10 Tips To Help You Control Your Anxiety (Not The Other Way Around)

Anxiety is one of the most crippling emotional disorders anyone can face. It manifests differently in every person it affects, making it challenging to identify. People who do not suffer from anxiety often have a hard time understanding how seriously it impacts those who are affected, and they may have trouble displaying appropriate empathy. In my experience as an online mental health counselor, I have worked with countless individuals suffering from anxiety. This week, I’m dedicating my blog to helping people with anxiety overcome their situations.

Learning To Control Your Anxiety

Perhaps the biggest challenge people with anxiety face is the feeling that their anxiety is taking over so completely that they have no remaining control over their own lives. The idea of overcoming their anxiety may feel so overwhelming that they lack the courage or motivation to even try. 

While completely overcoming anxiety is certainly a laudable goal, I recommend breaking the process down into smaller, more manageable steps. Rather than starting off by trying to overcome your anxiety altogether, I encourage you to simply work on ways to learn to control it. The more you can control your anxiety, the less it will be able to control you. 

Tips To Help You Control Your Anxiety

If you are interested in learning to control your anxiety, your online psychotherapist is here to help. Here are a few strategies that may be able to help you gain control over your anxiety.

1. Step Back From The Problem.
In most cases, responding immediately won’t make resolving the problem any easier. Step away from the cause of your anxiety to allow yourself time to clear your mind before responding.

2. Do Your Best (And Only Your Best).
Perfection is a lofty – and often impossible – goal. Don’t increase your anxiety by reaching for a goal that no one could feasibly attain. Simply try your best in everything you do, and celebrate yourself on jobs well done.

3. Limit Alcohol And Caffeine Intake.
Having increased amounts of alcohol and/or caffeine in your system may trigger increased anxiety attacks. Limiting your intake of these substances may be able to help you stay calmer.

4. Don’t Dwell On Things You Cannot Change.
Like it or not, some things are beyond your control. Before stressing out about something, ask yourself: “Is there anything I can do to impact this situation?” If the answer is no, try to accept the situation without trying to change it.

5. Keep A Journal.
Journaling is a great way to calm your mind and organize your thoughts. By keeping a journal, you can release pent-up tension and possibly identify the patterns that may trigger your anxiety attacks.

6. Avoid Your Triggers.
What are the people, circumstances, or situations that typically lead to your anxiety attacks? By learning to identify your triggers, you can take steps to limit your exposure to them (or even avoid them altogether).

7. Take Deep Breaths.
Deep breathing has been shown to have a powerful and immediate effect on our physical well-being. Taking slow, deep breaths is a wonderfully effective way to calm your mind.

8. Go For A Walk.
Exercise has been shown to have numerous health benefits, including helping to balance hormones, clear the mind, and improve quality of sleep. You don’t have to engage in a serious hour-long workout to reap the benefits, however – a simple walk outside will likely make a big difference.

9. Make Gratitude A Daily Habit.
What happened today that you’re grateful for? It may be something momentous, but it may also be as simple as the fact that your dog came to greet you when you got home. Write down at least three things you’re grateful for every day, and read back over your lists from the previous days. By spending more time focusing on the positive things in your life, you will have less time to dwell on the negative ones.

10. Seek Help.
Most importantly, don’t fool yourself into believing that you are on your journey alone. Feeling isolated will likely only increase your anxiety. Instead, reach out to trusted friends or family members who can provide sympathetic support for your situation. Their support will likely be invaluable.