Self Help for Anxiety: What To Do When You're Feeling Anxious?

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Anxiety is recognized as being a normal and healthy emotion, one that is normally easy to deal with. When it becomes especially severe however, and begins to affect one’s lifestyle and well being, then it has become a problem and needs to be dealt with.

Understand and Accept your Anxiety and Tell Yourself...

• 'This is not really an emergency'
• 'I know I feel horrible right now, but I am not facing any danger here'
• 'I can keep on doing what I am doing while I feel anxious'

Thought Change

• Slap your thigh --- and say "STOP"
• Put rubber band on wrist -- snap and say "STOP"
• Use positive self-talk

Diversion

• Say the alphabet backwards
• Count by 2's from 100 backwards
• At checkout counter -- identify coins in pocket by touch

Do something Good for Yourself...

• Get a massage or exercise regularly to relieve tension.
• 
  Practice relaxation and breathing techniques
  Go for regular meditation and yoga
• Get enough rest and sleep
• Avoid caffeine, chocolate, alcohol, and nicotine.

Schedule a Worry Time

• Set (15-60 minutes) during your day and use this time allowance to do all your worrying.
• When you feel worried at other times, tell yourself to save it for the next scheduled time.

Keep Yourself Busy

• Go for a walk, go to a movie, work in your garden.
• Plan your day efficiently - having too little or too much to do could make you feel anxious.

Other Self Help for Anxiety Activities

• Keep a record of your symptoms.
• Talk to your friend about your worries --talking helps relieve stress.
  Volunteer to help others or join a social group

When to Call your doctor...

• If you have thoughts of harming yourself or others.
• If your anxiety interferes with your daily life.
• If you have periods of sudden and severe attacks of terror with intense physical symptoms including shaking, sweating when there is no reason to be scared of.
• If your symptoms persist after 1 week of implementing self help for anxiety strategies.
• If you have nightmares or flashbacks of traumatic events.
• If your repetitive actions interfere with your life.
• If you continue to feel uncertain about things -- constantly checking your email or door or the stove.

Please Note

It is important to emphasize that you should not reject mainstream medical attention and guidance and the use of recommended products, treatments, and remedies for individual disorder should be approved and monitored by your health care provider. See disclaimer for more!