MANAGING minimal to mild anxiety
Reducing minimal and mild anxiety can be managed with a few stress-reducing methods. Some of them will not be a surprise while others may seem weird but trust- they are effective! We would be negligent if therapy was not mentioned in this article. Therapy is always on the table if your stress or anxiety levels increase or if the symptoms interfere with your ability to function.
Get Your Body Moving
If you’re thinking “Here they go again with all [of] this exercise talk” then you see just how important exercise is to maintain a healthy body and mind. Some studies show that exercise can reduce minimal to mild anxiety symptoms almost as effectively as medication. The benefits of exercise range from releasing the “feel good” hormone beta-endorphins to reducing stress and tension. But here’s the thing that should do to really impact anxiety- focus on what you’re doing instead of zoning out.
If you’re walking, feel the sensation of each step as your feet hit the ground. Concentrate on the rhythm of your breathing or the feel of the wind (or fan) on your skin. The intentional focus on your body and how it feels while exercising helps give your mind a break by interrupting the steady flow of worry.
It’s in the Numbers
If 3-3-3 or 54321 mean absolutely nothing to you then read on because these numbers just could change your life! No, these are not referencing angel numbers but are tricks for quickly managing anxiety. Here’s how they work.
3-3-3 Method
The 3-3-3 Method to cope with anxiety is a common tool recommended by therapists to help reduce anxiety wherever you are.
1. Sight- Pause and look all around you. Focus your attention on three physical objects in your immediate vicinity. One at a time, pay close attention to these three objects. Examine the details carefully.
What color is it?
Can you see through it?
How does the light bounce off it?
Is it smooth or rough?
How many sides does it have?
Are the sides all the same?
After that, move on to sound.
2. Sound- Focus on distinctive and constant noises around you. Try to isolate the individual sounds and pay attention to the details.
Is it high-pitched (low-pitched)?
It is soft (loud)?
It is pleasant?
Is it familiar?
The last thing you need to do is engage your sense of touch.
3. Touch- Choose three body parts you can move. Try tapping your fingers, wiggling your toes, rotating your ankles, moving your hands, and so on. Focus on bringing your attention to your body and the sensations when moving each body part.
How does it feel?
Is it a smooth movement?
Is it stiff?
Is there a sense of relief?
Is it uncomfortable?
5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Technique
Very similar to the 3-3-3 Method, the 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Technique is centered on focusing and being in the moment but includes all five senses. When you’re feeling anxious or stressed let the countdown begin.
Start with a few deep breaths. Inhale deeply through your nose, hold for a couple of seconds then slowly exhale through your mouth releasing all the air (try to exhale longer than you inhaled). Repeat 2-3 times.
5. Sight- Focus on five things in your line of sight. You’ll probably be surrounded by many different things so only focus on five. Identify them by name and note the details of each.
What color is it?
How does the light bounce off it?
What is the shape?
What is the texture?
Take a deep breath after each item. After you identify the five objects, move on to touch.
4. Touch- Touch four objects directly around you. One at a time, name the objects while you take notice of how they feel. Take a deep breath before moving to the next item.
Is it comforting?
What’s the texture?
Is it soft or smooth?
Flexible or hard?
Heavy or light?
Take a deep breath between each object you touch then move on to sound.
3. Sound- Focus on three nearby sounds. Close your eyes and challenge yourself to listen to the quieter sounds that tend to be in the background unnoticed. Isolate these sounds from the louder, more distracting noises (cars honking, loud music). Note the details of the sounds.
Is it familiar?
Is it rhythmic?
Is it steady?
Is it comforting?
Take a deep breath between each sound then move on to smell.
2. Smell- Close your eyes and identify two things you can smell. Maybe there is the smell of flowers in the air or someone cooking. Maybe you are wearing perfume, scented lotion, or fabric softener on your clothes. Try to avoid unpleasant smells that can disrupt your calming process. Identify the fragrant notes.
Is it sweet?
Is it floral?
Is it spicy?
Is it strong?
Take a deep breath after each smell then move on to taste.
1.Taste- Focus on one thing you can taste. This one can be a challenge for some people but it doesn’t have to be. You can pop in a mint or a piece of chocolate and concentrate on the flavors in your mouth. If you don’t have anything around then just focus on the taste of your tongue.
Can you taste the last thing you ate?
Does it taste sweet?
Is it salty?
Whatever you taste counts so try not to overthink it! Take a final deep breath and you’re done- and hopefully less stressed and anxious.
Say Goodbye to Old Comforts
Sometimes the vices you use to “relax” are the very things making your anxiety symptoms worse. Weaning off cigarettes and cutting down on alcohol and caffeine can help lower your anxiety. Smoking may temporarily improve your mood and stop irritable or anxious feelings due to chemical interferences in the brain. The craving for cigarettes contributes to irritability and anxiousness; cut out smoking- cut down anxiety, depression, and stress levels. It’s a hard habit to break- we get that- but if the goal is to remove things from your life that contribute to anxiety and stress then it just may be time to kick that habit.
Like cigarettes, alcohol also plays its part in making your anxiety and depression worse. Unfortunately, anxiety can be a reason why you drink and a result of drinking. It becomes a vicious cycle that robs you of peace of mind, your health, and your joy until the cycle is broken.
The good news is that you’re anxiety can be controlled! Change is required but you can do it because the alternative can no longer be an option.