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Anxiety is a natural reaction to stress. It’s your body’s response to danger, alerting you that something is not safe and that you need to react accordingly. We all experience anxiety from time to time, but in some people, the feeling can become almost constant. Anxiety disorders are an irrational fear of something or an uncertain outcome. You can feel anxious about anything and everything, which makes it hard to predict when these feelings will strike. If your fears become so intense that they begin interfering with your daily life, you may be dealing with an anxiety disorder. There are several types of anxiety disorders: generalized anxiety disorder (excessive worry), panic attacks, social anxiety, and PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). In this article we explore 10 ways you can conquer your fears and feelings of dread when dealing with anxiety.
What are the symptoms of excessive anxiety?
If your anxiety becomes severe enough that you need to seek treatment, you may experience any combination of the following symptoms:
– Excessive worry
– Chronic stress
– Restlessness
– Muscle tension
– Shortness of breath
– Unintentional panic attacks
– Irritability
– Sleep problems
– Intense feelings of dread
– Inability to concentrate
– Impaired memory
– Physical symptoms like headaches, muscle tension, abdominal distress, etc.
Practice Breathing Exercises
According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), one of the best ways to calm yourself when you start to experience anxiety is by practicing diaphragmatic breathing. Almost everyone has experienced the feeling of being out of breath at one time or another. If you find yourself in this situation, you can slow your breathing down by using the diaphragm to breathe deeply. This can help you to calm down, reduce stress, and relax.
Create a Fear-Free Environment
A big part of dealing with your fears is to understand what your triggers are. Knowing what sets off your anxiety will give you an opportunity to take control of your fear and prevent it from progressing into an actual anxiety disorder. When trying to conquer your fears and anxieties, you want to create a fear-free environment. This means removing anything that causes you anxiety, or at the very least, learning to cope with it. If you have issues with public speaking and your work environment requires you to speak in front of others, you’re going to have to find a way to cope with your anxiety. If you have an irrational fear of flying, you will want to avoid flying whenever possible. If you have a fear of enclosed spaces, you might want to avoid shopping at certain stores.
Practice Self-Care
One of the best ways to conquer your fears and prevent them from taking over your life is through self-care. Self-care is any activity you do that promotes positive feelings and improves your well-being. Anxiety is a stressful condition that can take a toll on all aspects of your life. When you are struggling with anxiety, it is important to make time for self-care activities that help you to relax and reduce stress. When you are feeling anxious, it can be hard to know what to do. Anxiety can make you feel like you are trapped in your own head. Self-care activities can help you to get back in control.
Get Help from Counseling, Therapy, or IOP
If you are feeling overwhelmed by anxiety, it is important to seek professional help. While you can try to manage your anxiety by making changes to your lifestyle, it can be very difficult to do this on your own. If you feel like your anxiety is spiralling out of control, you should consider speaking with a professional. You can seek out a therapist or psychologist that can help you to manage your anxiety and learn to cope with the stress in your life. You can also visit your primary care doctor and ask to be referred to a mental health professional. Make sure to explain your situation so that they can recommend the right type of help for you. You may also want to consider attending an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP). IOPs are available at most universities and they are often free or low cost.
Commit to a Healthy Lifestyle
When you are feeling overwhelmed by anxiety, it can be easy to fall into unhealthy habits like binge drinking, eating unhealthy foods, or staying inside for days on end. Anxiety can make you feel like you have no control over your life, but you do. You can make small changes to your life that can have a huge impact. You can commit to eating well, getting some exercise, and spending time in nature. These things will help to reduce your anxiety and improve your general mood.
Discover Your Triggers
Most people who suffer from anxiety are able to control their fear by recognizing the source. If you are able to pinpoint your triggers, you can take steps to reduce the amount of anxiety they cause. There may be certain situations that cause you anxiety, or there may be a particular thought pattern that causes your anxiety. You may have noticed that you get anxious when you are around certain people. You may have anxiety whenever you have to do a certain task. Pay attention to what causes you anxiety and make a point to avoid these triggers as much as possible.
Develop Strategies to Deal with the Stressors That Cause Your Anxiety
Once you have identified what causes your anxiety, you can develop strategies to deal with it. It may seem easier to avoid the stressors that cause you anxiety, but this isn’t a good long-term solution. If you are constantly avoiding the things you fear, they will never go away. The best way to deal with anxiety is to face your fears and learn how to cope with them. You can challenge yourself by putting yourself in situations that make you feel anxious. As you face your fears, they will become easier to deal with. You will also be able to identify strategies that work best for you in these situations.
Don’t Let Feelings of Dread Decide Your Actions
Your feelings of dread may be overwhelming and you may feel as if you can’t escape them, but you have to remember that feelings of anxiety don’t control your actions. Anxiety makes it hard to concentrate, remember things, and sleep. These symptoms are not a reflection of who you are. They are a result of your body undergoing a chemical reaction to stress. Don’t let feelings of dread decide your actions. Commit to fighting your anxiety no matter how difficult it may seem.
Bottom Line
Anxiety can be a debilitating condition, but it can also be treated. You may need to make some lifestyle changes to help prevent or reduce anxiety, or you may need medication. If you are experiencing anxiety, don’t try to fight it alone. Seek help from a professional who can guide you through the process of healing and offer support along the way. Anxiety is a natural instinct that signals us when we need to be careful or pay extra attention to something. However, it can become an uncontrollable problem if left untreated. If you ever feel like your anxiety is becoming too much, or you notice these symptoms in yourself, don’t be afraid to ask for help.
