General considerations about methods to decrease anxiety

To determine whether anxiety is just a common and natural feeling or a mental disorder, it is necessary to understand the role it plays in people's lives. Feeling anxious is a common thing to do before important tasks, but when the feeling gets in the way of a routine, it is a warning sign.

So, in the case of anxiety so intense that it prevents a certain person from doing ordinary activities, turning them into a suffering, it is necessary to observe these issues, because there is something more serious and that requires adequate treatment.

So, to prevent a common feeling from turning into a disorder, it is necessary to pay attention to the symptoms and change the way you deal with routine situations on several fronts. Want to know more about this? Read our full article!

Understand better what anxiety is

Anxiety is triggered by a sum of psychological factors and can become paralyzing. When this scenario presents itself frequently, it can end up disrupting your routine and turn into a mental disorder - or even appear as something associated with another psychological condition. Learn more about and understand what anxiety is below!

What is anxiety

Anxiety can be characterized as a mental disorder that is triggered by various factors, so that energy builds up and becomes tension. In some cases, it can be paralyzing and prevent the sufferer from making simple, routine decisions.

When this happens and becomes frequent, it is necessary to look at the symptoms in a deeper way and seek professional help. This is because anxiety itself can be a disorder, but it can also appear associated with other mental health ailments, such as panic disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

The main symptoms of anxiety

The main symptoms of anxiety are related to loss of concentration. It can lead to other issues, such as racing heart, difficulty staying still and breathing. In addition, people suffering from this disorder can become more irritable and develop catastrophic and obsessive thoughts.

It is also not uncommon for insomnia to appear in patients suffering from anxiety disorders. It is worth pointing out that it has such a diverse range of symptoms that it can manifest itself in different ways. In addition, it can also appear as a symptom of other mental disorders.

The anxiety disorder

Generalized anxiety disorder is characterized by the difficulty of controlling this feeling during scenarios that do not present any kind of danger. Thus, this feeling becomes incapacitating and prevents people from performing common activities, such as a job interview.

In the face of this, the anxious person can rationally understand that he has no reason to fear what is happening, but his emotions and reactions become so intense that he cannot take control and remains paralyzed.

The feeling of anxiety

Unlike the anxiety disorder, the feeling of anxiety appears when difficult situations present themselves to people. However, even if they generate a feeling of discomfort, one is sure that this is transitory. Thus, the feeling is neither disabling nor paralyzing.

The symptoms can be quite similar, since tremors and tachycardia also appear when people feel anxious. However, determining them precisely is impossible, since it all depends on the intensity and duration of the feeling.

Unlike the anxiety disorder, which requires treatment, the feeling tends to disappear as what was causing the worry is resolved.

How to control anxiety on a daily basis

There are some tips that can help control the feeling of anxiety in everyday life, preventing it from evolving into a disorder of this nature. So if you are experiencing some episodes and they are related to stressful situations, this can help you keep control and avoid feeling helpless.

The tips can also work for patients with anxiety disorder, see more below!

Organize your routine

Control is something very important for people suffering from anxiety disorders, and organizing the routine can help keep crises under control. Thus, it is interesting to have daily plans about all tasks, preventing unpredictable situations from happening.

This helps to increase self-confidence and makes it possible for the anxious person to go about their day without fear of something negative happening. However, you have to, at the same time, keep in mind that unforeseen things can happen and that not everything will turn out as you had planned. The idea is that, little by little, you learn to deal with this.

Self-knowledge

Self-knowledge is a very valid way to better deal with anxiety. This is because this disorder can manifest itself in different ways and, therefore, comparing what works for other people with your condition can hurt more than help.

In addition, another very efficient method in the sense of self-knowledge is to map the triggers for anxiety crises, that is, to know the situations that put you in this state in order to avoid them.

Don't get carried away by negative thoughts

Thoughts have a great influence on the way we behave during our routine. In situations in which we think about shameful things, it is natural to relive this feeling. However, when we remember happy moments, the feeling of excitement tends to grow.

Mental disorders, in general, share a common characteristic: disastrous thoughts, so you have to learn to tame them in order to lead a milder life. Try to pay attention to them, and whenever you feel the need to create a very bad scenario, try to visualize the opposite.

Don't be too hard on yourself

Self-charging is something that can trigger anxiety. Throughout life, we have the habit of comparing ourselves to others, and the scales always seem to tip to the other's side.

So try to avoid this scenario. Also, don't expect yourself to have "normal feelings" and try to allow yourself to have the reactions that you want and need to have. You have to find a balance between what is paralyzing and needs to be rethought and what are normal responses to stressful situations.

Take care of your nutrition

Maintaining a good diet is fundamental to good health in many different ways, so the habits a person adopts also reflect on his or her mental health. In the case of those who suffer from an anxiety disorder, it is not uncommon for people to use food as a refuge.

This happens, in most cases, because it is necessary to find an immediate pleasure to get rid of the feeling of anxiety. Since foods such as sweets release tryptophan, consuming them becomes an easy way out.

During moments of anxiety, for example, choose foods that also contain tryptophan, but that are healthy, such as Brazil nuts.

Control your breathing

Breath control helps control anxiety. Although the idea of deep breathing is a cliché and very old advice, it remains, because it is something that works. This is because the act of breathing in the air slowly makes the brain understand the need to relax.

Breathing for breath is one of the symptoms of stressful and angry moments, so it can be difficult to control. However, with practice it will become easier and bring good results in keeping anxiety under control.

Practice physical activities

The ideal is to exercise three times a week to keep anxiety under control. This type of practice can act as a complementary treatment for the disorder, since physical activity releases hormones such as serotonin, dopamine, and endorphin.

Therefore, besides promoting physical health, it ensures general well-being. In the case of people who still don't have this habit, the ideal is to look for an activity they feel comfortable with to start and get used to the practice.

Find a healthy hobby

For those who suffer from anxiety disorder, finding a hobby that is healthy makes all the difference. So people who don't yet have a hobby can start by thinking about activities that they find fun but haven't had a chance to try.

The idea is to find something that is pleasurable and serves as a focus for your mind, preventing the appearance of negative and catastrophic thoughts. In this way, it becomes easier to tame anxiety in everyday life.

Understand your thoughts and feelings

It is very common for us to be empathetic with our friends and family members, but the same courtesy does not extend to ourselves, so it is always helpful to talk to yourself and try to understand and welcome your feelings and thoughts. This way, you will be able to better understand what puts you in each emotional state.

There is a difference between being accepting of one's feelings and being indulgent, and this is what we often fail to realize, so this is a good way to go about keeping anxiety under control on a daily basis.

Meditate

Meditation and other relaxation techniques can be very helpful in controlling anxiety, especially if the person suffering from the disorder is willing to create an environment conducive to the practice. Thus, the ideal is to choose relaxing music, turn off the lights, and lie down comfortably.

During this moment, it is necessary to empty your mind, leaving work issues aside. A tip that helps is to keep your concentration on your breathing and the music. The ideal for these moments is to use headphones, which facilitate the immersion necessary for the moment.

Cherish your hours of sleep

Sleep is fundamental for people who suffer from anxiety disorders, and sometimes it can be difficult to fall asleep.

A good night's sleep reflects on your overall health, so if you have trouble falling asleep, you need to create a ritual to help you fall asleep and keep the emotional exhaustion at bay. A few things, like drinking tea or reading a few pages of a book, can go a long way toward helping you achieve the relaxation you need before falling asleep.

Distance yourself from those who make you feel bad

In order to keep anxiety under control, you need to be able to get away from people who make you feel bad, as well as activities that trigger anxiety. Striving to stay in scenarios that favor the disorder can be very costly and create harm to your mental health.

Therefore, as complicated as it may be at first, you need to find ways to get away from what is bad for you and makes you even more anxious. By doing this, you will find that the crises will diminish considerably.

Beware of alcohol and drugs

Alcohol and drugs are harmful when consumed in excess, and in the case of people with anxiety, even though they induce a momentary relaxation, they can have quite negative effects soon after.

In this sense, alcohol can make an anxious person euphoric and relaxed, but this passes along with the effects of the substance, so the next day anxiety can be a dominant feeling. Marijuana has a similar effect, but can be responsible for triggering crises and worsening the overall picture.

Diagnosis and treatment of anxiety

The diagnosis of anxiety is made by a psychiatrist. In addition, psychotherapy is recommended as part of the treatment, since the psychologist will help the patient understand his disorder and find ways to keep it under control. More details about this will be commented on below. Read on to learn more!

The diagnosis

Just like any other mental disorder, anxiety is diagnosed from a clinical analysis made by a doctor: the psychiatrist. He will verify which are the symptoms presented by the patient and will recommend the appropriate treatment for each case, which can be different from person to person, depending on the symptoms.

If necessary, the psychiatrist may recommend the use of medication; however, this is not always necessary, and the psychiatrist will recommend other things that can help keep the disorder under control.

The treatment

There are several types of possible treatments for anxiety, but psychotherapy is essential for patients suffering from this disorder, because the psychologist will be able to offer some ways of dealing with generalized anxiety on a daily basis.

In addition, he will investigate the facts that motivate the crises, identifying the triggers. This is very important for the patient to gain more confidence and autonomy, being able to better control anxiety and change the behaviors that favor its emergence.

Is it possible to control anxiety?

When talking about controlling anxiety, it is worth pointing out that this feeling can be controlled in everyday life by changing some habits and adopting others. In this case, leaving aside potential triggers and trying to approach things that bring a positive feeling is a great way to go.

However, for this control to be effective, it is necessary to obtain a diagnosis and follow the line of treatment indicated by the doctor, who has the necessary experience to deal with these issues and to propose effective ways that are appropriate to the symptoms that each patient manifests.

Follow our tips to decrease anxiety and live a more comfortable life!

Anxiety is a feeling common to all human beings. It arises in situations in which we feel vulnerable and exposed to some kind of danger. Therefore, since it is associated with a specific context, it tends to disappear as soon as the conflict is resolved.

However, when anxiety becomes frequent in everyday life and prevents a certain person from performing routine tasks, such as presenting a college paper or going to a job interview, it can mean that it is actually no longer a feeling, but rather a mental disorder.

In this scenario, it is necessary to see a doctor in order to get an accurate diagnosis and follow a line of treatment. The tips contained throughout the article can also help a lot to ward off anxiety attacks and make patients better able to cope with the disorder!