Anxiety is a natural human emotion that stems from fear, unease or worry about a future event. It doesn’t always make a dramatic entrance. Rather, it creeps in slowly. Sometimes arriving as a restless mind at 2 am, a strange tightness in the chest or an unexplainable frustration. While occasional anxiety is a part of human life, being constantly exposed to it is not. There is indeed no magic fix to eliminate it, but you can always practise ways to cope with anxiety. If you’re feeling anxious or you know someone who is, here are some of the most effective ways to manage anxiety.

1. Acknowledge the feeling

The first step to cope with anxiety is often the hardest, but the most essential one. Take a pause and acknowledge what you’re feeling. Is it fear, stress, or an overwhelming feeling? Naming the experience will help you understand how to deal with it.

2. Affirm yourself

It’s okay to feel anxious, but you must communicate this to yourself. When outside stressors trigger anxiety, you must engage in healthy self-talk to calm yourself. Here are some of the positive affirmations you must practise to let go of the unnecessary thoughts when facing anxiety:

• I am resilient; I can make it through a difficult time.
• I take things one day at a time.
• I have survived my anxiety before, and I will survive it again.
• This feeling is only temporary, it shall pass.
• I am not my anxiety.
• It’s just a part of my experience, not my identity.

3. Regulate, don’t suppress

Whenever you feel anxious, you must take a break and indulge in deep breathing. Divert your entire focus on the sound and intensity of each breath. Count each breath and continue this for about five minutes. It will calm your mind by distracting you from overthinking or anticipating the worst-case scenarios.

4. Move a little

This is one of the best ways to cope with anxiety. If something is stressing you out, don’t escape. Distract yourself for a while. Take a quick walk around your house or clean your space by keeping things in their place. Walking or engaging in simple activities uplifts your mood by releasing endorphins in the body.

5. Eat to feel energised

Anxiety can either make you stress eat or skip meals. Neither of them will solve the issue. You need a healthy, balanced diet to be active enough to deal with stress and anxiety. Avoid eating sweets, sugary foods, processed foods, and caffeine as they spike blood sugar levels. This can lead to feelings of jitteriness and energy crashes, making you more anxious.

6. Hydrate yourself

As basic as this sounds, it manages your anxiety like nothing else. Anxiety can manifest itself in your body in the form of dizziness, dry mouth, racing heart and fatigue. These are also the signs of dehydration. So, drink water consistently throughout the day, not just when you feel thirsty. Sipping herbal drinks like chamomile tea or tulsi tea will not only hydrate but also calm you internally.

7. Grounding

Anxiety floods your mind with more stressors when you want to let go of the unwanted thoughts. So, you must try the grounding technique to feel connected with the Earth’s magnetic field. Stand firmly on the floor so you can feel its presence. Walk or move your limbs a little to regulate the blood flow. After this, get in touch with your surroundings. Start by naming five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste. Try visualising a peaceful place in your head – mountains, beaches or anything that relaxes you. This grounding technique will help you cope with anxiety and put you back in focus. 

8. Limit media consumption

When you feel anxious, it’s best to stay away from more triggering stimuli. Switching to Instagram or other social media platforms might come easily, but is it helpful? Engaging with social media might overstimulate you, making you all the more anxious. If you feel the need to be occupied to deal with anxiety, indulge in other less stressful activities instead. Doodling, journaling, doing simple household chores, decluttering, walking or listening to light music can help you shift your focus.

9. Seek love from your people

Do you struggle to deal with anxiety on your own? Take help from your close friends, family or anyone you trust to help you in such a situation. Reach out to someone who can listen to you without judgement. Seeking help from other people might seem difficult at first, but their presence can ease your anxiety.

Coping with anxiety isn’t about running away from it. You simply need to create a safe space for yourself to get back in charge of your own body and mind. The process might feel slow, difficult, or even frustrating initially. But it will help you deal with the anxiety better.

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Related: Take Care Of Your Mental Health: 9 Ways To Feel Happier, Healthier, And More Productive