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Over 40 million adults in the United States have been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. In 2024 alone, 43% of adults stated they feel more anxious than they did the previous year.
If you’re one of these people you’ve learned that living with anxiety can be exhausting. Whether it’s the fear of the unknown, traumas from childhood, or a current stressful situation you’re dealing with, the symptoms of anxiety can wear you out and make each day feel harder and harder.
Hypervigilance, lack of sleep, eating issues, racing heart, excessive fear, racing thoughts, nausea, and feeling tense or restless are just a few of the symptoms you may be experiencing due to your anxiety. But why? Why are you experiencing anxiety and what can be done to help ease your symptoms?
Identifying the source of anxiety
There are multiple reasons why someone may be experiencing anxiety. For some, a genetic predisposition may be at play if anxiety runs in their family. For others, an imbalance of neurotransmitters may be contributing to the anxious feelings as research has shown that neurotransmitters like dopamine, serotonin, GABA, and others have all been linked to anxiety.
Other factors that contribute to anxiety may include environmental factors like divorce, job stress, or the loss of a loved one. Things like medical conditions, personality factors, physiological factors, and lifestyle factors can all be at play as well.
Understanding your source of anxiety, as well as the onset of symptoms, can be a great first step in getting it under control. This can start with self-reflection, journaling, being aware of physical symptoms in connection with triggers, and working with a mental health professional.
Strategies for reducing anxiety
Recognizing that your anxiety is something you want to change takes vulnerability, and confronting it is difficult. However, the first step in reducing your anxiety is making the conscious decision to do so.
The following are some tips that may help you on your journey:
Immediate Relief Strategies
Deep breathing exercises
Here are a few options; pick one and stick with it for a few days to see if it’s right for you.
Grounding techniques
This list is a bit lengthy, but there are some great options to choose from. Again, just pick one or two to see if they work for you. If not, pick out a few more and try again.
Mindfulness and meditation
This YouTube video is a great (short) anxiety focused meditation to start with.
Journaling and reflection
Here are some journal prompts that can help ease anxiety. Journaling may seem a bit taboo, but allowing yourself to get your thoughts on paper has proven beneficial for many people with anxiety.
Long-Term Management Techniques
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Finding a therapist that can guide you on your journey to living and coping with your anxiety can be a great first step. You may not always need a therapist, but they can help you lay the foundation for growth.
Medication options
Not everyone wants to seek out medication, and that’s okay! If you choose to go the medication route, try also finding a therapist or counselor to treat your anxiety as well. Studies have shown that a combination of therapy alongside medication can be more beneficial than medication alone.
Regular physical exercise
Those “feel good” endorphins can treat anxiety just as well as some medications.
Healthy diet and lifestyle changes
The food we eat has a huge impact on our hormones, irritability levels, and more. Be conscious of what you’re putting in your body and what your body needs.
Self-Care Practices
Ensuring adequate sleep and establishing a routine
A routine helps ensure that you’re getting enough sleep and it helps to remove “unknown factors” that can spark anxiety in some people.
Engaging in hobbies and activities
Staying engaged with hobbies and activities can help reduce your racing thoughts and take your mind off of things. It’s also a great way to put things in perspective. A “huge” problem doesn’t seem as big when you take a step back.
Building a support system
Loved ones can help to keep you accountable and offer support when you need it the most.
Relaxation Techniques
Progressive muscle relaxation
Here is a step-by-step to walk you through this process. This process helps you distinguish between feeling tense and relaxed.
Visualization and guided imagery
These techniques can be used to create a calm atmosphere and they can also be used to help practice going through anxiety arousing situations in your mind.
Cognitive Strategies & Lifestyle Adjustments
Challenging negative thoughts
When we talk about cognitive strategies we are referring to identifying the negative thoughts so that we can change the behaviors associated with those thoughts. When we challenge our negative and anxious thoughts we recognize that they don’t hold truth.
Practicing gratitude
Gratitude allows us to have a mindset shift. When we change our perspective from focusing on the negative to focusing on the positive we can begin to release anxiety.
Limiting caffeine and alcohol
Most studies state that a cup of coffee a day or a few social drinks won’t impact your anxiety levels too much. However, for those of you that are doing these things excessively this may apply to you: Caffeine is a stimulant that can increase the symptoms of anxiety for some people, especially when taken in excessive amounts. On the other hand, alcohol is a depressant that reduces levels of serotonin in the brain which can lead to enhanced feelings of anxiety for some people as well.
Reducing screen time, especially before bed
Constantly scrolling on your phone or continually picking up your phone can both lead to a spike in anxious symptoms. Interrupting thoughts to pick up your phone, comparing your life to someone else’s on social media, and feeling tense when you don’t have your phone are all ways that it’s causing anxiety.
Excessive phone usage at night time can cause sleep disturbances. I don’t think I need to explain why that makes anxiety worse, but if you’d like to read more, here’s some recent research.
Although anxiety may be a lifelong struggle, you don’t have to live with it in the manner that you have been. Take control over your anxious mind and learn how to cope in a healthy manner. As always, never hesitate to reach out to a therapist or counselor to help get you started.
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