How do I cope with anxiety?

I recently read a quote that said "My life, has been filled with terrible misfortunes, most of which never happened." -French Philosopher Montaigne-

As a therapist I have been actively trying to understand anxiety and worry for the past decade.  In addition to understanding it, I have been working to help people cope with it. So I wanted to write a quick blog post about anxiety.  

What is anxiety? I have heard anxiety described as excessive worry, dread, or a sense of impending doom that sticks around. It can have physically intense symptoms like chest tightness, rapid heart rate, pacing, insomnia or trouble breathing.   

Is it different than nervousness? Anxiety and nervousness are similar the difference is that nervousness is generally less intense and tied to specific situations, think public speaking for example or asking someone out on a date for the first time.  Nervousness is usually short lived and goes away once the event that triggered the nervousness passes.  The physical symptoms are less intense as well think jitteriness or sweaty palms. 

How can we cope with it? Understanding anxiety is important if you want to learn to cope with it.  First of all a bit of nervousness and anxiety is a normal part of human life. Without it we probably wouldn't survive as a species.  So coping with it becomes kind of important. Here are some of my favorite one liners to reduce symptoms of anxiety: Name it to tame it. Be Brave. Label and rate it. No feeling is final.  Here are some of my favorite anxiety reducing behaviors: walk, listen to music, watch a show to distract yourself, breathe, take a hot bath, read a book, start a gratitude journal. 

How would therapy help? Sometimes anxiety gets so intense that professional help might be the best option for you.  I recently watched a movie about a soldier with PTSD and it wasn't until he started therapy at the VA that his life started to get back in order.  A good therapist can listen and help you offload some of the stress and trauma triggering your anxiety. Your therapist can use cognitive behavioral therapy to help you learn new ways to think differently about you anxiety. Some therapists are trained in trauma treatment and use EMDR to help reduce debilitating symptoms of anxiety associated with trauma disorders. A therapist can teach you skills and help you identify the skills and behaviors that will help you cope and move through your symptoms.  

Hope this helps if you or someone you know are interested in looking for a therapist to help you try us out at Access Living we have great counselors who would be honored to help you work through your anxiety. Contact us at 208-922-2207 or through the contact page on our website. Thanks for reading written by Vic Myers LCPC