One in four adults will have anxiety problems sometime in their lifetime. Severe anxiety strikes about 19 percent of Americans. For those of you unlucky enough to know what moderate anxiety feels like, skip the next section. But for the approximately 75 percent of Americans who don’t report problems with anxiety, read on.

What is anxiety?

First of all, anxiety is normal. It is common to be nervous before an important presentation, and that can drive a person to do their very best. Anxiety helps a person adapt to changing environment and is not dangerous, per se. It doesn’t last forever; though to a sufferer, this is debatable. Also, most people around an anxious person don’t realize it or see it in that person’s behavior. And no matter what anyone says, there is no cure for anxiety, but there are strategies to manage it.

Techniques to Help Settle Anxiety

1.    Breathing exercises can help to control and mediate an anxiety attack. Typical symptoms of high anxiety include hyperventilating, which can lead to dizziness or light-headedness, tight or painful chest, a dried-out throat and choking sensations. Controlled slower and gentler breaths help to rebalance blood gases that result from hyperventilation, staving off dizziness. Once you feel better, you can then switch to deep breaths where you inhale and exhale slowly. Count to ten or 20 breaths and repeat if you have to.

Yoga can be helpful in this case. Anxious thoughts can race through one’s mind resulting in recurrent worry and an amped-up body. Yoga teaches you breathing techniques and other relaxation routines such as repeating a mantra and meditation that may have a positive effect on your anxiety levels.

2.    Do that something which relaxes you right away. Some people listen to music, take a walk around the block, meditate, or repeat affirmative mantras. Physical exercise is a great way to get rid of anxiety. Exercise burns away the stress hormones that lead to anxiety symptoms. It reduces excess tension and releases endorphins which help to improve mood. It also forces deeper and healthier breathing patterns.

3.    Challenge your thinking. Experts agree that an anxiety disorder is an overwhelming, chronic condition that interferes with your daily activities or your ability to complete them. Coping with an anxiety disorder is a life-long endeavor that takes persistence and patience. Challenging the validity of the thoughts that go into that nervous or worry state is one way to calm down. Ask yourself if your current thinking is productive and getting you closer to your goal. Look at the issue in a realistic light. Learn to see things as they exist now rather than worrying about future events that may or may not happen. This version of reality is not fact-based nor does it address “today.” 

4.    Put stress in perspective. Ask yourself if the stress or anxiety you are feeling at the moment is as bad as it seems? Though anxiety can seemingly last a long time, all anxiety is temporary. This is very difficult to remember when in the throes of an anxiety attack. Recognize when you are experiencing distorted thoughts such as “black and white” thinking or having an “all or nothing” moment. Try and consider how much this type of thinking can contribute to overall stress levels. How we react to events in life can be healthy or unhealthy and you don’t have to be a victim of life’s circumstances.

5.    Do the best you can but realize that in reality, “perfection” doesn’t exist. Often times, perfectionism and relying on other’s approval accompany anxiety disorders. The key is to put forth your very best effort and be proud of it. Perfection is an unattainable goal and stressful if you strive for it every time you do something. You will never be satisfied with your efforts and this may affect your self-esteem.

Another coping strategy is to keep a positive attitude about yourself and life. Negative thoughts and attitudes can taint your life’s viewpoint and leave you unhappy and dissatisfied with your efforts in life. For some, altering one’s viewpoint to a more positive one is an immense sea change but one that will reap benefits for the patient. Your overall health will improve and you will feel better about your life.

6.    Distract yourself from your anxiety and talk to others. If you are experiencing an anxiety attack, more than likely, those around you don’t even know your heart is pounding and you’re experiencing dry mouth. So talk to someone you know and trust. Many anxiety sufferers find that talking on the phone to someone is easier and less anxiety provoking than speaking in person. These conversations can help keep one’s mind from obsessing about the worrisome, nagging issue. Don’t let your mind spiral into negative thoughts.

Talking to friends also offers a glimpse into a support network for the person who suffers from anxiety. Friends and others close to the anxiety stricken can help provide “reality checks” and, if they are great friends, will inform you when your thinking gets obsessive or twisted.

Seek Professional Help

If anxiety becomes severe and no amount of distraction or other strategies will work for you, contact a health professional. That counselor, psychologist or psychiatrist will evaluate possible causes of your anxiety and prescribe the appropriate care for your situation. There are many medications on the market that may help the anxiety stricken, but a number of experts recommend a mix of talk therapy and medication.

So if you are like so many others who experience a little or a lot of anxiety in your daily life, try one or all of these strategies. You may find that a little anxiety is nothing to worry about and can push you to higher levels of achievement. But too much anxiety and you could find yourself unable to enjoy daily life. And isn’t life too short for that?