its worst-case scenarios, challenge those thoughts. Ask yourself: “Is this thought fact or fiction?” More often than not, you’ll find you’re not auditioning for a soap opera but living in reality. For me it helps to write it out or speak it aloud, because then I can think more linear and not circle back to my irrational feeling or thought.
4. Physical Activity Strikes Again: Yes we did speak to this in being pro-active against anxiety, but it also works to get out that extra energy. When your anxious you body releases hormones akin to fight or flight. Sooo imagine you sitting in that with no where to go, or get it out. It might be helpful to do some type of moment if you can to dissipate that energy
5. Self-Compassion: Finally, be kind to yourself. Anxiety is a tricky beast, and battling it doesn’t make you weak. Treat yourself as you would a friend who’s struggling—supportive, compassionate, and maybe a little silly.
Bonus Round: Oh wait not quite done yet. We talked about Pro-active and Reactive, but what about afterwards. It might be helpful either by yourself, with a friend, or *cough *cough with a professional to debrief what triggered your anxiety. Was it more than one situational event? Was it part of a larger unresolved issue? Getting to the bottom of some of these questions might help in your overall goal to kick anxiety to the curb.
Remember, you’re not alone in this journey; we’re all in it together, hell I have the T-shirt to prove it. Keep fighting the good fight, and don’t forget to take a break and enjoy the little things and the little wins!
If you need to talk to someone please reach out to me Jacqueline Frey at email address thatjackiefrey@gmail.com, you can also follow the link below, or text/call (904) 834-0529.
-Live the Life You Love
Jacqueline Frey, Therapist and Life Coach