What do you do when you feel anxious?

[KrazyKarp]

It depends for me, but I'll read a book, watch a comedy show, watch youtube, play games, things like that to relieve anxiety. If the weather is nice, going outside is also fun.

I did try therapy a long time ago but it just didn't work for me. I found doing things I enjoy is more effective for me.

 

[Autumn247]

Depending on what I'm in the mood for. It generally varies between or some combination of reading, watching something on Netflix or Youtube, playing a videogame, laying down with my weighted blanket on, listening to music, and aromatherapy.

 

[Millysaurusrexjr]

If I'm having really bad anxiety at home, I will watch either The Office (US Version) or Bob Ross.

If I'm having social anxiety while I'm at a social gathering or whatever, I will just sit and look at my phone

 

[sleepydreepy]

Maybe I need to be on medication because none of this stuff works for me at all.

Yes maybe so. Medication helps a lot, but I found its not a cure. Like I mentioned in my earlier post I have bad anxiety, but medication tones it down to more manageable levels. I started taking medication because long story short I felt like every little thing in the world was going against me and I didn't know what to do, and kept having panic attacks. Medication helped get rid of these overwhelming feelings and helped me not want to do harmful things to myself. I still experience anxiety daily but at a smaller, less serious scale. I'm still going through a difficult time in my life right now but I don't feel completely weighted down by my anxiety anymore due to medication.

 

[LadyDestani]

It depends on the severity of the anxiety and the situation I'm in. Sometimes, I'm at work and simply can't walk away or break down. In those cases, I try to catch myself as soon as the anxiety starts to build and I focus on something. I might flip my pen around in my hands and count each revolution or take tiny sips of water and count each one. Things like that will keep my mind busy and not let me go down the rabbit hole to deeper anxiety.

Most of the times, my anxiety is triggered by social situations, so if possible the best way for me to deal with it is to get out of the situation. I'll walk outside and get a breath of fresh air. In worst case scenarios, I've excused myself to go to the bathroom and just shut myself in a stall until I can calm down, usually through mindful breathing techniques.

 

[duckykate]

1. cooling my body down really helps when I get anxious, so I like to take a cool shower and have the fan on or a window open ( it also helps with the nausea that always comes with anxiety)

2. I tend to hold my breath without realizing it while anxious so I like to take slow deep breaths with my eyes closed. something that really helped me is from the game celeste, where the character imagines a feather in their mind and they must breathe gently enough to keep it floating in the air, without letting it sink or get too high up

3. I try to make an effort to distract my brain because a lot of my anxiety comes from intrusive thoughts and overthinking. talking to my friends, watching a light, relaxing show or stream (such as a studio ghibli movie or someone streaming a relaxing game like AC), playing something that doesn't take a lot of brain such as stardew valley or the sims

edit: also im on like 3 different medications because sometimes I'm just having a constant panic attack LOL

edit 2: do not be afraid to take breaks from school or work to calm down and focus on yourself!!! mental health is the most important thing and you're not going to get anything done feeling like crap anyway!

 

[Blueskyy]

I listen to this. Not sure why but it works pretty well for me.

If it’s really bad I put this on and try my best to sleep.

 

[Midoriya]

Take deep breaths and keep all my emotions in until I’m done with whatever is making me feel anxious.

Either that or just freak out, lol.

 

[0ni]

I find things to think about to distract myself. Running through the seasons of Drag Race and naming the winners of each one in chronological order helps lol. Another one is thinking through the winners of the Taskmaster seasons.

I can't listen to stuff because that heightens my anxiety and becomes overwhelming, so usually these thought exercises are done in a dark room with no sounds at all (if my anxiety is really bad). If i'm out and about and can't squirrel away to some quiet corner then I have breathing exercises that help, I also try and make myself laugh at how ridiculous my anxiety is sometimes. Like, brain, wyd rn? Give it a rest buddy.

 

[Mimi Cheems]

When I'm anxious I tend to resort to unhealthy habits but I realize they are unhealthy, so I usually try to use healthy coping skills.

Breathing techniques. Listening to calming music. I also love to write my feelings out through poetry when I'm feeling anxious or paranoid about something. Sometimes I will sing, play relaxing games (Animal Crossing, Stardew Valley, etc). Most of the times I will have a small snack, as eating makes me feel better but I know if I eat too much, it's considered an unhealthy habit :") I used to overeat a lot when I was anxious.

Or I just find things with my comfort characters in them, fanfictions/reader-inserts, video clips, etc. It usually calms me down.

If anyone needs to vent, I'm here. You're not alone. You're never alone. <3

 

[Dunquixote]

I used to try meditating, but I gave up on that. I haven’t really found a method that works. When I have panic attacks I drink water and take deep breaths (but that is what you’re supposed to do). General anxiety, if at home, I try to play a game to distract myself and I hug/pet my cats. I guess it helps take the immediate anxiety away but mot the lingering anxiety that I have pushed back. I am on medication for it but it doesn’t help completely. Talking to my best guy friend used to help a lot but I gave up trying to get hold of him since he always would say are you done? i want to go back to playing my game. he said there is no reason to talk to me all the time since we’re just friends. he was right and i ran out of stuff to talk about eventually.

One day I’ll figure out a better way to deal. But for now, just stay in my room and hug my cats.

 

[cIementine]

it makes me feel so much better to realise other people experience anxiety in similar ways to me, and use similar coping mechanisms.

my anxiety is mostly a panic disorder, but it's one of those cycles - you get anxious about the idea of potentially experiencing a panic attack, the panic attack makes you anxious, etc etc etc. after dealing with it for two years, i decided to seek help a couple of months ago and am just starting cbt ! i decided to do this because the realisation my anxiety was expanding to almost any situation made me sad and has impacted my quality of life - i can't get excited for the things i want to do and outings with my friends because i'm so worried about panic attacks that i get myself into a state.

i still haven't really got a grasp of how to control my anxiety - i'd say avoidance but that isn't coping, it's just temporary relief that makes matters worse and i am currently trying to concrete that in my head. i've recently started writing down in a notebook if i feel anxious before doing something, with the facts of what i'm about to do, what i'm anxious about, what will probably happen, and what's the worst that can probably happen. for example, 'today i'm going to this restaurant with my friend. i am worried about having a panic attack in front of my friend and ruining my appetite. what will probably happen is i get there, realise i'm safe and around someone who cares about me and i enjoy spending time with, and i will have a good day and kick myself for worrying so much. if i had a panic attack, my friend would be there to support me through it and not judge me and i would go about my day and have a nice time.' it hasn't really done much for my panic, but i think it helps to separate the thoughts from the feelings.

when i'm in the peak of anxiety/panic, i tend to drink a lot of water. my panic attacks leave me feelings frozen, with physical symptoms like choking feelings, dry heaving, so if i feel this coming on i feel stuck in one place and can't talk. water helps me stimulate my body and cool me down, and reminds me i'm not stuck. also, if possible, just stopping in my tracks to sit down, take some breaths, and find a way to cool my body down and wait for the panic to subside.

 

[Junebugsy94]

I'm not sure if you're familiar with this technique but it's a grounding exercise I was shown by a therapist, when I was struggling with panic attacks. It can be a very useful tool especially when out in public. I pulled the following from this article: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.letss.org.au/index.php/individual-blog/the-54321-technique-grounding-exercise-for-panic-attacks?format=amp

5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Technique

1.The first step is to look around the room and name five things that you can see around you. For instance, a painting on the wall or a car. Think about how that thing looks to you or what is it that you like or don't like about it.
2.The second step is to focus on four things that you can feel. Suppose that you notice how the wind is blowing through your hair or how the sun feels on your skin. It can be helpful to say these things out loud, such as 'I can feel the couch that I am sitting on"
3.The third step is to name three things that you can hear around you. For example, you may become aware of the traffic in the background or some birds chirping in a nearby tree.
4.The fourth step is to notice two things that you can smell around you right now. To illustrate, you may notice the smell of grass or perhaps the smell of perfume wafting around. If you can't smell anything around you, then it can be helpful to name two or three smells that you like such as fresh baked bread or a flower.
5.The fifth step is to focus on one thing that you can taste. If you can't taste anything, then instead you can choose to name a taste that you like.

 

[-Lychee-]

Bite my nails or fiddle with my necklace. Lol

 

[Giulsac]

Since I only feel really anxious at school, I just think about the struggle I went through to get there and how I will feel happy and proud of myself after making it

 

[dragonpisces69]

When I'm anxious, my responsiveness becomes a tad distorted (for instance, whenever someone asks me a question, I answer to it in an unusually loud tone, or whenever someone suddenly speaks when I can't see them, I scream in shock in response), I start biting/sucking my fingertips, I have increased motoric and verbal tics (the most important ones being flapping my hands and trumpeting nonsensical but somehow logical sentences around respectively), I tend to rage and/or cry easier, and very occasionally, I experience nausea and am unable to consume anything that's not plain water in the process.

The only way to successfully decrease my anxiety is by spending my time alone (while feeling anxious or anything remotely similar, I have an increased difficulty of trusting fellow humans) and with my trusty belongings, which is often more successfull in my bedroom, where I have stuffed animals that I can cuddle and talk to.

Anytime soon, though, I'll receive a natural supplement called LTO3 (I'm very much against using what I call drugs but is oftentimes still considered 'regular medicine' by the majority of the people) that I ordered recently, which is often said to decrease overall anxiety and such, and I do hope that'll actually work, too.

 

[Disneyfangirl23]

Look away from the person ,wait for them to talk first

 

[spawnpoint]

when I get super anxious i usually vent to someone, but if I don't have anyone to vent to or that doesn't work, I usually go look at my comfort characters on pinterest and that makes me feel better

 

[amemome]

i try to distract myself! usually i'll hop on a game or listen to my favorite music. it's not a permanent fix but it forced my mind off of the thing that made me anxious long enough for me to collect myself.

 

[nightglow]

Much of the time, I hop on a game to play for a bit. Other times I will take a hot shower, listen to music, go outside for a little bit if it is sunny. I also re-evaluate what I am eating or drinking. I have noticed that sugar (which is like in everything in the USA) increases anxiety and anxiousness in people. So, paying closer attention to what I am consuming can help. Even if it is just me eating more berries than normal. Fruit is sugary after all even though it doesn't come in a box. Also sometimes you don't realize the amount of sugar or even salt are in some things until you look at the label. Drinking more water is always a good habit. I also try to reflect to see if I am getting enough b-12, magnesium, potassium and vitamin d.
This is just what I do to help myself. In no way am I suggesting this is a cure method or anything like that.