Ways Individuals Can Cope With Anxiety
- nthomas0729
- Mar 1, 2020
- 3 min read
Anxiety can be a very painful emotion for many individuals. People living with anxiety may imagine the worst case scenario, have unwanted thoughts and feel hopeless. It is important for people to know positive coping strategies, in order to manage their anxiety. These are 7 ways individuals can manage anxiety:
1. Talking to a Therapist
Talking to a therapist can be very beneficial. It can help individuals to vent to a therapist. Therapists offer support and can give accurate information since they are licensed. They can also offer solutions that may helpful to patients.
2. Seeing a psychiatrist
It can be beneficial for people to see a psychiatrist. A psychiatrist prescribes the patient medicine to help them with their mental illness. People who have mental illnesses may have a chemical imbalance in the brain, and medication can help with chemical imbalance.
3. Taking a Walk
There are so many benefits of taking walks. I really like taking walks, especially when I’m anxious. Taking walks help me feel less stressed and it helps to move around after I have been sitting for a while. I also like to be mindful of the nature that surrounds me.
4. Listening to Music
Listening to music can also be beneficial. In Markham Heid’s article “You Asked: Is Listening to Music Good for Your Health”, he explains how music can help people’s mental health. He says, “It can lower levels of stress-related hormones like cortisol and ease pain.” Music can also help decrease depression.
There are so many wonderful songs people can listen to whether its listening to their favorite artist or listening to increase their mood or listening to acoustic songs to help them feel more relaxed. It may also help people to listen to songs they find relatable to their situation. Some songs I like listening to are Real World by Matchbox 20 and Free Fallin by John Mayer.
5. Participating in Their Favorite Hobby
It may also help people to participate in their favorite hobby whether that is sports, artwork, reading, etc. People can boost their self-esteem by participating in hobbies, and it may help them feel more relaxed. It can also help them take their mind off of what they are anxious about and help them focus on something positive instead. One of my favorite hobbies is art because it helps me relax, and I like being creative.
6. Getting at least 7 Hours of Sleep
It’s important for people to get at least 7 hours of sleep. Being well rested can decrease agitation. Getting enough sleep can help people feel more motivated and enjoy life more because they won’t be tired. Unfortunately, it is common for people who have anxiety to experience insomnia, which is where they have trouble sleeping. If someone has insomnia, it can be helpful for them to see a doctor. A psychiatrist can prescribe them medicine to help them with their insomnia.
7. Spending time with friends
Spending time with friends can also be beneficial and may help the individual take their mind off of what they were anxious about. My friends help me a lot by letting me talk to them about how I am feeling and encouraging me. I also like making memories with my friends and doing things I enjoy with them. I love hanging out with friends whether that’s going to a concert or just watching a movie.
These coping strategies may help decrease people’s anxiety and help their mental health in general. What do you do to relax and improve your mental health? Please post your comments below!
Good question Nate and Nathan. While all of these ways have definitely helped me, I think my favorite ones are listening to music, spending time with friends and talking to my therapist. I like listening to music because I can do that anytime of the day or night. I also like spending time with friends. My friends help me a lot in my life. Even when they are not physically with me, it means a lot when my friends tell me something encouraging on social media or text me. It’s also helpful for me to talk to my therapist because I can vent to her how I’m feeling. She is encouraging and offers me solutions.
That’s a great question DVC. I haven’t done yoga in a very long time. During one of the meetings Active Minds (a club that raises awareness for mental health) had last semester the Vice President of Active Minds, Sydney, instructed yoga at the meeting. I really enjoyed it. Sydney instructs yoga at the fitness center, and I definitely want to go to the classes she has. I think yoga can be a good way to relax.
Nicole, out of these seven things, which one do you personally think works the best?
Great list of things to do to aide in anxiety Nicole! Do you think any of the seven things you listed work really well for you, as an individual?
Have you ever tried using yoga as a stress reliever?