As someone who has been diagnosed with anxiety for about 5 years now, I have had to adopt some different mechanisms to deal with my anxiousness. Dealing with anxiety is difficult, and it can cause you to change the way you live your life. Anxiety makes life extremely difficult if you do not find the right strategies that work for you. I decided to compile a list of coping mechanisms that have worked for me over the years, hoping that they could help you all too.
#1 Journaling
I love to keep a journal next to my bed. Whenever I get anxious or need a break from the world, I just pick up the journal and start to write. I love writing about the things that make me happy and are important in my life. This reminds me of everything good that is happening for me and helps me to ignore those anxious thoughts.
#2 Ice
When you are feeling anxious, changing your temperature has been proven to help you feel better. Grab an ice pack and place it on your forehead or neck and this will should give you instant, but short-term relief. Although this does not “cure” your anxious feelings, it is a short and effective way to help you feel better.
#3 The 3-3-3 method
This is one of my favorite coping mechanisms for when I am feeling anxious. The 3-3-3 method is pointing out 3 things that you can hear, 3 things that you can see, and 3 things that you can feel. It is meant to distract your brain from your anxious thoughts and help you to re-center yourself.
#4 Coloring
Having a coloring book on hand is very important for someone who is struggling with anxiety. Although coloring books may be seen as childish, they have been proven to help calm anxious thoughts. Coloring allows you to re-center your thoughts, and bring yourself away from those anxieties.
#5 Going for a walk
Going for a walk can help you to get fresh air and exercise. It is extremely important to go outside when you are feeling anxious. If you are an anxious person, I recommend going outside every day, even if it is only for 5 minutes. This will give you a chance to get out of your home environment, and places that could possibly make you anxious.
