Healthy Coping Skills for Anxiety
Anxiety is a natural reaction to stress and can be helpful in some circumstances as it may alert a person of danger. Anxiety disorder, however, is a mental condition characterized by frequent intense feelings of dread, panic, and terror that are often accompanied by physical symptoms: rapid heartbeat, excessive sweating, and others. It is a debilitating condition that can disrupt a patient’s everyday life. It affects nearly 30% of the adult population globally.
Fortunately, it is possible to treat and manage anxiety effectively. In addition to medical interventions, a patient may also adopt coping skills to improve the treatment process. In this post, let’s review the types and symptoms of anxiety disorders as well as coping mechanisms you can implement in your daily life.
If anxiety symptoms occur too often and interfere with your daily activities, consider seeing a mental health professional.
Types of Anxiety Disorders
- Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). The condition is characterized by extreme worrying, tension, and irrational thoughts. A person worries about different issues even if there is no evidence or cause for the concern.
- Panic disorder. Panic disorder is described by sudden, intense, and terrifying panic attacks. Patients with this disorder try to avoid the situations and other triggers that cause panic attacks.
- Phobias. Phobia is an intense fear of specific animals or creatures, occurrences, or experiences. There are four types of phobias: situational, environmental/natural, animal, and uncategorized.
- Agoraphobia. It is characterized by the fear of scenarios where one might think the escape is difficult. Examples of fearful situations include using public transportation, large crowds, shopping malls, parking lots, etc.
- Social anxiety disorder. The disorder is also known as social phobia. A patient has overwhelming self-consciousness and is usually anxious when in social environments.
Common Symptoms of Anxiety Disorders
Although different types of anxiety disorders have their own peculiarities, there are also symptoms typical for several of them. Here are some of the common psychological and physical signs of anxiety disorders.
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Healthy Coping Skills for Anxiety Disorders
It may not be possible to cure an anxiety disorder completely; however, it is possible to manage it successfully. Treatment can include medications, psychotherapy, or a combination of the two. In addition to medical interventions, a patient can use different self-help techniques to cope with anxiety. The coping mechanisms will improve the disorder’s management and help achieve results faster. Check our list of coping skills below:
- Learn more about the disorder
Once diagnosed, ask your doctor about the specifics of your anxiety disorder to be able to manage it. The knowledge will also help you explain the condition to relatives and friends.
Discuss your symptoms with a healthcare provider at Mango Clinic to get a diagnosis and professional help.
- Use stress management techniques
Stress management skills help to become calmer and more resilient. Relaxation, meditation, visualization, and yoga are just a few techniques that you can practice to reduce anxiety. Stress relief objects such as anxiety rings and stress balls can also be beneficial.
- Adopt a healthy lifestyle
Healthy lifestyles such as getting adequate sleep, a balanced diet, and physical exercises relax the body. It is also advisable to avoid alcohol or drug use since the substances can worsen the disorder.
- Be socially active
People with an anxiety disorder may be self-conscious about their condition, hence prefer isolation. However, loneliness tends to cause worry and anxious thoughts, which can increase the disorder’s symptoms. A socially active life will help you relax and distract your mind from the condition.
- Control or stop caffeine intake
Caffeine increases anxiety disorder symptoms. It is advisable to either limit or avoid the intake of caffeine products to prevent adverse reactions.
- Identify the triggers
Determine the situations that cause stress and increase anxiety symptoms. When you know your triggers, you can choose the most suitable coping mechanisms and know when to use them to prevent or handle anxiety attacks.
- Join a support group
You can join a physical or online support group of people with anxiety disorders. In the support group, members share their experiences to encourage each other.
Conclusion
Anxiety disorder is a common mental condition that can hamper a patient’s normalcy. Even though it is not curable, it is possible to manage it. Anxiety is treated with medication, psychotherapy, or a combination of the two. In addition to treatment, patients can adopt coping skills to effectively manage the disorder.
Note that self-help tips may not always be enough. If you notice that you need external support, consult a health practitioner to get professional guidance and know how to cope with anxiety using therapy or medications.
