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I feel like my anxiety lately has gotten worse, sometimes I can’t even explain it. I’m trying to focus on what triggers my anxiety – it seems like it’s social settings, alcohol, not saying “no” enough / taking on too much at once… What are some things you do to cope with anxiety? Thanks in advance!
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Hi all,
Fellow anxiety person here. I am with all of you and totally get it. I have also dealt with it for years. I am an MSW student and recently just came across some interventions for anxiety that I would be helpful to share. It was actually for adolescents, but as someone with anxiety, I thought these tips might still be applicable to our age group. A lot of the tips surround recognizing the anxiety, acknowledging it, and reframing it.
Some common mindsets some of us may get stuck in include:
-All or nothing thinking (I do this all the time: If I don’t work out in the AM, I cannot work out at all!)
-Disqualifying the positive
-Jumping to conclusions/mind-reading
-“Should” thinking
-Labeling/mislabeling situations before they even happen
-Blaming
-Catastrophizing (thinking of the worst thing that could happen)Two possible ways to reframe our anxiety:
Think about the STOP method
-S: Am I scared or nervous about a certain situation
-T: What thoughts am I having in this situation
-O: What other, more realistic, thoughts can I have
-P: Praise myself for thinking more realistic thoughts.Do your detective work:
-What is the evidence leading you to feel this way?
-How do I know this would happen?
-How else could I explain the situation?
-What is the worst thing that could happen?
-What else might happen?
-What has happened to me before in this situation?
-Is worrying about this situation helpful or just making me feel worse?
-Is this thought helpful?Also for those of you who find yourself unable to say no to friends, found this article this morning that I thought was wonderful: How to Get Your Friends to Stop Treating you Like a Therapist – New York Times
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I have experienced this for years. It came to a point where I knew I needed to address it. The first step in doing so was saying NO to social commitments that I did not want to go to (instead of saying yes, having to cancel, and feeling anxious due to that).
It has helped – my anxiety is still terrible, but not nearly as bad as it used to be when I said yes to every plan that presented itself, and I found myself with nightly plans every day of the week.
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YES. I’ve been dealing with anxiety for what seems like forever at this point, and it got really bad last year. I started seeing a therapist and it really changed things for me, but it was also a gigantic undertaking and is draining my income because of course insurance doesn’t cover it.
What I’ve noticed most of all is that while I feel better, my anxiety didn’t just…disappear…like I thought it would. I’ve sort of had to accept that I might always have some degree of anxiety, but sometimes it’s a good thing — it clues me in when something’s wrong or there’s something I’m not dealing with.
When I’ve had spikes of it during the pandemic, I’ve tried to just stop what I’m doing and sit with it. Like, “OK, I’m anxious, but that’s fine. Sup anxiety.” Sometimes if I have time I’ll make a list of every single thing stressing me out and try to tackle it one by one and think through the root of each problem.
I’m not sure if this tactic would work for literally anyone besides me, but mainly just know that you’re not alone ESPECIALLY when we’re in the midst of something terrifying on like, an existential level. I would love to meet a person who’s not anxious right now and learn their secrets!!
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Oh yes. The pandemic has significantly increased my paranoia and anxiety on contracting the COVID-19 virus especially with people being asymptomatic (and seeing people not wearing masks), the symptoms being similar to the flu and cold (a cough or a sneeze makes me feel like I have it) and the overall uncertainty of the vaccine. I also haven’t been able to motivate myself as much nowadays compared to the beginning of the pandemic so I haven’t been exercising as much. And this makes me feel guilty for not being as active to move around. However, what has been helping me is talking it out with a close friend and walking outside or driving around to just get out of the house for a bit. I also try to shift to a positive mindset whenever I’m feeling overwhelmed. I try to think of things I’m grateful for to really focus on what is important and staying in the present.
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I’ve found alcohol typically spikes my anxiety, especially when I’m hungover! Do you guys think there’s certain types of alcohol that does this more than others?
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Hi Friends,
I feel like I am getting way more anxious during this pandemic as well. It is like this really bad quick sand feeling – when it starts it is hard to stop and can really take control. BUT this is what I have been doing and i hope it helps!
– Head space
The best meditation app in my opinion. There are free trials and different time frames. The most calming voices can walk you though a mediation for 3 min or 10 min or anything in between.– Fresh Air
It is really a game changer for me. Just opening windows or going for a walk around the block will calm me down. I always take 5 really BIG deep breaths, and even put my hands over my head. Probably look crazy but it works– Podcasts
Tony Robbins and Brene Brown are my current obsessions. They are both motivational speakers, genius, and have documentaries/podcasts about managing many things, including stress and anxiety. They are also two very different people. If you prefer tough love, I would look into Tony, and if you prefer a more gentle but very effective message, Brene all the way! Look up their documentaries on Netflix.xox
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I am trying to find more ways to cope with anxiety during the pandemic. I have been working remotely for over 6 months and am starting to feel “trapped” inside my apartment. I feel like I am getting overwhelmed MORE often and it seems more intense than ever before. Does anyone have any good coping mechanisms? I try to go on long walks outside, exercise/eat well but it comes on out of no where for insignificant reasons.
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