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9 Proven Anxiety Relief Techniques

Reviewed by Aaron Horn, LMFT · November 04, 2020 ·

If you have ever experienced stress or anxiety, you probably felt relieved when it subsided. Consider how you would feel if it did not subside. This is how many people feel when they experience anxiety. It can be a prevailing condition that occurs for days or months.It can be detrimental to their routine and impact how they get through each day of their lives. Keep reading for more information on anxiety and how it can be relieved.

What Is Anxiety?

Anxiety is a physical and emotional reaction that you have to stressors in your life. When you feel anxiety or stress, you might feel like you are overwhelmed, or it can cause your heart to beat faster. This is your body reacting to something that is causing you to worry.

Anxiety is also the feeling you get when you are nervous about a big event or a big change. Many of these changescan’t be avoided, such as starting a new job or meeting someone new.

Anxiety Disorders

If someone experiences anxiety regularly, a doctor may diagnose them with an anxiety disorder. These disorders need to be treated by a mental health professional to help control the symptoms. Here is a look at the most common anxiety disorders.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Someone with a generalized anxiety disorder will experience worry and fear often. They may be worried about things in their life like their job, a relationship, finances, or childhood issues. They may not even be able to determine what is worrying them. Another thing that is important to note with this disorder is that there is no obvious reason to worry or feel anxious. For example, someone could be worried about his or her health with GAD, and they have no health problems.

Panic Disorder

When a person experiences a panic disorder, they have panic attacks. These are moments where panic and fear are elevated, and they can also cause someone to feel like they are having a heart attack. You may have trouble catching your breath and feel sick to your stomach. Anyone can have a panic attack, but it is nothing to be concerned with unless you have more than a few. On the other hand, if they are frequently occurring and you are not sure why, you should visit with atherapist or doctor to see if there is an underlying health condition.

Both of these anxiety disorders can be treated when you reach out for help. If you suspect that you may have an issue with anxiety or are experiencing either of these anxiety disorders, consider taking this anxiety test, which can explain the next step to getting help.

Ways To Relieve Anxiety

The good news is that there are many ways to relieve anxiety. Here is a look at 9 anxiety relief techniques to see if you can alleviate some of your anxiety.

  1. Seek treatment. If anxiety has changed the way that you live your life, the first thing that you should consider is getting treatment for anxiety. Whether you have an anxiety disorder or not, you may be able to see an improvement when you get treatment from a professional counselor. They can help you learn how to think differently and personalize a treatment plan that will work well for you. A psychiatrist can also provide other ideas on how to relieve stress and anxiety. A 2015 studyexplains how certain psychotherapy techniques can help those with anxiety disorders and provide results.
  2. Consider medicines. Another part of an effective treatment plan laid out by a mental health professional may be the use of medicines. It is important to talk to your doctor about taking certain prescriptions to avoid any potentially negative side effects.
  3. Change your diet. One type of homeopathic anxiety relief is to improve your diet. Do your best to eat a balanced diet and eat the proper number of calories. Reducing your intake of sugar will have positive results. Also, eating foods that are high in Omega-3 fatty acids can help your body regulate Serotonin.
  4. You should also do your best to get the proper amount of sleep. This means shooting for seven to nine hours of sleep a night, even when you want to stay up late. You should also try to avoid sleeping in. Try to get up and do something instead of staying in bed or sleeping the day away. Again, this may be beneficial when you are trying to develop a routine. Another good rule of thumb is to keep your bedroom dark and cool, so you can comfortably sleep through the night.
  5. When you are wondering about instant anxiety relief, exercise may be what you are looking for. When you take the time to exercise when you feel anxious or start to feel anxious, it might help you burn off extra nervous energy. Moreover, you are doing something healthy for your body, and it can help you sleep better at night.
  6. Learn to meditate or deep breathe. Meditation and deep breathing exercises help to control your “Fight or Flight” mechanism. The long, slow, steady breaths associated with meditation triggers your brain to reenter a state of relaxation.
  7. Play video games. While you may never have thought of yourself as a gamer, there are many video games out there that are designed to help you relax as well. These are called anxiety relief games and provide a relaxing and easygoing experience. They often have laid-back and peaceful graphics and can help you with quick anxiety relief when you need it. You can check for these games online to learn more.
  8. Hang out with friends and family. One of the best natural ways to relieve anxiety may be to have fun with people you care about. Try not to isolate yourself, and instead, keep up with your most important relationships.
  9. Take it one day at a time. You should also remember to take it one day at a time. Every day will be different from the last one, and as you institute these changes, things will likely start to change for the better.

Outlook

Anxiety can be experienced by anyone, but when it is experienced on more days than it is not experienced, it can lead to a disruption in your life. You need to seek treatment for your anxiety, so you can lessen the effects on your life. Anxiety.org suggests that when anxiety is present in your life, it helps get the proper treatment and try other self-help techniques, which may work for you. These things can make a positive impact in your life and how you feel. You should also not give up since finding the proper treatment may take a while and might not happen overnight.

Keep this in mind- do not be hard on yourself. Although it may take a while to feel less anxious, it does not mean that your treatment isn’t working effectively. Be sure to talk to your doctor if you feel like you aren’t feeling as good as you should be, or if you feel like you are experiencing unwanted effects from any medicines you are taking. Also, make sure to take some time for yourself to relax and enjoy your life. Anxiety can be treated, and the symptoms you are experiencing can be lessened over time. Keep this in mind and believe that you can feel different.

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