You may find it hard and complicated to break away from the clutches of anxiety and fear. But believe it or not, there are quite a number of effective ways to deal and cope up with the condition. Here we have given some of them.
Embrace your fears
No need to avoid situations that scares you. Face them. Each time you welcome your worst fears, it just gets easier to face them the next time and eventually they wonât even be your fears at all. Anxiety and panic attacks happen when you fear something, be it at work, your relationship, or during an exam. Picture the worst that can happen, like a heart attack from panicking and imagine yourself experiencing it. Horrid right? Hence, if during a presentation, a meeting, an exam, or even during a telephone conversation, your heart begins to beat fast or your palms begin to sweat, do not fight the panic or distract yourself. Rather, feel the panic. It may take about an hour for the panic to go away. You may soothe your body by placing your palm on your stomach and breathing slowly. The more you avoid your fears, the more you will fear your fears. The goal is to get yourself used to coping with anxiety from your fears.
Focus on the basics
A good long walk, a healthy meal and a good nightâs sleep are sometimes the best therapies for anxiety. Some people resort to drugs and alcohol as a self-treatment to anxiety but that only makes the condition worse. Instead, a wholesome meal will make you feel better, physically and mentally. Eat foods that are high in carbohydrates like honey and potato. This will help you get a good sleep. Avoid foods like coffee and wine which will rouse your mind. Avoid excess sugar and include plenty of fruits and vegetables in your diet. Regular exercise will trigger your brain to release the chemicals responsible for altering your mood. Concentrate on the exercise while working out. This will help improve your focus. Relaxing deeply through meditation will help you get rid of toxins accrued in your body from stress. Most importantly, sleep well. Your body self-repairs during a sleep cycle. A good sleep is like a restoration process for your body.
Talk it out
Do not let your emotions overcome you. Admitting your fears and issues helps you gain better control over yourself. Share your fears by talking to your partner, friends, family or by even dialing a helpline number. You may also approach your general practitioner who can refer you to counselors or psychotherapists. Talk therapies have proved effective for many suffering from anxiety attacks. These therapies are similar to counseling as they work on principles of cognitive behavior. Participating in support group sessions is another effective way to deal with your fears and anxiety issues. Coming across people who have similar conditions and sharing your experiences with them will help support each other. You will meet facilitators in such groups who once had the same fears. You can grab tips and opinions by getting to know how they overcame their problems.
Learn to accept
Most of the time, fear plays a much worse role in many peopleâs lives than reality. Those who have experienced panic attacks canât stop themselves from thinking that theyâll go through it all again. But usually, chances that it will happen again are quite low. There are times when people believe themselves to be a failure and begin to act very conscious. Believing that you are not perfect will only set you up for anxiety. Remember that stress is a part of life. Bad and stressful days will happen. Accept them and live through them. When you find yourself being sucked into a whirlpool of worries, do not say âwhy me!â like a stranded victim. Rather, observe your thoughts and pull yourself out of the cycle of worries. In short, you must learn to accept the unavoidable.
Medication and professional help
A good step in dealing with fear and anxiety issues is getting professional help. Self-diagnosis of your condition could be dangerous but a professional can help you better in understanding your issues and prescribe medications or suggest therapies. Medication will only provide a short-term relief from anxiety attacks. The root of the problem can be cured by combining prescribed medication with relaxation techniques, talk therapies, and support groups. You may also go in for a biofeedback where, with the aid of sensors, you can observe your bodyâs response to anxiety by studying your heartbeat, breathing, sweating, etc.
