5 Ways To Manage Anxiety

Worry is a normal part of the caregiving journey and comes with the territory. There are so many unknowns and seemingly scary things right around the corner. Anxiety is more than just worry and can make us uncomfortable, preventing us from living a healthy life and being the dedicated caregivers were truly are. My Mom, who was a worrier and prone to anxiety, passed the torch on to me. I know what it’s like to be anxious and have experienced how distracted and incapacitated I can become. Although I am a glass half full kind of gal, I have to work at soothing myself and remaining calm and present. I found the following tips helpful to manage and cope with my anxiety and would like to share them with you.

There are ways to successfully manage anxiety.

1. Talk to yourself about it. One of my favorite things I say to myself is “Oh I’m anxious right now, this how I get sometimes, it will pass soon and feelings are not facts”. When we look at our anxiety as just a feeling and not reality, it can make it feel less powerful and more temporary. Remind yourself that this awful feeling is just a temporary state, that you have experienced it before and it passed.  Everything worked out in the end.
2. Breathe. Take some deep breaths to calm your body and mind. Deep breathing has been proven to slow down heart rate, lower physical and mental stress levels and is used by military personnel, first responders, and athletes. Take a deep breath through your nose to the count of 4; hold it for a count of 4, the let the breath out through your mouth for a count of 4. I like to visualize the numbers. Repeat this 3-5 times. Do this whenever you start to feel anxious or scared.
3. Exercise. While it may be difficult to get to the gym when caregiving, taking a walk or doing cardio, yoga or tai chi in the living room with a YouTube video or a routine you know is always possible. Exercise keeps the anxiety at bay and takes your mind off it when it appears. Moving around helps ease the tension.
4. Keep busy. Being active and keeping busy distracts us from our anxiety. We tend to ruminate and go over and over those things we are worried about, but if we engage in an activity that takes our attention away from our anxiety we can move on. Tackle the next thing you had planned to get done. Don’t sit and worry.
5. Focus on something else. I rarely can meditate when I get anxious, but trying to stay in the present moment and notice the things around me, focusing on the room I’m in or the people around me or how my body feels calms me down. Anything I can observe and watch and become interested in other than my anxious thoughts helps to bring me into another state. Change your focus and distract yourself. It helps to stop the tape in your head.

Anxiety is hurtful and more than unpleasant. It can cloud your days and nights and be truly painful. If your anxiety seems to be crippling you and you are troubled, seeking professional help and advice may make all the difference in the world. You deserve to get the relief you are entitled to. I consider my worry and anxiety a work in progress. Sometimes I handle it better than others. I hope you find my suggestions helpful and your anxiety becomes more manageable. I wish you serenity and self-appreciation and above freedom from fear and worry.