Anxiety Counseling

“I worry all the time.”
“I always feel like something bad is going to happen.”
“I don’t want to live like this anymore. Why can’t I just relax?”
“My friends and family get tired of me needing reassurance.”
“I want to feel free from this endless nervousness.”
“I don’t have any real concerns but I feel jittery nonetheless.”
“Panic attacks have stopped me in my tracks.”

Does this sound like you? Is anxiety, worry, or nervousness interfering with your quality of life? It doesn’t have to be this way. In fact, anxiety can be successfully treated so that it can become manageable and no longer rule your life.

The providers at Three Peaks Counseling have put together our favorite tips for managing anxiety. Try some of these to feel better today!

Our top 16 strategies for managing anxiety without medication:

1) Breathe!

We know it sounds simple – and it is. However, when we are feeling anxious or have an anxiety attack we breathe shallowly and quickly. If practiced regularly, deep, slow breathing can lessen the intensity of anxiety and prevent anxiety from spinning out of control. More importantly, the more you practice calming your body the less likely the anxiety cycle will begin in the first place. Add some fun to your breathing! Imagine a relaxing color soothing your body with each intake of healing air. There are free apps for smartphones that help with focusing breathing. Try it every day before going to sleep. Regular practice teaches your body to relax and becomes easier with time.

2) Practice more empowering self-talk.

Listen carefully to the words you say to yourself when anxious. Are they words of encouragement and strength or are they words that feed the fear monster of anxiety? Write out helpful responses for when the worries appear.
1. “I can’t handle it” can be changed to “I’ve successfully handled challenging circumstances in the past and I will do so (if necessary) again.”
2. Remind yourself to integrate positive possibilities into your future thinking. The future will be filled with gifts and difficulties – just as the past was filled with both.

3) Think through the anxiety. Tell yourself the rest of the story instead of stopping at the climax of the feared difficulty.

“What if (some unknown bad thing happens)?” can be eased by thinking what is likely to happen and what are some positive steps you can take if the difficulties do occur.

4) Stay in the moment.

Anxiety lives in the future and regret lives in the past. When we are focused on the moment we can handle what is coming our way. Ask yourself if there is anything that can be done, right now, to help. If not, just focus on the moment. What is happening right now? What do you notice in your environment? What do you see, taste, smell, hear, and feel?

5) Act “as if” you were calm and relaxed

The signals from our bodies and brains run both ways. Practicing calming the body can calm the mind. Practicing calming the mind can calm the body.
- Send “calm” to your body. What part of your body is most calm? Start to notice where the calm starts and allow it to spread. Or, choose the part of your body that you would like to calm first. Would it be your hands? Heart? Mid-section? Imagine warmth and heaviness (or coolness and lightness, if you prefer) traveling to the anxious part of your body. Allow the calm to enter and allow the anxiety to leave.

6) Don’t fight your anxiety!

Anxiety likes to win and will put up a good fight! Don’t try to shove it away. Don’t try to manhandle it. Instead, note that you feel anxious and remind yourself that just because you feel it doesn’t mean that there is truly a reason to be anxious.
Anxiety can also be helpful when it is not too high. In the midst of anxiety we often try harder and are more diligent to make sure we successfully complete a task. If we didn’t have some anxiety far fewer of us would pay our taxes or apply for a better job. Ask yourself whether the level of anxiety you feel is too high for the task at hand. (Hint: If it paralyzes you then it is too high).

7) Food and drink matter!

Feed your body so that your blood sugar doesn’t get too low. Hunger feeds anxiety and panic attacks. Eat regularly throughout the day. The types of food you eat matters, as well. Limit sugar and eat whole grains, protein, and fruits and vegetables. Your anxious brain will thank you.
Limit caffeine and alcohol. Pay attention to how those beverages affect your tendency to worry and feel anxious. In some people, even a little caffeine can lead to panic attacks.

8) Engage in a regular practice to calm the body and ease the mind

Try yoga, progressive muscle relaxation, meditation, Tai Chi, and guided imagery exercises. There are many community programs, websites, and apps that offer these strategies. Many apps and relaxation websites are free and of high quality.

9) Maintain a regular sleep schedule.

Maintaining a regular rhythm for your body can help it to know what to expect. This, in turn, can ease nervousness and agitation.

10) Practice a containment exercise

Anxiety often sends distracting and unhelpful thoughts our way – which is rarely helpful. Practice sending the unhelpful thoughts to a container of your choosing. Is it a safe? An old trunk? The hollow of a tree? Up to the clouds? Out to the universe? Make the container as vivid as you can. Know that you can keep the container closed at any time or can revisit the distracting thoughts whenever you have the time and emotional resources to manage them.

11) Identify anxiety-provoking self-talk and replace it with reassuring self-talk

What would you say to a friend in a similar situation? Supportive words are far more productive than fear-based ones!

12) Set boundaries - learn to say "no" to avoid taking on too many responsibilities.

At times we are anxious because there really is too much to do! What can you say “no” to? What can you delegate? What can you delay?

13) When overwhelmed, make a "to do" list and prioritize, then do one thing at a time.

14) Listen to relaxing music

15) Take a walk or exercise

16) Identify anxiety triggers and either eliminate them or learn to manage them better.

Would you like to meet one on one with one of our professionals to develop your personal plan for adding more peace in your life? Give us a call. Let us align with you to help you create a path towards ease and calm. The providers listed above are skilled in helping ease nervousness, manage panic attacks, and gain freedom from constant worry.