For a lot of people, anxiety is an uncomfortable-but-unavoidable part of life. But even though it feels like everyone's got anxiety these days, it's important to remember that you're not alone. There are so many ways to manage anxiety, even if you feel like you're going crazy with it. And the best thing about managing your anxiety is that the more you do it in healthy ways (instead of turning to drugs or alcohol), the better your overall mental health will be! So sit back and relax: we're going on a journey through calming down from intense emotions and managing stress in all its forms. Come along with me!
Anxiety can be triggered by many things. It could be a specific event that causes you to feel anxious, or it could be a general feeling of being overwhelmed. Some people with anxiety experience physical symptoms, such as a pounding heartbeat or sweating palms. Others feel very emotional and may cry more easily than usual.
Anxiety can also be triggered by feeling unsafe or out of control in some way. For example, if someone has been hurt in the past by someone they love and trusted (or vice versa), they may have difficulty trusting others again because they are afraid of getting hurt again. Anxiety is a normal response to perceived danger and helps us stay safe; however it’s important not to interpret every situation as dangerous just because we feel anxious about it!
Reasoning your way out of anxiety may not work.
When you're anxious, it can be tempting to try to reason your way into a better state of mind. But anxiety is not a problem that can be solved with logic and reason. In fact, trying to talk yourself out of feeling anxious is counterproductive; it only makes the situation worse by making you feel more uncomfortable in your own skin.
Try accepting whatever feelings you’re having and let them pass through you instead of holding onto them for too long!
When you're anxious, your body and mind are on high alert. Your heart rate increases and your breathing changes. Blood pressure rises as adrenaline flows through your veins. Your muscles tense up and you may begin to sweat; this is called the fight-or-flight response, where the body prepares for danger by increasing blood flow to the brain and muscles—essential for quick thinking in an emergency situation (though it can be harmful when prolonged). Anxiety also affects digestion: You might feel nauseous or experience diarrhea as a result of indigestion caused by stress hormones released during anxiety attacks.
Tense muscles can trigger pain in other areas of the body such as backaches or headaches; having trouble sleeping because you're too stressed out; feeling fatigued from lack of sleep; difficulty concentrating due to anxiety about something that's happened recently; being unable to stop thinking about negative thoughts despite trying hard not too
Sometimes the best thing you can do for yourself is just to pause.
Take a moment to breathe, stop and think about what's happening in your body right now, and focus on what's happening in the situation around you. Does it feel like there's too much going on? Would taking a break help? Maybe it would be good to take some time away from other people or situations that are causing anxiety—or maybe even from yourself! Do something relaxing or soothing (like reading a book), listen to music, or practice meditation.
Everyone has a breaking point. If you're feeling stressed, anxious or overwhelmed because of your work situation, or if you have other things going on in your life that are making it hard to cope with the challenges of working in an office environment, take some time for yourself. Taking care of yourself is not selfish—it's essential for your well-being and productivity.
The key to taking time out without feeling guilty is knowing that there's no right way to be productive all the time. Everyone needs different levels of downtime throughout their day: some people can only function when they've had two hours alone in their office every morning; others need 30 minutes at lunchtime before they start getting anxious about what's waiting for them back at their desk; still others need a full weekend away from email just so they can stay focused during Monday morning meetings.
Whatever works best for you will vary depending on who else is around while you're trying to work (and how close they are), how much sensory stimulation there is around (too much noise can make it hard to concentrate), or just how much energy other people have been giving off lately (because sometimes we pick up on these things).
Don't feel guilty about taking breaks when necessary; we all need them!
When you're caught in a moment of anxiety, your first instinct may be to think about how everyone else is going to perceive the situation you're in. But when we look at other people's behavior and try to read into their thoughts and feelings, we can often get it wrong. We may assume that they're thinking or feeling something different than what they are actually experiencing—and this can lead us to feel even more anxious.
When someone appears calm or collected on the outside but is secretly struggling with anxiety, it's important not to judge their outward demeanor as indicative of their true emotions. They might not even know themselves how nervous they are! Consider also whether there may be other things going on for them that have nothing to do with what's happening right now between you two (e.g., maybe they just got dumped by their partner).
When you're anxious, it can be hard to think about anything else other than your anxiety. But if you can manage to focus on your breathing, even for a few seconds, it's possible to bring some calm back into your body.
Take a deep breath and focus on what's happening inside your body: Feel the air go into and out of your lungs; notice how this movement makes the chest rise and fall; listen to the sound of each breath; feel the temperature change in the air passing through your nostrils (this might be easier if you have cold hands or feet).
You can also practice the following techniques to help you calm your nervous system and release tension:
Practicing yoga or some other form of movement. Exercise is a great way to relax and release stress and anxiety, but it's important that you choose a form of exercise that makes you feel good. If your body aches after an activity, it's likely not a good fit for you.
Taking deep breaths. Deep breathing helps bring oxygen flow into the body, which can help us cope with stress more effectively. It also triggers relaxation hormones in our brains—making us feel calmer instantly! Try counting up from one to ten as you inhale deeply through your nose until your lungs are full of air (feel free to use some fun visualization if this helps), then exhaling slowly through pursed lips as if blowing out candles on a birthday cake (blow out all the bad feelings). Repeat several times until feeling relaxed and less stressed out!
It's important to take care of yourself when you need a break. If you're feeling overwhelmed, it can be tempting to push through and keep going. You might think that taking time for yourself is selfish or lazy. But don't beat yourself up about it -- there's nothing wrong with taking a break when you need one.
It's okay to feel guilty sometimes — but don't let that guilt stop you from taking some time off from work or school if doing so will help reduce stress levels and make life easier for everyone involved in your situation!
If you feel like you need a break from your current situation, take a deep breath and do something for yourself. You know what's best for you!