3 Ways to Defeat Anxiety

By, Bunny Young, MA, QMPH

Anxiety can be disabling to individuals who do not have the coping skills set into place. It manifests into not only an emotional reaction, but also a physical reaction in the body, all from something as simple as a thought sometimes. Your options are to work through it, ignore it, stuff it, or let it escalate. There are seasons, events, people, dates, things, places, and so much more that can trigger the thought that leads to the feelings of anxiousness. Everyone feels anxious at one time or another and this is not something to feel ashamed about.
Knowing that everyone will eventually come face to face with anxiety, we wanted to share a few coping strategies that may be helpful when you do encounter anxiety.

Here are 3 ways to help you defeat Anxiety:

1. Breathe. Sounds simple right? The act of taking a deep intentional breath, which allows us to pause and slow down, can interrupt an overwhelming thought pattern as well as the physical action brings more oxygen into the brain. Thus, the release of chemicals have a calming effect on the body.

2. Evaluate the problem. There are two kinds of problems in the world: Those that we can change, and those that we cannot. If it is a problem that you can change, evaluate the first step towards change and take that action or make a plan on when to take that action. If it is the second kind of problem-one you cannot change, accept that you have no control over the situation and let it go.

3. State your feelings out loud. Even if there is no one there to hear your words, stating your feelings out loud can lead to a sense of validation and also can assist in figuring out where the anxiety is truly coming from. Once you can identify this you can return to #2 in order to mitigate the problem.

We hope you find these strategies helpful in your daily lives. Please share what you feel helps defeat anxiety for you! Often, we post many strategies and calming methods on our social media sites: Facebook, Instagram, and Pintrest, and in our newsletters. Please look out for inspirational quotes, strategies to combat stress, and other useful tips or events to support you on our website!