For as long as I can remember I have struggled with anxiety. When I was younger we tried every trick in the book to combat it, seeing therapists, medications, alarm systems, group therapy, etc. But nothing ever worked. As I got older I understood my anxiety a little more and realized how much I really did struggle with it on a daily basis. But over the years I have figured out my own ways of coping and dealing with my anxiety! What works for me may not work for you, and that’s okay, I’m just here to share in case it helps!

1. Figure out what triggers your anxiety.

You probably won’t be able to cope with your anxiety until you narrow down what’s causing it, no cause is too little or too insignificant. If it causes you anxiety, even if you may think it’s silly, it is valid. For me I have a few different things that trigger my anxiety like, coming home to a dark empty house, walking to my car alone or really going anywhere alone, hiking, thunder and wind, when someone doesn’t text back, etc. The list goes on BUT once you take the time to figure out what triggers your anxiety you can get on top of not allowing it to control your life.

2. Find things that help to calm you down when you are experiencing anxiety.

This one might be a given or obvious on the surface but there is a lot of depth to finding what might help calm you down when you are starting to experience anxiety. What works for one person may not work for you. Finding these things is going to take time and probably a lot of effort. It has taken me years and years to figure out what helps me with my anxiety and what will help to ease it. But once I found that I knew that it was something that I could deal with. Not all of my anxiety goes away with one simple method. Certain things work for certain triggers. For example, turning lights on, calling a friend, finding ways to make myself feel safe, reminding myself that a lot of it is literally in my head and I am overanalyzing, etc. Sometimes, on bad day my coping methods don’t completely get rid of my anxiety, but that’s okay. Dealing and coping with anxiety and anxiety attacks is not an easy task to conquer but it is something that can begin to become manageable as you find what works for you.

3. Don’t be afraid to talk about it.

A lot of times throughout my life I was embarrassed or ashamed to talk about the fact that I struggle with anxiety. It was hard for me to open up about because I didn’t want people to think differently of me. I didn’t want to be judged. I didn’t want people to think that I’m ‘crazy’ for sometimes getting nervous in certain situations. But then I realized this….having anxiety is a part of me, it has made me who I am, it has made me strong and versatile. Would life be easier without having to deal with anxiety? Yes. But life isn’t something that is meant to be easy. Mental health is a topic that is not talked about nearly enough. It needs to be talked about more. Talking about it can help you to cope with it. Talking about it can help to bring awareness to it. You should never be ashamed of talking about your struggle with anxiety or any other form of mental health you might be struggling with. Keeping it all inside only influences the problem. Don’t be afraid to talk about it. It doesn’t need to be public, it doesn’t need to be all the time, but it is something you should learn how to acknowledge. Acknowledging the fact that anxiety is something you struggle with will help you learn how to cope with it.

4. Realize that your anxiety does not need to control your life.

Living with anxiety is something that many people experience. If you allow it to, it can control your life. But PLEASE realize that your anxiety does not need to control your life. You are so much more than your struggles. There are ways to cope, people to help and so many resources available. It’s not something that needs to devastate your daily life, take the time to invest in your mental health. Take the time to figure out how you can get on top of it. Be patient. Don’t get overwhelmed Be proud of yourself! Know you aren’t alone in this. Anxiety can feel beyond chaotic but your life is so much more than your anxiety.

If you’ve experienced anxiety, what coping mechanisms work for you? How do you take control of your anxiety? I want to learn about your experiences with it. If you ever need someone to vent about it with don’t hesitate to reach out!

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