Anxiety is a common mental health condition that can wreak havoc on a person’s daily life. It can make it difficult to concentrate, complete tasks, interact with others, and even leave the house. The physical effects of anxiety can range from headaches and nausea to chest pains and rapid heart rate.
Fortunately, various treatments are available for those suffering from anxiety. There are many different coping skills for anxiety that people can deploy to alleviate symptoms and navigate life. Not everyone will benefit from the same anxiety-coping skills. Each person is unique, so it is important to find what works best for you. Learn more about anxiety treatment in California by contacting Oceanfront Recovery at 877.296.7477.
What Is Anxiety?
Everyone understands anxiety as an emotion. Whether from public speaking, an impending life change, or a fraught social situation, everybody has experienced anxiety at some point. The anxiety that qualifies as a mental health condition is related to the general experience of anxiety. But two key differentiators are intensity and persistence.
People who struggle with an anxiety condition experience symptoms of anxiety on a regular, if not daily, basis. It impacts their quality of life and interferes with their job, school, or other responsibilities. Typical symptoms related to anxiety conditions are:
- Elevated heart rate
- Sweating
- Hyperventilation
- Pervasive worry or an on-edge feeling
- Panic
- Restlessness
In the mental health field, anxiety is really a catch-all term for a number of different mental health conditions. The most common is generalized anxiety disorder. Other anxiety disorders include panic disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. Each permutation of anxiety comes with a slightly different set of symptoms and is thus treated differently.
Coping Skills for Anxiety
Therapy and medications are often both very helpful in addressing anxiety issues. Outside of those formal treatment methods, though, there are a number of ways that you can take matters into your own hands to alleviate the impact of anxiety in your life. Here are a few coping skills for anxiety that anyone can use.
Get Active
Exercise and physical activity are both great ways to deal with anxiety. Getting active reduces stress and improves mood. Making physical activity part of your routine is a positive habit that will benefit you physically and mentally.
This doesn’t have to involve getting a gym membership or purchasing a bunch of dumbbells, either. There are so many different ways to be active. Playing a recreational sport, going for a hike, or even just walking around your neighborhood are all ways to exercise and have fun doing it.
Avoid Substance Use
If you struggle with anxiety, it is likely best to avoid all substance use, including cigarettes and alcohol. These substances may be tempting as a distraction from your anxiety symptoms, but they will only make things worse in the long run and do nothing positive for your physical health either.
Prioritize Sleep
Sleep is essential to physical and mental health. Carve out enough time each night to get an adequate amount of sleep. Even if you do, falling asleep and staying asleep can be difficult when anxiety is an issue. Worry and intrusive thoughts might be keeping you up. If that’s the case, talk to your doctor about the possibility of sleep aids. There are even some natural, over-the-counter options, like melatonin, that can help you get a full night’s rest.
Identify and Deal With Triggers
It is important to identify and learn how to cope with triggers. They can make your anxiety worse or set off a storm of worry. Identifying them is likely the simple part. The more complicated part is to put a plan into place to address them instead of letting worry run rampant.
Stress management and relaxation techniques can be essential responses to an anxiety trigger. And in some situations, it may be best to simply remove yourself entirely from a situation that is causing extreme anxiety.
Access High-Quality Anxiety Treatment at Oceanfront Recovery
Developing anxiety coping skills is just one part of comprehensively dealing with an anxiety issue. High-quality anxiety treatment, which often involves therapy and anti-anxiety medications, can provide a much-needed lifeboat for people struggling with anxiety.
At Oceanfront Recovery, we offer evidence-based treatments for anxiety. Learn more about our anxiety treatment options by contacting us at 877.296.7477 today. Heal with us at our beautiful location, where you can relax at the beach and learn to manage your anxiety in a small and intimate setting.
