WellMinds PTS top tips for managing anxiety

Anxiety is a normal response to a situation we may see as threatening. We all experience anxiety from time to time and anxiety can sometimes help us to cope and perform in situations such as exams or emergencies. Some anxiety however may not be helpful to us as it can feel uncomfortable, the symptoms can sometimes feel scary, and it can also make us feel like we have to avoid certain situations as a result. People sometimes refer to anxiety as ‘worry’, ‘stress’ or ‘nerves’. Anxiety may come with worried thoughts and sometimes leads to physical symptoms such as breathlessness, racing heart or feeling hot and sweaty. These are all very common symptoms to experience. If anxiety and worried thoughts become more frequent, you might notice that this starts to have a significant impact on what you feel able to do day to day and you may find it difficult to see a way out of this cycle.

Here are some suggestions that you may find useful:

First, go back to basics – check that you are eating regular balanced meals and drinking plenty of water throughout the day.

Are you getting enough sleep? – sleep deprivation can have a huge impact on both our mood and anxiety.

Caffeine check – are you drinking too much caffeine in the day? Caffeine is a stimulant which means it can increase feelings of anxiety so reducing caffeine or replacing with decaf options can really help to lower anxiety.

If you have a worried thought (e.g. what if the car breaks down) ask yourself, is this something that I can do anything about right now? If not, let it go and focus your attention onto an alternative activity.

Make sure you take time out for yourself. Get outdoors and complete some regular exercise or movement.

Try to engage in some relaxation or mindfulness activities.

You may have tried these and feel like you’re not getting anywhere, which is okay. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy can help you work out your own cycles of anxiety and what else you need to manage in order to feel better. If you would like to know more, please get in touch with us at the White House for an assessment and we can look at your problems together and come up with a plan that might better support your needs.