9 Coping Methods to Calm Down from Anxiety

By Jasmine Clark, Live Well Enhance You Contributing Writer

The word “anxiety” is used to describe emotions of fear, which we all have sometimes. However, there comes a point where anxiety goes beyond normal fear.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, almost 20% of US adults have an anxiety disorder, making it the most common mental health condition in the country. That means it’s likely you and/or someone you know has an anxiety disorder. With May being Mental Health Awareness Month, now is a good time to learn more about anxiety disorders.

Common types of anxiety disorders

Generalized anxiety disorder

Anxiety is useful to keep you alert when something bad might happen to you. But if you feel anxious in a variety of situations and the anxiety you’re feeling is out of proportion to the number of bad things actually happening to you, you might have generalized anxiety disorder. GAD causes your mind to jump to the worst possible conclusion about everything, turning minor problems and inconveniences into big, scary situations.

Phobias

A phobia isn’t just a feeling of discomfort. When you have a phobia, certain things and situations fill you with heart-pounding fear and you try to avoid those triggers as much as possible, even if you have to miss out on things that are important to you. Encountering a phobia trigger is panic-inducing, and “grin and bear it” just doesn’t work.

Social anxiety disorder

There’s a difference between social anxiety disorder and shyness. Having social anxiety disorder means you go to great lengths to avoid social situations, missing out on professional opportunities and ways to make new friends. You have an intense fear of being watched and judged, and you’re terrified of having conversations with people you don’t know, to the point of having a rapid heart rate and feeling sick to your stomach.

Panic disorder and agoraphobia

Agoraphobia – named after agoras, the central public spaces in ancient Greek city-states – involves a fear of going to public areas, especially crowded or unfamiliar areas. If you have agoraphobia, you worry about things happening to you in public like having a panic attack, falling, fainting, or having a bathroom accident. Agoraphobia severely limits your day-to-day life because you’re constantly avoiding places you need to go to, such as the grocery store. It’s difficult for you to go out even with someone else, and going out alone feels impossible.

Some people with agoraphobia also have panic disorder, which is a tendency to have panic attacks even when there’s no real danger around. A panic attack is a sudden feeling of terror that causes symptoms like sweating, shaking, rapid heartbeat, stomach pain, and trouble breathing. People with panic disorder often feel anxious because they worry about when their next panic attack will happen.

What can you do about anxiety?

There are many ways to cope with anxiety, so try some of these things below. You don’t have to do all these things… find what works for you and be sure to stick with it long-term.

Seek professional help - If you think you may have an anxiety disorder, seek professional help. Therapy and/or medication could be the right solutions for you, so talk with your doctor or someone else who can point you in the right direction.

Asking for help and talking about your feelings does not make you weak, stupid, or shameful. Seeking help is important because if you had a broken arm, you’d seek help by going to the hospital. Your mental health should be treated the same way!

Journal your anxiety - Write about what’s making you anxious and how anxiety is affecting your life. Journaling allows you to explore your feelings and reflect on your thoughts. This gives you more power over your thoughts and emotions.

Practice meditation and breathing exercises - Meditation calms your body and mind and keeps you focused on the present instead of anxious about the future. Meditation goes great with breathing exercises, which are powerful against anxiety because they make you feel grounded and in control.

Get a massage - Getting a massage releases tension and creates feelings of calm. Being touched gently can help your body produce oxytocin, a hormone that puts you in a better mood.

Get more sleep – Make sleep a priority. Sleeping restores your mind, meaning your mind will be less likely to spiral into anxious thoughts. Try using an oil diffuser, white noise machine, weighted blanket, eye mask, or other things to help you sleep better. 

Exercise regularly - Exercise can reduce feelings of anxiety by stimulating the release of mood-boosting endorphins in your body. Plus it can help you get better sleep at night, further reducing anxiety! 

Make social connections - Strong, genuine friendships can make a dramatic difference for people with anxiety. Friends can do fun things to cheer you up, and they also give you comfort during tough times. When you go down an anxiety spiral and overthink things, your friends can talk to you and provide a much-needed different perspective.

Embrace the arts - Listening to music, looking at visual art, watching a dance performance… there are tons of ways to embrace the arts, which calms your anxiety. And creating your own art can let you release anxious emotions that have been building up inside. 

Explore religion and spirituality – For some people, connecting with a higher power eases anxiety and helps them see life in a positive and meaningful way. This can be something to explore if you feel led to do so.

What not to do about anxiety

If you’re struggling with anxious feelings, here’s one thing not to do: Ignore your feelings and hope they’ll go away.

Ignoring your feelings doesn’t help you. Pretending you’re okay when you’re really not doesn’t help you. Your anxiety will make you miserable and cause you to miss out on great experiences in life.

You deserve to live a happy life without anxiety getting in the way. If anxiety is having a negative impact on you, tell someone. It’s okay to ask for help. There is a way out… you can overcome this!

Mental Health Self-Assessment - Anxiety & Depression Association of America

National Alliance on Mental Illness HelpLine

Find a Therapist - Psychology Today

Jasmine Clark is a freelance writer from North Carolina. She enjoys writing about topics such as stress relief and positive thinking. She likes to encourage others to find ways to calm down and relax. In her spare time, she loves to write fiction stories and watch TV and YouTube. You can find her on Instagram @cozysachi.