How To Manage Anxiety

Learning how to manage your anxiety has a big impact on your mental health. Since anxiety disorders tend to be disruptive to our daily lives, being able to cope with episodes of anxiety can improve your quality of life. And when you’re able to feel confident about your ability to manage and cope with your anxiety when it rises, then you’ll feel less anxious about your anxiety. 

Since there are different types of anxiety, there are also different ways to cope with each one. Some would be easier to deal with, while others would require professional help and medication. These coping strategies will vary based on the intensity of the attacks, the root of the anxiety, and its impact on you. 

What Are the Different Types of Anxiety?

Before we dive into managing specific anxiety disorders and the general approaches to managing them, let's first take a look at the various types of anxiety that people can experience. This will give you an idea on what to expect for each type.

Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

This is the most common type of anxiety. Medical professionals describe GAD as an excessive and uncontrollable worry about everyday things. This condition can be seen in people who are chronic worriers, who feel like something bad is always bound to happen. 

Panic Disorder

Unlike the GAD, panic disorder is not something that happens continuously. Instead, it happens in waves or episodes. It’s usually triggered by an external event. But sometimes it can happen out of the blue. Panic disorder (also known as Panic Attacks) can be described as a sudden rush of fear accompanied by physical symptoms like – racing heart, excessive sweating, difficulty of breathing, uncontrollable shaking, and thoughts of danger. 

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

This type of anxiety usually affects people who experienced extremely traumatic events in their lives like abuse, bullying, calamities, or war. Their anxiety comes in the form of flashbacks and a combination of physical symptoms similar to panic disorder. In some cases, the physical response to PTSD can also be violence since these episodes trigger the fight-or-flight response. 

Specific Phobias

All of us have phobias. Some of us are afraid of heights. While others can’t stand the sight of snakes. Phobias and fear of certain things are our mind’s way of avoiding dangerous situations. Although most of us can easily overcome our phobias, some people get adverse reactions whenever exposed to things they fear. 

Social Anxiety Disorder

As the name suggests, social anxiety disorder is related to social situations. It’s an extreme fear of joining social situations like parties, gatherings, or even just hanging out. This is due to a fear of being judged or rejected by the group. 

All of these types of anxieties are rooted on survival instincts. Our brain sees our anxious response as a way to protect us and survive. However, in most cases these external factors (triggers) aren’t all that harmful to our existence. Hence, the need to learn how to manage your anxiety. 

Coping Techniques for Generalised Anxiety Disorder

‍“Some days when I leave the house and start my commute to work, I tend to ask myself if I left the stove on. Sometimes I do this even when I haven’t used it for days. Then my mind jumps to what happens if my house burns down. Then even before that story ends, as I ride the bus to work, I imagine the bus crashing during transit. Then I think about the deadlines I’ll miss from getting injured. And even before I finish that story, my mind is already somewhere else. The deadlines. Oh dear, I might not be able to finish them. This cycle goes on and on for me every day. From the moment I wake up, up until the time I fall asleep. And sometimes it haunts my dreams too. I always thought this was normal. It’s not until I learned about Generalised Anxiety disorder that I realised I need help.” 

– A person describing their experience how GAD feels like

Managing GAD can be challenging especially if you’ve been living with it for a long time. Fortunately, there are several anxiety coping strategies that are backed by science. These ideas are proven to help manage generalised anxiety disorders. 

Practising Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) 

Also known as mental reframing is seen to be particularly effective for managing GAD. This technique is usually done by being conscious of your anxious thoughts, and reframing them in a neutral or positive frame. For instance, instead of thinking “I won’t be able to meet my deadlines” you can reframe it to “I think I can ask for help, so I’ll reach my due date.” CBT helps people manage their GAD by identifying and challenging anxious thought patterns. This helps them develop healthier coping mechanisms. 

Taking Anxiety Medications 

In more extreme cases where the anxiety is debilitating and disrupting, medication may be prescribed by a psychiatrist to reduce the symptoms of GAD. These medications help balance your hormones by decreasing stress hormones, and promoting calming and relaxing hormones. 

Lifestyle Improvements 

Practising relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing or meditation, can help manage anxiety. That’s because science shows that these activities can reduce physical symptoms of anxiety, and introduce a calming feeling. Moreover, regular exercise, a balanced diet, and adequate sleep also play a crucial role in keeping GAD away. 

Coping Techniques for How to Manage Panic Disorder

“I was walking to school one day when I felt my chest tighten. “Could this be a heart attack? I’m too young to have a heart attack.” were my first thoughts. I can’t breathe. Then I think to myself “Oh my gosh. Am I dying? Why am I feeling like this?” As sweat fell down my forehead, I felt some tears stream down my eye as well. And I was like “What the hell?” I can’t talk. I’m out of air. My vision is starting to blur and I feel like I’m about to fall. And just before I thought I was going to lose consciousness, it stopped. I was able to breathe again. My heart stopped pounding. I’m still sweating, but I’m starting to feel normal. I honestly thought I was gonna die that day.” 

– A patient describing his first panic attack

Managing your panic disorder is more challenging than managing GAD because panic disorders can be unpredictable. They can hit you at any time without any warning. But here are some calming techniques you can try when you experience an anxiety attack

Breathing Techniques

Learning a breathing technique that helps you calm down is one of the most important tools in your anxiety toolkit. By learning how to use your breath to calm the body down, you’ll be able to shorten the duration and decrease the severity of your panic attacks. A good breathing technique to learn for beginners is the box breathing technique. 

Relaxation Techniques

Aside from deep breathing exercises, learning different physical relaxation techniques like the body scan, or progressive muscle relaxation can help you reduce the bodily sensations of your panic attack, making it easier to calm down. 

Stress Management

Often, panic attacks happen when you are in a heightened state of stress. So, reducing your everyday stress, and learning how to manage your stress can help you reduce the frequency of your panic attacks. 

Physical & Mental Awareness 

When you experience a panic attack, your brain goes into overdrive, and your body feels like it’s about to give in. Being able to understand the different signs and symptoms of a panic attack can help you manage it better. This is because you can pacify yourself by reaffirming your mind that you’re not in danger and this is just a panic attack. 

Anti-anxiety Medications

In more severe cases where panic attacks become uncontrollable and relaxation techniques do not work, therapists can recommend medications to help you calm down. 

Anxiety attacks can be further avoided by seeking professional help and addressing the root causes of your anxiety. This would lead to fewer episodes, and a more relaxed lifestyle. If you’re experiencing anxiety attacks frequently, you should consult with a licensed Psychologist to discuss a treatment plan.  

Coping Strategies for Specific Phobias

“For as long as I can remember, dogs frighten the hell out of me. Seeing a dog on the street makes me freeze on my tracks even when they’re leashed. And when I see an unchained dog walking, I tend to have a panic attack. They’re just too scary for me even if a lot of people find them harmless and lovable.” 

– A patient with a deep fear of dogs

Phobias can be overcome by desensitisation. This process of removing stimulation from certain objects or situations and making it less scary. There are two ways professionals help clients desensitise themselves from their phobias. 

Exposure Therapy

This involves gradually and safely exposing yourself to the feared object or situation under the guidance of a therapist. Depending on the severity of your phobia, your exposure can start with reading the word out loud, and looking at photos of what you fear. Then it progresses to watching videos. To see it in person inside a controlled environment. All the way to complete exposure. Exposure therapy helps your brain overcome phobia by showing it that the object/situation you feared is not dangerous. 

Cognitive Restructuring

Part of desensitising you from your phobias is changing the way you view them. This is where cognitive restructuring comes in. For example, if you see dogs as a wild beast that can bite you anytime, a professional Psychologist can help you change the way you see it. So from a dangerous animal, you’ll be able to see dogs as cute and friendly companions. 

Desensitisation can be done on your own. But for more extreme cases, and if you want to be guided by a professional for more effectiveness, you should work with a licensed Psychologist. 

Coping Strategies for Social Anxiety Disorder

“Ever since I was in elementary school, I’ve always avoided crowds. I didn’t have a big group of friends. I’d prefer to stay on my own. I was always the castaway wherever I went. But it’s not like I didn’t want to make friends. It’s just that I was afraid to be teased, bullied, and rejected. I always felt like they were going to say something mean to me. Or notice that I’m not as cool as them. So I just kept to myself.” 

– A patient describing their experience with Social Anxiety Disorder

Overcoming your social anxiety is similar to overcoming a phobia, because in essence it is also a phobia. A fear of getting rejected, being bullied, or not being accepted by a group. So a combination of cognitive restructuring and exposure therapy is the best way to cope. 

Moreover, joining support groups can be helpful too. That’s because you’ll feel more comfortable in a controlled environment where you’re interacting with people who have the same experiences as you. 

Coping Strategies for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

“Even 10 years later, I still get nightmares about the car crash that happened to us during our summer trip. I can vividly see all the graphic details of that unfortunate event. I wake up screaming in the middle of the night. I still can’t sit in front of a car, let alone be behind the wheel. Sometimes when a car in front suddenly swerves, I freeze and get flashbacks. That’s why I tend to close my eyes or sleep whenever I have to ride a car. But on most days, I just avoid it completely.” 

– A patient describing their experience with PTSD

Unlike the previous types of anxieties, PTSD requires a lot of professional intervention and guidance to overcome. That’s because the trauma created by extreme events can become deeply rooted in our psyche, so advanced treatment modes are required.

So, if you or anyone you know has recently gone through an extremely emotional event or are suffering from PTSD, the best course of action is going to a licensed Psychologist for evaluation, intervention, and treatment. 

Takeaway

Managing different kinds of anxiety is not an easy task for anyone. Even those who’ve been to therapy for years still struggle from time to time. So you need to take it easy on yourself. And if you’re early in your journey, working with a trusted professional like the MeHelp team can do wonders for you. They’ll be able to assess your situation properly, give you the right advice, and help you monitor your progress. Working with a professional can accelerate your recovery from anxiety compared to doing it on your own. So don’t be afraid to seek help. 

If you or your loved ones are experiencing anxiety and want to get over it, our team at MeHelp can help you. We’ll guide you through the process of diagnosing your anxiety and fixing its root causes. Moreover, we offer telehealth anxiety counselling that can make seeking help easier for you.