Anxiety works in waves. It comes and goes away at no specific time or place. If you have recently gone through a traumatic experience or a life-changing decision and you are down with sudden anxiety episodes, here are 5 ways you could ease it down.
Music
Music therapy has been around for years now. There have been many cases where people lost their memories but a single piece of music which happened to be one of their favourites helped them recall parts of their lives. Music effectively reduces stress hormones – adrenaline and cortisol. When cortisol rises in your blood, your hormones become chaotic. This disruption is usually what causes cold hands and sweats (anxiety sweats). So, whenever you feel an anxiety attack coming, plug in those earplugs and listen to something you like. Here are a few happy songs you could give a try –
- Electric by Katy Perry.
- Happy by Pharrell Williams.
- Happy Together by Turtles.
- Darlin’ by The Beach Boys.
Warm Liquids
This is something rather unusual but warm liquids help you avoid a complete breakdown. They give your body a sense of comfort as if everything is ok. If you do not have the luxury of drinking tea while you are having an anxiety attack or just in case if caffeine throws you over the roof, grab a glass of lukewarm water. As you drink it, be mindful and try to feel the warmth down your throat. Also wrap your palms around the glass because this same warmth will ease down your anxious hands too. Our palms have a lot of nerve endings, therefore a comforting touch, or a gentle squeeze works in heavy-to-handle situations.
Write It Down
Try to carry a notebook and a pen with you wherever you go. If you automatically start to overthink or have body anxiety, work it down on paper. Ask yourself: Why are you feeling this way ? Is there a reason to it? If you are mulling over a problem, do a pros and cons list. If it is something very generic, write down in past tense, as if you are over it now. It is about tricking your brain into believing what you want it to believe. Do not let your brain rule over you!
SOS – Ask for Help
Give your friends or colleagues a call or drop in a text to let them know you are having an attack. Talking about things that will take your mind off your own circumstances. Also, friends come with humour and laughter is good for every aspect of your life. If you have a boss or someone who is older than you and is kind to talk to, ask them how they cope with it or what they would have done if they were in your shoes? People are generally nice and willing to help if you come to them with a genuine problem.
Move Your Body
According to our favourite lawyer Elle Woods – “Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don’t shoot their husbands, they just don’t.” So, move your body in some way. Have a little walk with music plugged in. Dance a little bit. Dancing should automatically transport you to a different place.
