According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the United States. For many people, the smallest things can trigger their anxiety and, without understanding how to properly deal with it, can lead to serious consequences. In order to better manage anxiety it is important to understand how to calm yourself, how to identify the trigger, and how to confront the trigger. The steps below offer suggestions for only the first and second components.

*Keep in mind that small amounts of anxiety (like before a test) can be beneficial because they help you focus. However, it is when the anxiety grows into a distraction that it becomes a problem. Symptoms of anxiety include: shortness of breath, increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, getting shaky and sweaty, hyper vigilance, nausea, sense of impending tragedy, constant negative thoughts, and dizziness.

Being someone that deals with anxiety often, I have tried many different methods and found these to be the most successful.

Breathing:

This is the most obvious and most helpful tool when dealing with anxiety. It is also something that you can do anywhere and anytime. When you are starting to feel anxious about something, take deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth. It is important to focus on the breathing and to focus on your lungs filling and releasing. This allows your thoughts to move away from what is bothering you and towards a physical feeling that is real, happening in the present moment, and also comforting.

Environment:

The environment you are in can drastically change how you feel. Sometimes just sitting outside, going for a walk, or taking a shower can help to calm you down. Even just opening a window, whether in the house or in the car, can change how you are feeling.

People:

People are the greatest medicine you can find. Especially people that you care about. Calling someone, a friend or family member, is a very effective way of dealing with anxiety. This allows you the opportunity to talk about what’s bothering you or to work as a distraction by having the other person talk about their day. In fact, I have found that simply being near people I care about is helpful even if we are just sitting around watching TV.

Exercise:

Exercise is an amazing way of relieving stress. I have found jogging to be especially helpful. Not only do the endorphins released in your brain while jogging bring positive thoughts but also the harder you work yourself the easier it is to relax and sleep. And getting a good night sleep in itself is a great way to help with anxiety.

Awareness:

When trying to manage your anxiety it is important to be able to understand the negative in your life and to also be able to acknowledge the positive. Dealing with anxiety is more than finding ways to distract yourself from it, you must also understand it. Once you understand it, it becomes much easier to manage and control. There are many different ways to do this. One way that many people find effective is keeping a journal. This way when you are having anxiety you can look back at your journal and see what might have triggered it. The journal also works to look back on previous attacks and remind you how you dealt with them. You will be able to better figure out what works and what does not. Another way is to talk out loud. Sometimes, doing this alone works best. I find this method particularly effective because I will say things I didn’t even know I was thinking and then I become aware of what is really bothering me. Once you become aware of the negativity it is much easier to confront it. While doing this, it is also important to acknowledge a positive in your life, or else you may be overwhelmed by the negative and make your anxiety even worse.

For more information on dealing with anxiety, consult a medical professional or http://www.adaa.org/