Do you ever get a break from worrying? Or, do worries and stress keep you tightly wound through the day, up at night, and leave you frazzled and frayed more often than not? If so, you may be dealing with an anxiety disorder — and successful treatment could be possible with the right care.
At Greater Lowell Psychiatric Associates LLC of North Chelmsford, Massachusetts, Dr. Ronald P. Winfield counsels new and existing patients on managing anxiety. This blog gives you five effective ways to manage anxiety. Could your mental health improve if you adopted these strategies?
Anxiety correlates with thoracic breathing, where your breath only fills your chest, not engaging your diaphragm or abdomen. By switching from thoracic breathing to diaphragmatic breathing, you can increase your oxygen supply and trigger relaxation.
To practice diaphragmatic breathing, position your body with relaxed shoulders. Start by slowly inhaling through your nose. You may want to count to four as you inhale. Allow your abdomen to fill and expand with air.
Then, slowly exhale through your mouth until you have completely expelled all your breath. Some people find added benefit in slightly pursing the lips while exhaling, producing an audible sound. Continue this slow, deep breathing pattern until you feel less anxious.
Worry takes you out of the moment, causing you to fret about things that may happen, but haven’t happened yet. In order to combat this, stimulate your senses and ground yourself in the present moment. The 5-4-3-2-1 method is a quick and effective technique for accomplishing this.
When you feel anxious or worried, stop for a moment and identify:
By grounding yourself in the world around you, you take your mind off of abstract worries or concerns.
When you’re anxious, your thoughts tend to race. Meditation is a practice of emptying your mind of surface thoughts, including your worries, leaving you more calm.
It can take some practice to reap the rewards of meditation. To begin your meditation practice, find a place where you can sit comfortably in a neutral position. Start by directing your attention to your breathing, slowing and deepening your inhalations and exhalations. Quiet your busy mind, letting go of thoughts as they pop up.
Don’t judge yourself or get frustrated if you find your mind wandering. Just redirect yourself back to a state of quiet mental neutrality.
Physical exercises can help you to manage anxiety in several ways. For one thing, the need to focus on exercise activity distracts you from your worries. But, exercise also helps with anxiety at a biological level.
Healthy activity transforms your brain chemistry, sending anti-anxiety neurochemicals like serotonin flooding through your system. Exercise also activates the frontal areas of your brain, regulating activity from the amygdala, which is responsible for your flight-or-fight response. And, physical movement helps to relieve muscle tension, reducing your sense of anxiety.
While there are many ways you can manage anxiety spikes on your own, recovering from an anxiety disorder is much more possible with expert, professional support. Worry can interrupt your digestion, limit your opportunities, and damage your health and wellness. It’s worth taking the time to reach out and seek help.
At Greater Lowell Psychiatric Associates, we offer specialized counseling and therapy for anxiety disorders, including social anxiety, phobias, and generalized anxiety. Your provider helps you to better understand your worries, and recommends treatment options to assist you in living a more carefree, mentally balanced life, including medication management options.
For personalized support in coping with constant worry, reach out to Dr. Winfield and the team at Greater Lowell Psychiatric Associates online or over the phone today.
