Anxiety has a way of sticking around long past its welcome. Given that it’s rarely welcome in our lives, anxiety gets old quickly. Dealing with symptoms of anxiety day after day can be discouraging. When you’ve tried the same tactics but anxiety still hangs on, it might be time to switch your approach. Most likely, you’re well aware of the need to try new ways to reduce anxiety. So often with anxiety, we know what we need to do, but because anxiety takes control of our thoughts, emotions, and actions, we feel stuck. The list that follows contains ideas for managing old anxiety symptoms with new anxiety treatment ideas.
Manage Your Old Anxiety Symptoms in New Ways
Sometimes mixing things up in small ways can loosen the grip anxiety has on you. Small changes or exercises that differ slightly from what you’re used to gives anxiety a run for its money. Trying a new anxiety treatment idea stimulates your brain and gives you a confidence boost. You can then build on the momentum to try other new approaches. The change and subsequent successes give you the upper hand over your anxiety.
Consider these anxiety management ideas for common anxiety symptoms.
If you experience muscle tension or joint pain, try the jellyfish technique.
Jellyfish are amazingly efficient swimmers. They don’t have much substance, so trying to forcefully push themselves through heavy water would exhaust them. Instead of fighting against the force that would hold them back, they create their own propulsion system. They use a suction system to effectively glide and dance their way through life despite the water that’s aways there, trying to told them back. Channel your inner jellyfish, and glide.
If you experience a sense of impending doom, try the Peter Pan perspective.
This sense of doom is typical in many types of anxiety disorders, and it is connected to fear. Fear can be crushing and paralyzing, making us feel that we are powerless. Try a visualization activity in when you picture yourself as Peter Pan. He led the Lost Boys through many dangers, including battling Captain Hook and his pirates. Fantasy? Yes. But not for Peter Pan. It was his reality, and he shaped it the way he wanted it to be. He was in charge. He was confident. And he always won.
Anxiety’s sense of impending doom often arises because of our sense of being powerless to fight our fears. Visualizing yourself as Peter Pan, a superhero, or yourself anxiety-free and flying above your fears is very empowering. See yourself flying over your fears, confronting them, and winning over and over again. Visualization exercises are a powerful way to turn fantasy into reality.
If you experience overwhelming fatigue, try taking a power nap and then exercising.
Anxiety interferes in sleep. When it keeps us awake at night, we’re often too tired to manage it during the day. Anxiety then grows, and it can interfere in our sleep even more. Break that cycle by taking a short power nap, about 30 to 60 minutes (more than that can throw off your sleep-wake cycle). Then, get up and immediately exercise to boost your energy further. Walk, ride your bike, go to the driving range and hit golf balls—whatever type of physical activity brings you joy. The combination of sleep and exercise is good for the brain and body and helps you keep anxiety in check.
These are just three of the dozens of anxiety symptoms that bother people. Which of your symptoms are most upsetting to you right now? Can these new techniques help? Or what new ways of your own can you develop to manage and reduce anxiety? Be creative, and have fun with it. That is what will ultimately beat anxiety.
from Anxiety-Schmanxiety – HealthyPlace https://ift.tt/2J51F2j
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