Best Ways to Deal with Acute Anxiety in Adults
Anxiety is a common mental condition experienced by most people at some point in their lives. Occasional anxiety is normal. However, when these feelings involve repeated episodes and interfere with daily activities, it is termed acute anxiety.
Acute anxiety in adults impacts the overall well being and can cause severe health problems like gastrointestinal difficulties, cardiovascular disease, sleeplessness, etc.
Medications are not the only method to deal with anxiety. It is essential to cut down stress and calm your mind for managing anxiety. Books like The Wisdom of Anxiety can help you accept it and make efforts to control it. Several other things can be done to cope with symptoms of anxiety. Here are some of the best ways:
1. Exercise Daily
Exercising is not only good for physical but also mental health. Regular exercise can have a positive effect on anxious minds and can help boost a sense of well being. To ease anxiety, aerobic exercises like jogging and cycling are some other great ways.
2. Sleep
Sleep and anxiety are often linked together. Getting quality sleep every day will make an anxious person feel calm and in control. It is essential to prioritize your well being and create a relaxing bedtime routine that helps you fall asleep.
3. Eat Well
It is important to eat well by including healthy food in your diet, avoiding skipping meals, and staying hydrated throughout the day. A diet rich in vegetables, fruits, fish, nuts, and whole grains can lower the risk of anxiety attacks. Also, limit the intake of caffeine and alcohol, which may worsen feelings of anxiety and trigger panic attacks in some people.
4. Use Relaxation Techniques
To control anxiety, adults can try deep breathing exercises to help the mind and body relax. When you begin to feel anxiety, take 10 to 20 deep breaths. This will send a message to the brain to calm down. Meditation and yoga are some other effective relaxation techniques and help change your thought processes, in turn, relieving anxiety. However, these relaxation techniques need to be practiced every day to develop into a habit.
5. Connect with Others
Staying in isolation can be detrimental for people suffering from acute anxiety. Connect with family and friends who care about you, which will make you feel secure and help in lowering your level of anxiety. Talking with close people can help you better cope with anxiety.
6. Pay Attention to the Good Things
Turn negative thoughts resulting in anxiety into positive ones. You can do this by focusing on good things in your life and imagining the best things that can happen. That’s where books like The Wisdom of Anxiety can also help you cope with your condition.
7. Participate in a Therapy
Cognitive-behavioral therapy is ideal for people with acute anxiety. This therapy will help you think and react in different ways to anxiety-causing situations. It can teach you how to change negative thought patterns and behaviors.
8. Learn What Triggers Your Anxiety
Write in a journal your thoughts at the end of the day and get them out of your head. This way, you will not have anxious thoughts all night and instead feel relaxed.
It can be pretty challenging to live with acute anxiety. For most adults, a combination of professional treatment and any of the above ways can help manage their symptoms and live a better life.
