5 Simple Ways to Help Cope with Anxiety

Coping mechanisms vary from person to person. One individual may write in a journal or make time out their day to take a nap. Another may sketch or spend time meditating. Some might not know how to cope, or things that once worked are no longer effective. For those of you that need some new ideas or suggestions, here are five things that help me to cope with my anxiety.

Sitting in Silence

There are some times that my mind just races — going one hundred miles an hour, times that I get so overwhelmed with my thoughts, responsibilities, and other random things that I just NEED a break. During these moments, I feel like I can’t I talk to one more person or even be near one. When this happens, I take a break to sit in silence. The silence helps me to get away from everything and everyone, and gives me a minute to breathe and relax with no distractions. It helps me get away from busyness of my anxiety sometimes.

Taking a Hot Bath

After a long day, during high stress and anxiety, or a depressive episode, I like to fill up the tub and get in it. It’s like the hot water just washes every negative thing away. Sometimes I will have a good cry, listen to music, or have my phone out and watch a show on Hulu or Netflix. It takes my mind off of anything that may be bringing me down.

Venting

This one might sound kind of silly to some but sometimes you just need to get things out of your system. It helps to talk to someone and get those thoughts out of your head so you can go about your day feeling a little lighter. Sometimes with anxiety it can be super tough to talk about what’s going on in your head, but sometimes it is super helpful.

Hugging a Loved One

For me, it's my son. If I am getting worked up, and I still feel okay to be touched, I will get a big ole hug from my two year old. It feels like there is nothing in the world that this little person's big hug can't cure. I know sometimes it is hard to reach out and ask for a hug, but every now and then it can really make a difference in letting you know that you are not alone.

Taking a Drive with the Windows Down

I have lived in the country for about half of my life and sometimes nothing feels better than to just get out of the house, and go for a ride with the windows down. The noise outside helps to cancel out the noise in my head, while the breeze that's coming in the windows is helping me breathe a little easier. There's just something about a back road and fresh air that really soothes me and helps me calm down.

In my experience, every day is different with anxiety. Some days I wake up totally fine and then anxiety will throw me for a loop. Other times, I don't feel like it is even possible to get out of bed. Anxiety is anything but simple, but sometimes the simplest of things can help take it down a notch. What works for me, might not work for someone else, but maybe it can help at least one person. When we struggle with anxiety on a near daily basis or even just every now and then, we all just need a little help to make it through the day and maybe a couple of these thing can do that us.