50 Ways to Cope with Anxiety

-

When we feel really anxious about something, sometimes it can be really hard to cope! For those who have an Anxiety Disorder, coping and functioning with anxiety can be even more difficult. For myself with an anxiety disorder, sometimes I feel lost or unsure about how to best manage my anxiety and anxious thoughts. In today's blog post, I will be talking about and listing 50 different coping strategies that can be useful in coping with anxiety. 



Dealing with Anxiety Without Meds – Robb Report



Anxiety can be really troubling! Whether it is anxiety about work, relationships or even about the current COVID-19 pandemic. Anxiety can be frightening to deal with! I have experienced it all when it comes to day-to-day anxiety. Normal anxiety can be troubling to deal with for any person and can impact one's mental health. For those who have an anxiety disorder especially, coping with anxiety can bring on many challenges. 



Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) - HelpGuide.org



For myself with Generalized Anxiety Disorder, I constantly worry about many different things in my life that severely impact me. I also experience really nasty, worrying thoughts especially about the "what if" scenarios and with something in my life going wrong. For others who suffer with different types of anxiety disorders, this can be very troubling in it's own way. Dealing with normal anxiety or dealing with an anxiety disorder can both be really hard.


Often times I struggle to cope with anxiety especially when my whole body feels overwhelmed. Coping with anxiety however, is possible and can be unique to each person. What is "coping" you may ask? Coping can be defined as one's ability to face a problem (in this case, it is anxiety) and minimize or tolerate the impact that it has. There are many different kinds of coping strategies that can be used to relieve and actively manage anxiety symptoms. 




How We Tend to Cope with Anxiety Falls on a Spectrum ...



Below I have listed 50 different ways to cope with anxiety! I have separated each of these techniques into different categories. There are grounding/soothing coping strategies that can help bring comfort and keep a person grounded in the present moment. There are emotion-focused coping strategies which aim to identify and reduce any negative emotions. Problem-focused coping strategies are more focused on actively dealing with anxiety or any other concern. As well, there are coping strategies that can be used as more of a distraction from anxiety or any other negative emotion. 



Here is my list of 50 coping strategies for anxiety: 



Grounding and Soothing Coping Strategies:

  • Use Fidget toys/Stress balls
  • Look at Happy pictures/Memory book 
  • Listen to music 
  • Light Candles 
  • Have tea 
  • Guided mediation 
  • Muscle relaxation exercises 
  • Deep, belly breathing  
  • Take a bath 
  • 5-4-3-2-1 grounding exercises 
  • Guided imagery
  • Do Yoga
  • Use a weighted blanket 
  • Pet a dog or other pet 
  • Listen to an ASMR video 


Emotion-Focused Coping Strategies: 

  • Journal about thoughts and feelings 
  • Do gratitude journaling 
  • Create art 
  • Paint about your feelings
  • Write down any triggers for anxiety/stress 
  • Reach out to friends and family 
  • Utilize positive and calming affirmations 
  • Read inspirational stories and quotes 
  • Praying 
  • Practice mindfulness 
  • Write a letter 
  • Create a vision board 

Problem-Focused Coping Strategies: 

  • Challenge or question any negative thoughts 
  • Seek professional support or advice 
  • Reach out to an anxiety support group 
  • Read a self-help book or anxiety workbook 
  • Create an action or safety plan 
  • Create a routine or schedule


Distracting Coping Strategies:

  • Crafting 
  • Volunteering 
  • Video games 
  • Learn something new 
  • Board games
  • Watching T.V
  • Watching a movie 
  • Exercise 
  • Going for a walk 
  • Cleaning or organizing belongings 
  • Knitting 
  • Puzzles 
  • Swimming 
  • Dancing 
  • Drawing 
  • Play a sport
  • Garden


Thank you for your time in reading today's blog post! Anxiety can be hard to cope with sometimes, including with finding different ways to cope with anxiety or anxiousness. I was inspired to post about anxiety as it is something I struggle with and I know a lot of people who are struggling as well including during COVID-19. Feel free to leave any comments, questions or feedback! I would love to learn more about how you cope with anxiety or with feelings of anxiousness. 


See you next week!💓💓



Fitness, Health & Well-Being | If You Are Feeling Anxious Right ...





Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Why Creating a Self-Care Plan is Crucial

-
Image
Self-care, from my experiences, is crucial in our lives when it comes to looking after ourselves and our mental health. Sometimes creating a self-care plan can be really beneficial for a person’s health and well being! In today’s article, I will briefly talk about self care and how self care routines can be really beneficial!  What is Self-Care?  When I was younger in high school, I always got the impression that “self-care” involved going to the spa or doing a face mask. As I have learned growing up and as a university student, self-care is so much more. Maybe you already know what self-care is and do self-care for yourself. If not, that is perfectly okay! I am here to talk about, not endorse, the benefits of partaking in self care. Self-care is about doing activities that help us take care of our physical, emotional and mental well-being. Self-care isn't selfish, rather, self-care involves taking the time for YOU.  As well, there are many different types of self care th...
Read more

What Recovering from Depression has Taught Me

-
Image
     Depression is one of the most common mental illnesses worldwide. Depression is classified as a mood disorder and can severely impact a person in their life. Many people around the world have been diagnosed and struggle with depression.  Many people as well who have been diagnosed are able to find healing and cope with their illness. In today’s article, I will be talking about depression and my experiences of what I have learned during my recovery from depression. Depression. For those of you who don’t know or don’t know too much about depression, it is a mental disorder where a person feels persistent and intense feelings of sadness that can impact a person’s normal functioning. Any person can feel sad, and typically those feelings can start to fade away as time goes on. For those diagnosed with depression, the feelings of sadness don’t just go away. Depression can appear different for everyone and can present itself in mild or in more severe forms.  ...
Read more