Hi Everyone,

Here are some ideas for helping you manage symptoms of anxiety. Feel free to add to the list, or let us know what works for you...

Mindfulness – Grounding exercises: noticing your environment, bodily sensations, and breath

Progressive Muscle Relaxation – Creating a Tension and Release effect with all the muscles in the body

Opposite Actions – By listening to calming music, taking a walk, talking, enjoying sunshine

Safe Place Mental Imagery – Visualising a place where you can go in your mind to feel safe

Calming Affirmations – To help recognise that the moment of panic will pass

Exercise – A valuable way to exhaust excess adrenalin built up in the body

[Moderator's note: this thread is for sharing what has worked for you to manage your anxiety. If you need support to manage your anxiety and would like to discuss this with the community, please start a new thread.

See also:

Anxiety management strategies

Worry worry worry

]

Stop worry by questioning the worried thought:

• What’s the evidence that the thought is true? That it’s not true?
• Is there a more positive, realistic way of looking at the situation?
• What’s the probability that what I’m scared of will actually happen?
• If the probability is low, what are some more likely outcomes?
• Is the thought helpful? How will worrying about it help me and how will it hurt me?
• What would I say to a friend who had this worry?

Remembering quick and honest phrases:

"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." - Dr. Seuss

Hi BenD and Blackbox,

Thanks so much for adding to the list. These are some great ideas. Oh, and I'm a bit of a fan of Dr Suess:)

BenD - if you have some more little quotes, you may even like to add to the "Inspirational Quotes" thread. We can take so much from just a few simple words. I like to start my day off with an inspiring quote each morning:)

AGrace

Dear AGrace

I quite agree with the points you have raised and find walking particularly useful and - for me anyway - having a distraction (such as reading novels). Whilst in the midst of a period of high anxiety I'm not sure I'm capable of reasoning my way out of it so distraction, either physical or mental has been my best path.

For me all these are short term measures to lessen the impact of symptoms at the time and do not take the place of long term meds/treatment but supplement them.

Regards

Croix

Thank you for this :) I just saw it. Very helpful!

When you're going through those days (and sometimes weeks) of consistent anxiety, save the "big" life decisions for days & weeks when the anxiety has settled. While you are going through it, make it a focus to just function hour by hour as much as possible. One of the hardest things about living with this monster, is knowing that the "real world" doesn't stop & wait until it's over: work, kids, bills, phonecalls etc are all still demanding you to be the "real" you, so one of my key coping mechanisms is to do the above (focusing on hour by hour) as well as keeping myself away from as many potential stressful situations as possible. Even if those "stressful" situations wouldn't seem stressful to anyone else, they are to you - Learn to respect what your mind is telling you, and not feel guilty for how you think it should be xox ...... And I agree with the "distraction" advice too, mine is doing anything creative with my hands, whilst watching favourite dvd's :)

When I start to get overwhelmed in a social environment I like to go somewhere alone for a little while and just focus on a single thing around me.  Like, if I'm at a party and can't handle all the people I'll go around the side of the house and put my focus on a plant in the garden, or an animal, or anything - study it in minute detail instead of obsessing over my anxious thoughts.  It helps to calm the storm in my head and I can go back to being around people after 15 minutes or so.

When I can't get away to be by myself I do something else.  It might not be that healthy as it's kind of obsessive (sometimes I don't even realise I'm doing it) but when my mind starts to get frantic I'll touch my thumbs to my fingertips in a progressive pattern. It gives my body an outlet for the anxiety and is pretty unobtrusive.  Keep my hands busy and my mind will hold off the panic attack for a little while.  It's a good indicator of when I need to get away, and the only person who has noticed it's significance is my husband... so if he sees me doing it, he knows to come and rescue me, or give me space - whatever is needed in that time.

Agrace

I agree with all of those. I like to colour in, check out Mandala coloring pages. I also like to have a small list of to do items a day, to keep me focused.

10 deep breaths, hold in for 3 out for 3.

be kind to your brain

I always have 2 things that I carry with me to assist my anxiety: bubble wrap and a panic script

Bubble wrap is a great distraction and it gives you something to do and something else to focus on. It is also very satisfying to pop bubble wrap.

The panic script is small that I can get out at any time and it forces me to slow my thinking and my breathing. It goes along the lines of 'I am feeling anxious. I am starting to panic. Panic attacks can't hurt me, they are just my fight/flight system being activated by a false alarm. I won't loose control, I am safe. There is no big bear going to eat me. These feelings are normal and will pass. I will be okay.' It helps me gain perspective when I am anxious (obviously this is tailored to a panic attack, but similar can work at other times). 

Hope this was helpful

Hi Victor  it is comforting to know that we are not alone with this struggle i have a great partner wonderful kids and yet i suffer from this debilitating disorder why????

Hi, a tip I heard about to help capture a wondering mind is to count backwards from 100 by 3's. It worked really well...until I got really good at it! Now I try other mental maths or something like replaying a favorite movie in my mind, or even trying to memorize something, especially before I go to sleep when my anxiety kicks up a notch. I find that I need to give myself something mentally challenging to think about until it passes.

good luck

I'm new to this journey, was only diagnosed in November last year and I only recently have started to comprehend the battle I have on my hands.

Anyway, I've been told by many people to try meditation, but I just haven't found that I've had the time (or inclination) to get to a class. This week I discovered an app that runs you through guided meditation. It goes for only 7 mins and have used it twice already when I just couldn't calm down. Both times it has had an immediate effect.

There are several different apps, I chose the one that was free :)

Is this app available on Android?

I can't seem to find it. :(

Hi All,

This is my first post. I have suffered from anxiety and depression most of my lif, but getting ontop and understanding myself now so its better than it has been for a long time. :)

When my anxiety is bad and preventing me from sleeping when I find that listening to my iPod to a meditation CD helps.

My favorite and most effective CDs are:

Quiet Mind ( I found this at my local library)

Letting go of anxiety (CD by australian psychologist Sarah Edelman) 

These are fantastic and I loved them so much I purchased them both on itunes. If anyone is in the newcastle region they are both available at the local library. Really good to stop the nagging thoughts when trying to sleep.

Hope this can help some of you

xoxo julia

Hi there

I've realised that I am a lot in my head all the time.

One of the main things I have found useful is to realise that the past is over and I can do it differently from now on. Also, just because I think a thought, does not necessarily mean it is true. That is where the questioning that Hopeful posts is helpful as this is what Byron Katie teaches.

I have found another effective method for managing and even eliminating anxiety, but not sure if I am allowed to post it in the forum.

It is great when you find something that works for you!

Keep up the good work everyone!

I have done these to get rid of my anxiety symptoms.

* Eat healthy food and drinks and avoid the following: Caffeine, carbonated drinks, fried food, too much sugar, too much sodium

*Regular cardio and weight lifting exercises at least 3x a week

*Regular visit to my GP, Chiropractor and Physiotherapist

*Take Natures Way Rest and Restore nightly multivitamin - it calms nervous system and very good sleep

*Regular mild stretching upon waking up in the morning

*Try to sleep longer i.e. at least 7 hours

*Very important: PRACTICE SLOW BREATHING thorughout the day i.e. 3 seconds INHALE 3 seconds EXHALE

*Stay dehydrated

*Have a POSITIVE MINDSET and CONTROL ANGER

With the above I can say GOODBYE to my anxiety. I hope the above will help others.  

Dodge2000 - I love this list!

I think it makes a lot of sense to care for your body in the physiological and psychological way.  One can't go without the other - which is why medication alone doesn't always help... or counselling alone can't be effective long term.

I'm working through a list of strategies which work for me, but also ensuring that there's balance.

I have a simple tool I call EAT. Emotion, Acceptance, Time.

I feel the emotion, acknowledge/accept and then remind myself that as time passes so will the emotion.

In terms of anxiety in the middle of the night, rather than worrying about being tired, I say to myself that waking up is normal. I use NOT- Tired. Normal, Ordinary and (again) Time. Here's the thinking

Being anxious is a normal thing. Being anxious is ordinary. As Time passes, so will the anxiety

I don't know if my post is trite and if it is please excuse it. I wonder if when a person gets symptoms and goes to the Dr,  is it feeding the fear. My fear is becoming severely depressed again. I avoid any information to do with this. My gp doesn't think it will happen again. But I'm afraid my mental health isn't robust enough if a big event happens in my life. 

I really feel for everyone who has this debilitating illness.  Helen x

Just another suggestion. This helps me but might seem silly to some.  I look at life, at people, at centuries and I know that so very many people suffer as we do.  But in different ways. Physical pain.  Loneliness. Refugees. Marital abuse, the list is endless. We are a vast community, suffering together. In a strange way we are one. All of us here are sharing in one and others pain. I can and do care for everyone on here. Also I care for anyone suffering. It wasn't sent to us. We have the misfortune to live with it. 

I love people and animals and try to show compassion to those I meet each day. Despite my suffering I know inside that I offer a great deal to world. I always wanted to do that, but I 'd thought I' d be able to do it happily. And now I'm going to get a cup of tea and have a good cry. 

Take care  Helen x