Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Top 10 Ways to Manage Anxiety

Anxiety is a normal reaction to fear when changes and uncertainty occur. When anxiety occurs, it is often marked by physical symptoms, such as sweating, tension and increased heart rate. This can happen when you are having financial, health, family or work-related problems.

Anxiety disorders, which affect about 6.8 million adults, are serious problems but the good news is you can overcome anxiety. If you happen to be one of the many adults with this disorder, here are ten ways that will hopefully help you to manage your anxiety.

1. Control Your Anxiety With Breathing Exercises

You may not realize it, but when you are having an anxiety attack, your breathing speeds up and sometimes gets very irregular.Once you are calm again, your breathing slows down.

Learn some breathing methods and take time out everyday and practice them regularly. Come on and take a deep breath and count to 10. Controlling your breathing may be a major step in your overcoming anxiety.

2. Overcome Your Anxiety by Taking Action

A healthy response to overcoming anxiety is to take action. First, try to pinpoint exactly what the cause of your anxiety is and then write it down. If you think the problem is under your control, compile a list of ways you can solve the problem and then "Take Action."

Taking the responsibility of solving your own problem will help you tremendously in dealing with future anxiety.

3. Let Your Fear Anxiety Go

You thought your problem was solved, but not completely. You did all you felt like you could do, so just "Let It Go" and look to the future.

Focus on things that will give you a peaceful feeling such as listening to music, praying, exercising or just sitting back and reading a good book. 4. Overcome Anxiety by Improving Your Self-Esteem

If you don't think highly of yourself, it will be even harder for others to think highly of you. Don't try to be perfect, just do your best and l be proud of your accomplishments.

Always think positive and make that negative thought go away by replacing it with a positive one. Don't criticize yourself, instead think of all the good things you can say about yourself and what you accomplished when faced with past anxiety fears.

5.. Join an Anxiety Support Group

When you are faced with any kind of problem, share your feelings with someone who is facing the same dilemma.

Join an anxiety support group and get encouragement from others who are dealing with anxiety. You will also feel better about opening up with them about your fears, because you know they will understand what you are going through.

6. Avoid Anxiety by Taking Care of Yourself

When dealing with anxiety, it is very important that you continue taking care of both your body and mind. You should always eat a well-balanced diet consisting of fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts and whole grains.

Keep a journal of the foods you eat, because anxiety attacks can be triggered by food allergies Stay away from sugar, caffeine, nicotine and alcohol. All of these can bring on anxiety and panic attacks.

To help overcome your anxiety, exercise daily, get plenty of rest and most all, " RELAX."

7. Don't Worry About Tomorrow

Focus on what is going on in your life today instead of worrying about next week or next month. Many support groups have even made "One Day At a Time" their motto.

Always remember what Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount "Tomorrow Will Worry About its Own Things." So take one day at a time and each day learn a new way to deal with your anxiety.

8. Stay Active While Experiencing Anxiety

Stick to your normal routine when dealing with anxiety. Continue going to school, going to work, daily walks,grocery shopping and any other activities you do on a daily basis. Spend more time with that special friend who you can talk to openly about your fear anxiety. If you are not too far away, walk to work or school everyday to help release some of that tension building up.

9. Overcome Your Anxiety By Breaking Your Daily Routine

Doing the same thing day after day only adds to your anxiety problem. Surprise everyone, even yourself, and break your daily routine one day and do something totally out of the ordinary.

Take that ski trip to the mountains you have always dreamed of or for even more excitement, experience the thrill of an airplane ride. If these are too melodramatic for you, just choose an activity that is totally not you and feel your anxiety gradually disappear.

10. Seek Medical Help for Your Anxiety Disorder

If you have tried all of the above, and still have not overcome your anxiety fears, visit your local doctor and ask him for some advice on dealing with your anxiety.

Your doctor may recommend talking to a therapist or prescribe anxiety medication.

Most important is for you to take action and deal with your problem. Don't be afraid to face your fears and most of all "Don't Give Up."

And don't forget about your children, because they also experience fear anxiety frequently.

About the Author

Bob Pardue is owner of the High Anxiety stress info site. Learn more about treating anxiety by visiting http://www.high-anxiety.net now ...