Have you ever dealt with anxiety? A racing heart? The shortness of breath? Not being able to slow your thoughts down?
Jen is my first guest blogger of the month! I’ve followed Jen for a while now and love what she has to say about mental health. Anxiety is a big topic on this blog, mostly because it’s such a pressing issue and I’m currently coming to terms with my recent diagnoses.
About Jen;
Jen (author of Diffusing the Tension) lives in Northwest Indiana with her husband and two children (ages 4 and 2). She has bipolar disorder and frequently writes about her experiences with that. In her spare time, she is a bookworm, TV junkie, and fitness nut. You can follow her on:
- Twitter- @jvan3610
- Instagram- @diffusing_the_tension
- Facebook- Diffusing the Tension
- Pinterest- @diffusingthetensionblog
- Her blog- www.diffusingthetension.com
7 Ways to Manage General Anxiety;
By Jen
Anxiety is a very common condition. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, anxiety is actually the most common mental illness. It affects about 40 million adults in the United States. People with anxiety are much more likely to be hospitalized for psychiatric reasons than those without anxiety.
What does this mean? Simply, if you’ve ever had any of the symptoms mentioned above, you’re far from being alone. I myself suffer from anxiety in certain situations.
My story;
I started suffering from anxiety on and off in junior high. I was teased a lot and it made me not want to go to school. I faked being sick (or, thought I was sick) and always felt like I had to go to the bathroom.
After lying low for a while, It came back in college when my bipolar symptoms began to present. I even missed crossing the stage to receive my diploma because of anxiety.
Anxiety came back a third time recently, almost a year ago. I’ve always been an anxious traveler, but this time I find it difficult to leave the house even for the most basic errands.
Read about Nyxie’s battle with anxiety.
Symptoms of Anxiety;
According to Healthline;
Speaking from personal experience, I’ve felt every single one of these symptoms. Sometimes all in the same day!
Managing Symptoms;
Breathing exercises;
Take a deep breath in through your nose until your lungs feel full. Hold your breath for 3 counts. Exhale slowly while relaxing your muscles.
Guided meditation;
This is basically like meditating but with someone walking you through it! That is super helpful for someone new to meditation who is not super confident. There are some great examples here.
Therapy;
It seems like an obvious one, but therapy can really help you work through many of the thoughts that leave you feeling anxious. A therapist is trained to offer suggestions for coping strategies.
Journaling;
When you have a lot of negative thoughts and feelings that make you anxious, it can be helpful to write them all down. The process of just allowing them to leave your head can do wonders.
Grounding;
The most common way to practice this is the 5-4-3-2-1 method. Think of 5 things you can see, 4 things you can feel, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste. Or some variation of that. This helps center you in the present.
Positive affirmations;
Make a list of things you want yourself to believe— things that will gradually replace your negative thoughts. Repeat them to yourself every day, multiple times a day if necessary. Your brain is elastic and will eventually believe them.
Talking about it;
Another one that sounds obvious, but it is uncomfortable for many people. Find someone you can be yourself around with whom you can discuss your feelings. It will be a huge load off to remove the feeling of secrecy that people often attach to their mental health issues.
** If you like what I do please consider donating to my KO- FI fund. I’d like to be able to reach more of an audience so I can potentially grow this blog to be much more than it currently is. I also hope to bring freebies and eventually toolkits to you all as a way of saying thank you for your support.
