*Quick note: This blog is for educational purposes only and not considered a replacement for therapy. If you are in crisis, please contact your medical provider.
Woot woot, coping strategies! To begin, keep in mind, not all of these strategies will work for you. Self-experiment to find out which techniques you prefer. Context is important, too; you may find that some strategies work in some circumstances but not in others. Experiment to observe what works best, and when. Do not be hard on yourself if you forget to do something or if you are not feeling better right away. It takes time, practice, and consistency.
Let’s start with the 24/7 news cycle. There are definite bonuses to having the news available at a click of a button, but it is important to find a balance. Stay tuned in but know when to take a breather; with that being said, bring an intentional mindset to unplugging. (Yikes I know, but it is worth it!)
Disconnect for a while from social media outlets. You may need to schedule this to make sure it happens.
Intrusive/negative thoughts can affect our day more than we may know. Experiencing thought distortions (catastrophizing, “shoulding”, all or nothing thinking, what if, fortune telling, etc), self-harm and/or suicidal ideation thoughts is exhausting and can completely drain a person’s energy before the end of the day.
Keep in mind, not all our thoughts are facts; many are simply beliefs that we hold. Sometimes we have held these beliefs for so long that they feel like facts.
Try:
Asking yourself, “what is the evidence to support this thought?” and “what is the evidence to contradict this thought?”
Affirmations: “This is just a thought not a fact. These thoughts are not true and do not determine who I am as a person.”
Do not underestimate what you are able to do when faced with challenges. Ask and answer: “What’s the worst that could happen?” Then, ask yourself, “How would I cope if that happened?”
If a mistake you’ve made is bothering you, make an action plan for how you won’t repeat it in the future. Write brief bullet points.
Ask yourself if you are jumping to conclusions. For example, if you are worried someone is very annoyed with you, do you know for sure this is the case—or are you jumping to conclusions?
Think about what is going right in your life. Thinking about the positive does not always work when you are anxious, but it can help if anxiety has caused your thinking to become lopsided or is obscuring the big picture.
Imagine how you would cope if your “worst nightmare” happened, i.e., your partner left you, you got fired, or you developed a health problem. What practical steps would you take? What social support would you use? Mentally confronting your worst fear can be very useful for reducing anxiety.
Get a second opinion from someone you trust. Aim to get their real opinion rather than just reassurance seeking.
If you are imagining a negative outcome to something you are considering doing, also try imaging a positive outcome.
Jot down three things you worried about in the past that did occur but were not nearly as bad as you imagined.
You have probably heard this one over and over again but there is a reason for it, get proper rest and sleep! Getting enough sleep is beneficial for our overall mental well-being and helps us to better manage stressors that come up in our day. Here are some quick strategies to help you get a good night’s sleep:
Keep a consistent sleep schedule. This means going to bed and getting up at the same time each day (including weekends, if possible).
Practice relaxation or meditation before bed.
Schedule physical activity for earlier in the day.
Practice sleep hygiene: keep your bedroom cool, avoid any light in your room, use your bed for sleep (not reading, watching TV, using your phone, etc.), and get out of bed if you do not fall asleep after half an hour).
If you drink caffeine, avoid them late in the day.
Avoid naps during the day if these interrupts your sleep at night.
Ready to talk about emotions? Suppressing your feelings and emotions may seem like a strategic way to cope, but this technique is ultimately unhealthy.
Metaphor time! Imagine you are at the beach and are pushing a beach ball under water. Eventually, when you let it go the pressure will force it high above the water splashing you and your surrounding area in the process.
This is what will happen with our emotions if we stuff them down, eventually they will come back up but with greater force. If you are having a down/bad day, have it. Let yourself feel the emotions — but do not stay there.
Sit with your emotions. Ask yourself “What am I feeling?” and “Why?” Reflecting on our emotions helps us to process and understand where they are coming from and why we are feeling them. Try your hardest to look at your emotions and feelings from a nonjudgmental lens. If it helps, imagine your friend is experiencing those same emotions/feelings, what would you say to them?
State the emotions you are feeling as words, i.e., “I feel angry and worried right now.” (Aloud, but to yourself.)
Feeling overwhelmed? Do I even need to ask?
Take a break from actively working on solving a problem and allow your mind to keep processing the problem in the background.
Write all your worries, chores, and tasks on a list. When we are able to visualize our tasks, it makes them less overwhelming and easier to decide what to complete first. It also helps us see what we “could do”, “should do”, and “must do”.
Put something that is out of place in its place. (Physical order often helps us feel a sense of mental order.)
Make a phone call you have been putting off.
Write an email you have been putting off.
Take a break from researching a topic you have been over-researching.
If you rarely back out of commitments and feel overwhelmed by your to-do list, try giving yourself permission to say you can no longer do something you have previously agreed to do.
Do any two-minute jobs that have been hanging around on your to-do list. It will help clear your mental space.
Drop your shoulders and do a gentle neck roll.
Take a slow breath. Continue slow breathing for three minutes.
Comparing, oh we love to compare, or I guess I should say, we can not help but compare ourselves to others even if we try not too. Never stop challenging yourself to minimize comparisons; to help, you can try:
Forgiving yourself for not handing a situation in an ideal way, including interpersonal situations. What is the best thing you can do to move forward in a positive way now?
Accept that there is a gap between your real self and your ideal self. (This is the case for pretty much everybody.)
Question your social comparisons. For example, is comparing yourself only to the most successful person you know very fair or representative?
And of course, below are some more strategies that may be helpful in various parts of your life. Check them out!
Massage your hand, which will activate oxytocin.
Take a day trip somewhere with natural beauty.
Take a bath.
Forgive yourself for not foreseeing a problem that occurred.
Cuddle a baby or a pet.
Recognize if your anxiety is being caused by someone suggesting a change or change of plans. Understand if you tend to react to changes or unexpected events as if they are threats.
Allow yourself to do things you enjoy or that don’t stress you out, while you’re waiting for your anxious feelings to naturally calm down.
Find something on YouTube that makes you laugh out loud.
Life can be hard, some days will be difficult, and some days will also be great. You have the power to not bring today’s bad day into tomorrow or even carry it on throughout your current day.
You got this, be kind and patient with yourself!
Let's leave it at that for now.
Ps: if you have a go to coping strategy, leave it in the comments, I would love to know what is working for people!
Until next time,
Chantel
Source: https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/in-practice/201503/50-strategies-beat-anxiety
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