Anxiety can start hindering the relationships we hold close to our hearts. We know that a life without anxiety is unattainable, but there are ways of lessening its grip on you and your loved ones. You need to find what works for you, taking care not to neglect yourself and your mental health in the process. If you’re feeling anxious, try these tips out and see if they help.
1. Seek professional medical help.
The best way to go about getting help is to see a doctor. Talk to them and find out what treatments they offer and which you should try first. Some will recommend ketamine therapy for anxiety, others will prescribe medication or counseling. Different treatments work for different people, so if one doesn’t work for you, don’t give up. Keep trying until you find something that works for you. If in doubt, your doctor will advise the best course of treatment based on your specific case and health history.
2. Take care of yourself first and foremost
Before anyone else in your life can help you in your anxiety treatment, you need to help yourself! Make sure that you are healthy and happy with your life before you can try to improve it or help someone else. If you’re feeling anxious, start self-care by getting enough sleep, eating well, exercising regularly, and meditating. Once you feel more centered and able to give to others, then it’s time to turn your attention outward.
3. Talk to your loved ones about your condition
People who care about you should be understanding and supportive of your anxiety. They might not understand it completely, but that’s okay! You can take the lead by explaining what causes you to feel anxious. Help them get an idea of why they get worried when you start panicking in certain situations. Knowing more about your condition helps loved ones accept it for what it is and move on.
4. Always stay close to your loved ones
Anxiety often makes people push others away for fear of burdening them with their problems. This can be a mistake, however. One study has shown that keeping close and healthy relationships helps ease anxiety symptoms. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the condition, make sure to always stay close to the people who love you and get feedback from them. Don’t be afraid or ashamed to ask for help when you need it!
5. Practice mindfulness
Remember that anxiety is a feeling. Pushing it away, denying its existence, only makes it worse down the line. You can avoid this by learning how to accept your feelings and letting them go. Recognize and acknowledge the feeling, don’t judge it as good or bad, and let it pass on by. This will help ease anxiety and, if practiced regularly, can even start to break the cycle of negative feelings that contribute to the condition.
6. Utilize online forums
If you want help from others who suffer from anxiety or know how to control it, check out online forums. There are a ton of excellent communities that can help you through your darkest times with their advice and support. As is the case with loved ones, make sure they’re a good fit for you before getting too involved!
7. Find a therapist
Therapy has been proven time and time again to help with anxiety. The great thing is that there are all kinds of therapists who specialize in helping their clients overcome issues like this one. Many therapists will offer a free consultation, so it’s worth checking them out since you have nothing to lose.
8. Breathe!
Anxiety can affect your breathing, making you breathe faster and from your chest. This can make you feel lightheaded, sick to your stomach, and even cause a panic attack if it goes on too long. To avoid this, take deep breaths from the diaphragm as often as possible. Meditation is one way to teach yourself how to breathe correctly during anxious episodes so you keep going no matter what.
9. Communicate your needs
Anxiety might make you clam up or refuse to speak. This is another mistake; it only leads to hurt feelings and conflict down the line. It’s much better if everyone involved talks about what they want and need, whether that’s physical intimacy, personal space, less drama, or something else entirely. Communicate your needs clearly so you don’t end up fighting over them later on.
Anxiety can be a debilitating condition that affects your relationships. If you’re feeling anxious, the first step is to take care of yourself by getting enough sleep, eating well, exercising regularly, and meditating. Once you feel more centered and able to give to others, then it’s time for some online support from forums or therapists who specialize in anxiety disorders like this one. The next steps are communicating any needs clearly with loved ones so there aren’t hurt feelings down the line and taking deep breaths when you start feeling lightheaded or sick to your stomach during panic attacks!
