Trying to live an average life with chronic anxiety can be quite troublesome. The fear of the "unknown" is something that constantly scares me on a daily basis and sometimes my anxiety debilitates me from being the person I truly am. Although the tight grip that anxiety holds on my life is hard to escape, there are some things I try to do every day to help alleviate some of the stress.
Whether it be meditating, deep-breathing, watching movies or going to the gym I find that the more I do - the more normal I feel. In a way, a busy life allows for less overthinking. Although my battle with OCD makes that nearly impossible, I still try to do these little things almost everyday to keep me going. Although, these things are no solution to the monstrosities caused by anxiety, they're just merely small things you can do to try to make symptoms more manageable.
1. Meditation / Deep-breathing
I've already written an article on the advantages of meditation, though I must re-iterate that meditation is very helpful! Meditating once or twice a day for several minutes provides a sense of inner-peace and an outlet for deep relaxation. It may be hard at first, but meditating over time is very beneficial and is very healthy for the human mind. It's very useful for "clearing" the brain and ridding yourself of any contaminated thoughts. Additionally, learning how to deep breathe is a helpful trick to conquering any horrible anxious feelings and thoughts.
2. Exercise
Yes, I know, exercise isn't exactly the most exciting thing - however, working out for at least thirty minutes every few days can be super beneficial to managing anxiety. I've been doing the elliptical machine quite often and I find myself, in a way, taking all of my anger and worries out on the machine. It's a great way to release some of that pent-up energy. After a workout, I tend to feel more relaxed and find myself in a more tranquil state of mind.
3. Essential Oils
Essential oils like lavender, peppermint and chamomile are very useful for anxiety. Certain scents are very soothing and trigger different parts of the brain. When I find myself getting super stressed, I like to rub some lavender oil on my wrists and breathe in. I recently just got an oil diffuser that mists throughout my bedroom. Right before bed, I find myself more calm and ready for a good night's sleep.
4. Going out
I find that the more I do, the less attention I bring to my worries. Having OCD makes it nearly impossible to not harp on any negativities, however, when I'm occupied with something I find myself more distracted - which is a good thing. The more I get out of the house, the better.
5. Shower
Sometimes when I feel super anxious, I like to take a hot shower to help relax myself. It's usually very relaxing and I get very sleepy afterwards.
6. Movies
In times of high anxiety, I like to watch a lot of movies to help take my mind off things. Watching a movie is usually a good way to distract myself and focus my attention elsewhere. I usually tend to focus on the character's triumphs and tribulations rather than my own.
Regardless, these are just some things I try to do to relax and get my mind off of my anxieties. Usually these are temporary and some are easier said than done, but they're at least helpful. So, the next time you're going through an intense anxious experience, try to breathe and try one of the things I mentioned above! I'm sure things will get better.
