"MedicalWebPage", "FAQPage"

Get more insightful and

helpful tips to

treat Diabetes for FREE

Want an ad free reading experience?

Download PharmEasy App

Banner Image

Register to Avail the Offer

Send OTP

By continuing, you agree with our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions

Success Banner Image
Advertisement
Advertisement

How to Reduce Anxiety Immediately: Quick and Effective Techniques

By Dr. Nikita Toshi +2 more

Key Highlights:

  • Recognize the role and impact of anxiety in our day-to-day lives.
  • Grasp the roots, symptoms, and various types of this widely common issue.
  • Uncover easy behavioural shifts that can cut down anxiety triggers.
  • Look into healthy lifestyle practices for a balanced, holistic approach to managing anxiety.
  • Find out practical methods to handle anxiety during crucial times.
  • Understand when and why it’s necessary to seek professional assistance.

Introduction

Ever feel drowned by the daily grind, leaving you face to face with stress? That’s anxiety. Though it seems normal in today’s fast-paced life, unchecked anxiety can go from a minor issue to a major problem. But what if there was a quick fix each time anxiety pops up?

In this blog post, we will walk you through the ups and downs of anxiety. We aim to give you tools that can help reduce its effect. You will gain know-how and coping ways that could better your routine. Life could be healthier and more balanced! So, shall we dip our toes into the world of anxiety together?


Understanding Anxiety

Anxiety is common today. Many people, however, don’t truly understand it. Let’s take a closer look at this vague cloud and really get at what’s inside.

1. What is Anxiety

Anxiety is a feeling that arises during stressful situations or perceived threats – it’s our survival instinct. It’s not all bad, it can help us prepare for challenges. Yet, when these feelings are too strong or keep coming back, they disrupt daily life.

2. Symptoms and Causes of Anxiety

Symptoms of anxiety include feeling restless, rapid heart rate, fast breathing and trouble focusing. Numerous factors can cause anxiety. These range from genetics and brain makeup to past trauma.

3. Types of Anxiety Disorders

  • Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Marked by ongoing anxiety, overbearing worry, and tension.
  • Panic Disorder: Sudden bouts of fear leading to shaking, confusion, dizziness, or nausea.
  • Social Anxiety: Overpowering worry and self-consciousness about day-to-day social situations.
  • Specific Phobias: Powerful fear of a particular object or situation like heights or flying.

Did you know?

  • Anxiety disorders can interfere with daily activities like job performance and relationships. source: SAMHSA
  • Anxiety disorders can cause symptoms like difficulty making eye contact and being self-conscious. source: WomensHealth.gov
  • Treatments, such as medicines and therapy, help most people with anxiety disorders. source: SAMHSA
  • Anxiety disorders can cause symptoms like rapid heart rate, shortness of breath, and trembling. source: CDC
  • Anxiety disorders can include Generalized Anxiety, Panic Disorder, Specific Phobias, OCD, and Social Anxiety. source: SAMHSA

Avoiding Triggers

Avoiding what triggers your anxiety is key to managing it. It calls for knowing and cutting down on the aspects of life that cause your anxiety.

Avoid caffeine

Caffeine can trigger adrenaline, making anxiety worse. By having less caffeine, you can lower these responses and keep anxiety away.

Avoid alcohol

It may surprise you, but alcohol worsens anxiety instead of helping you relax. It changes serotonin levels in the brain, possibly intensifying anxiety as it wears off.

Healthy Positive Habits

Positive lifestyle habits can greatly affect mental health. They can boost our body’s physical and mental strength against anxiety.

1. Eat a Healthy Diet

A balanced diet full of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains gives your body and mind the nutrients needed for optimal function.

2. Exercise Regularly

Frequent physical activity lowers stress hormones, improves mood, and distracts from worrying thoughts.

3. Get Enough Sleep

Good sleep is important. It lets both your body and mind rest, affecting positively on mood, energy, focus, and overall function.

4. Stay Hydrated

Lack of water can cause feelings of anxiety – having enough fluids could help reduce some symptoms.

5. Make time for Alone Time

Having alone time, doing the things you like or that relax you, can offer essential relief from stress and anxiety.

The 3 3 3 rule for anxiety which involves looking around your environment to identify three objects and three sounds, then moving three body parts. Many people find this strategy helps focus and ground them when anxiety overwhelms them.

Dr. M.G. Kartheeka – MBBS, MD(Pediatrics)

Techniques to Reduce Anxiety

Practical, repeatable actions can be your forefront defense when anxiety tries to steal your peace.

1. Mindfulness and Meditation

  • Practice Yoga

Yoga, with its controlled breathing exercises and calming postures, offers double benefits – calming the mind and strengthening the body against stress.

  • Practice mindfulness meditation

Mindfulness meditation encourages concentration on current thoughts, feelings and sensations, without judgment – aiding in stress reduction.

2. Breathing and Visualization Techniques

  • Practice diaphragmatic breathing

Deep, controlled breathing can slow the release of stress hormones and encourage calmness.

  • Use visualization techniques

Imagining peaceful scenes or results can redirect your focus from distressing thoughts, supporting relaxation.

3. Engagement and Distractions

  • Listen to Music

Music provides a distraction, lowers muscle tension, and reduces stress hormones – drowning out the noise of anxious thoughts.

  • Laugh More

A good laugh makes positive changes in your body, reducing the body’s stress response, and promoting relaxation.

  • Get musical and be creative

Taking part in hobbies, particularly those related to music or creativity, offers a productive distraction from worrying thoughts.

4. Connect with others

  • Seek counseling

Professional therapists can help spot sources of stress and introduce new coping tools.

  • Talk to someone who understands

Sharing how you feel to someone who gets your experiences can offer immediate relief and valuable insights.

Prolonged anxiety is deeply toxic to our bodies and brains, whenever you feel anxious redirect your attention from intense and uncomfortable symptoms of anxiety like worry, unwanted thoughts, or even panic to the present by shifting focus and try doing something which you like, e.g. listening to music, focusing on your body senses, etc.

Dr Ashish Bajaj – M.B.B.S, M.D. in Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology

Also Read: Effective Techniques To Reduce Cortisol Levels: A Comprehensive Guide

5. Self-Managing Techniques

  • Assert Yourself

Learning to state your needs effectively and allocate tasks can stop resentment and following stress from overcommitting your time and resources.

  • Walk it off

Physical activity, even a short walk, uses up extra energy let out in response to stress, reducing anxiety symptoms.

  • Turn off the phone

Taking a break from constant alerts and notifications lets you focus on reducing your anxiety levels minus digital distractions.

  • Use positive affirmations

Positive affirmations promote problem-solving abilities and shift attention from problems that cause worry.

  • Keep a journal

Pinning down your thoughts, feelings, and day-to-day events regularly helps make sense of them, easing the strong emotions tied to anxiety.

Your doctor may prescribe you anti-anxiety medicines for sudden episodes of anxiety. you may also try holding few ice cubes in your hand and feel its temperature. hold and drop the ice cubes till you think you’ve started feeling better.

Dr. Arpit Verma, MBBS, MD

Also Read: Essential Oils for Anxiety: A Research-Based Holistic Approach

Seeking Professional Help

Dealing with extreme or lasting anxiety can be hard. When self-help methods aren’t enough, it could be time to look for outside help.

When to seek professional help

When anxiety keeps you from doing daily tasks or handling duties, it may be time to look for professional help. Therapists and counselors can guide you towards the right aids and healing methods.

Different professional services available

Psychiatrists, psychologists, and other mental health professionals offer a range of services. These range from therapy talk to medication, each targeting and alleviating different parts of anxiety.

Conclusion

Living with anxiety doesn’t mean you must accept a life of fear and worry. By understanding what anxiety is, spotting triggers, building healthy habits, using practical techniques, and knowing when and how to turn to the pros, you can regain control over your life. Anxiety may sometimes feel like a tough climb, but remember, you’re not alone. With the right coping methods and professional aid, managing anxiety is a real possibility.

Always remember to talk to your healthcare provider before making any changes to what you eat or trying new supplements. This is especially important if you’re on medication or have health issues.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How do I calm my anxiety ASAP?

Immediate ways to calm anxiety include deep controlled breathing, breaking a sweat, and mindful distractions, such as soothing music, mindfulness, or a good laugh. However, long term anxiety may require expert advice.

What is the 333 rule for anxiety?

The 333 rule is a simple yet effective technique for dealing with anxiety. It recommends naming three things you see, then acknowledging three sounds you hear, and finally moving three parts of your body. This helps keep you grounded in the current moment, rid of anxious thoughts.

What can I drink to calm my nerves?

Stay well-hydrated by lots of water. Not having enough can cause increased anxiety. Chamomile tea is also known for its calming properties and may aid relaxation.

References:

  1. National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). Online Positive Affect Journaling in the Improvement of Mental Distress and Well-Being in General Medical Patients With Elevated Anxiety Symptoms: A Preliminary Randomized Controlled Trial – PMC [Internet]. [cited 2023 Jul 21]. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6305886
  2. National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). Caffeine in the Diet: Country-Level Consumption and Guidelines – PMC [Internet]. [cited 2023 Jul 21]. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6266969
  3. PubMed. Effects of exercise on symptoms of anxiety in primary care patients: A randomized controlled trial [Internet]. [cited 2023 Jul 21]. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34644619
  4. ScienceDirect. A systematic review of randomised control trials on the effects of yoga on stress measures and mood [Internet]. [cited 2023 Jul 21]. Available from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S002239561500206X?via%3Dihub
  5. PubMed. Effects of music therapy on anxiety: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials [Internet]. [cited 2023 Jul 21]. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34365216
  6. ScienceDirect. The mechanism of music for reducing psychological stress: Music preference as a mediator [Internet]. [cited 2023 Jul 21]. Available from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S019745561530006X
  7. National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). The Effect of Diaphragmatic Breathing on Attention, Negative Affect and Stress in Healthy Adults – PMC [Internet]. [cited 2023 Jul 21]. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5455070
  8. ScienceDirect. Chapter 4 – Procrastination, Stress, and Chronic Health Conditions: A Temporal Perspective [Internet]. [cited 2023 Jul 21]. Available from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780128028629000049
  9. National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). Co-Occurring Alcohol Use Disorder and Anxiety – PMC [Internet]. [cited 2023 Jul 21]. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6927748
  10. National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). Efficacy of journaling in the management of mental illness: a systematic review and meta-analysis – PMC [Internet]. [cited 2023 Jul 21]. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8935176
  11. PubMed. Smartphone Addiction and Anxiety in Adolescents – A Cross-sectional Study [Internet]. [cited 2023 Jul 21]. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34702436
  12. PubMed. Sleep and anxiety: From mechanisms to interventions [Internet]. [cited 2023 Jul 21]. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34979437
  13. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Tips for Better Sleep [Internet]. [cited 2023 Jul 21]. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about_sleep/sleep_hygiene.html
  14. ScienceDirect. A systematic review of randomised control trials on the effects of yoga on stress measures and mood [Internet]. [cited 2023 Jul 21]. Available from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S002239561500206X
  15. ScienceDirect. Effects of cue-controlled relaxation on the control of heterosocial performance anxiety among shy males [Internet]. [cited 2023 Jul 21]. Available from: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0887618587900041
  16. National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). Psychological stress-reducing effect of chocolate enriched with gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in humans: assessment of stress using heart rate variability and salivary chromogranin A [Internet]. [cited 2023 Jul 21]. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19462324
  17. National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). Clinical use of virtual reality distraction system to reduce anxiety and pain in dental procedures [Internet]. [cited 2023 Jul 21]. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24892198

Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational/awareness purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional and should not be relied upon to diagnose or treat any medical condition. The reader should consult a registered medical practitioner to determine the appropriateness of the information and before consuming any medication. PharmEasy does not provide any guarantee or warranty (express or implied) regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of the information; and disclaims any liability arising thereof.

Links and product recommendations in the information provided here are advertisements of third-party products available on the website. PharmEasy does not make any representation on the accuracy or suitability of such products/services. Advertisements do not influence the editorial decisions or content. The information in this blog is subject to change without notice. The authors and administrators reserve the right to modify, add, or remove content without notification. It is your responsibility to review this disclaimer regularly for any changes.

You may also like

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments