Strategies to Master Anxiety: 8 Practical, Tangible Methods to Dominate Your Thoughts
Managing anxiety can be a real challenge, but there are effective strategies to help you cope, whether it's an occasional worry or an ongoing issue. Here are eight science-backed methods to help minimize feelings of unease, both in the short and long term.
Immediate strategies for calming anxiety
1. Distancing yourself from anxious thoughts
Anxiety often starts with catastrophic thinking about a future event. To minimize these anxious thoughts, try to create some distance from them. Instead of trying to stifle the thoughts or push them away, acknowledge them with a phrase such as, "I am having the thought that I will make a fool of myself on this date." Then, evaluate the evidence for and against the possibility of a negative outcome, and remind yourself of previous times when you've handled similar situations successfully.
Learn More:
- Mastering Worry: How to Overcome Hypersensitivity and Reclaim Your Life by David A. Barlow and Susan M. Rapee
2. Grounding yourself
When you're consumed by anxious thoughts about the future, your body responds with an increased heart rate and rapid breathing. To counteract this, try grounding exercises that connect you with the present moment and your surroundings. One popular example is the 5-4-3-2-1 exercise: name five things you see, four things you can touch, three things you hear, two things you smell, and one thing you can taste. Another grounding technique involves standing with your feet a comfortable distance apart and leaning forward as if you're going to touch your toes. This exercise sends a signal to your body that it's safe, helping you relax.
3. Regulating your breathing
Slow, controlled breathing can help calm your body and promote relaxation, which can help break the anxiety cycle. One effective exercise is called 'box breathing' or 'square breathing.' Sit comfortably and focus on your breath. Inhale for four seconds, pause for four seconds, exhale for four seconds, and repeat for at least 30 seconds or longer, as desired.
4. Planning a 'worry window'
If your worries persist even after calmning your mind and body, consider setting aside a specific time to let your mind unleash its worries. This can help break the worrying loop and allow you to move on with your day.
Learn More:
- The Worry Workbook: New Solutions for Managing Your Anxieties by David A. Clark, Aaron T. Beck, & Michelle G. AIbrecht
Long-term strategies for reducing anxiety
1. Confronting your fears
Avoiding situations that cause anxiety may provide temporary relief, but it can fuel anxiety in the long run. Instead, gradually face your fears to confront and eventually lessen their power over you. This process, known as exposure therapy, can be done in both real-life situations and through mental imagery.
2. Regular exercise
Physical activity has numerous benefits for overall well-being and can help reduce anxiety in the long term. Evidence suggests that regular exercise can boost mood, stave off depression, and reduce the risk of developing an anxiety disorder. Exercise can also help you become more accustomed to physical sensations that trigger anxiety, making them less intimidating.
Learn More:
- Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain by John J. Ratey
3. Limiting caffeine intake
Caffeine acts as a stimulant on the brain, which can exacerbate anxiety symptoms. Reducing caffeine consumption may help decrease anxiety levels over time. Be mindful of caffeine in beverages, including tea and chocolate, as well as energy drinks and supplements.
Learn More:
- The Caffeine Advantage: How to Boost Your Brain Power, Mood, and Energy Using Nature's Most Powerful Legal Stimulant by Mark Sisson
4. Embracing a growth mindset
Viewing anxiety as a temporary and manageable condition can help you confront it more effectively. Cultivate a growth mindset, which encourages an understanding that anxiety is a normal part of life and can be tamed with the right strategies.
Learn More:
- Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. Dweck
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