Key Messages
How To Cope With Anxiety: An Introduction To Finding Peace Of Mind
Anxiety can be a debilitating force that can take the joy out of life.
It doesn’t have to be this way though, not when you know the right strategies to fight it off!
In Hardcore Self Help, readers are given helpful advice on how to cope with anxiety and battle it off themselves.
You will learn what kind of anxiety you may have, why it’s imperative to consult a therapist for advice but also practical tips on how you can overcome it yourself, such as breathing correctly to hold back panic attacks, explaining your anxiety to loved ones, and even giving your anxiety a name!
With these tools at your disposal, you’ll be armed with the necessary knowledge and empowering mental attitude required to fight your anxiety.
Anxiety Disorders Can Take Over Your Life, But Treatment Can Help You Get It Back
Anxiety can take many different forms, from minor phobias to more serious issues like Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
Each type of anxiety disorder has its own unique set of symptoms that can be debilitating in their severity.
For instance, those living with PTSD may find themselves trapped in a cycle of fear, reliving past traumatic experiences and exhibiting violent outbursts and panic attacks.
OCD sufferers, on the other hand, are often plagued by intrusive thoughts and must adhere to rigid routines or suffer extreme anxiety.
The need to complete these rituals serves as a constant distraction, making every day life incredibly difficult.
It’s important to realize that anxiety disorders aren’t something you can ignore; they require specialized treatment from professionals in order for them to be effectively managed.
Left untreated, anxiety can wreak havoc on the lives of those living with it.
If you think you or someone close to you may have an anxiety disorder then please seek help promptly.
Where Does Anxiety Come From? It Could Be The Body, Mind, Or A Combination Of Both
Anxiety can be triggered both by your body and your mind.
Our minds can lead us down a dark path of spiraling out of control, imagining catastrophic scenarios and focusing on what others may think about us in any given situation.
Our bodies can also bring on anxiety attacks; intense fear coupled with bodily symptoms like heart palpitations or an upset stomach can trigger panic attacks at random, and some people are even biologically predisposed to such episodes.
What makes these situations worse is that the fear of another attack brings more anxiety, making them more likely to occur.
Anxiety, whether caused by our thoughts or physical symptoms, is something that we must all face at some point – but it does not have to take over our lives.
How Taking Conscious Breaths And Scheduling Breaks Can Help Manage Anxiety And Panic Attacks
Breathing techniques can be a very effective way to give yourself a break from your anxiety.
We’ve all seen it in movies, when a character begins to panic, they often bring their breathing back under control as a way to calm themselves.
It turns out that this is actually really helpful – consciously regulating your breathing can help relax your body and take your mind off whatever triggered the anxiety.
The reason behind this is with conscious breathing, you are forcing yourself to focus on just one thing – your breath.
This then gives your mind something else to focus on instead of whatever caused the initial anxious feelings.
It’s important to practice conscious breathing so that you have it ready for use if you ever feel an episode of panic coming on.
To do this, just start by taking a deep breath while counting slowly up four seconds, hold it while counting to seven seconds and exhale at eight seconds.
Before long you should find that you’re already feeling much more relaxed and under control again.
Conscious breathing is a great tool for dealing with panic attacks but there are also steps that you can take preemptively too!
One thing is giving yourself ample time for relaxation breaks over the course of the day – particularly important in these modern times where we’re always available through our phones or working late hours due to collaboration with faraway colleagues.
By taking intentional breaks for yourself throughout the day, it allows for more mindfulness moments and better mental health in general which reduces the chances of experiencing any sort of panic attack in the first place.
And so set aside some time each day where nothing external has access to you– as challenging as this may seem– such as defining office hours and not checking emails outside those times or going out somewhere without WiFi access so new messages cannot get in and distract you during your downtime
Help Your Loved Ones Understand Your Anxiety: Write A Letter
It can be difficult for family and friends to understand why you suffer from anxiety, as it’s different from physical illnesses which are often easier for them to understand.
Unfortunately, the confusion can cause added stress for both parties and lead to misunderstandings about how best to support each other.
Thankfully, there is a way for those around you to gain a better understanding of what it’s like to experience anxiety without having to experience it themselves – through writing a letter.
Detailing your feelings on paper and explaining that you may need time alone in order to work through your issues will help bridge the gap between the two of you.
By writing this letter, you will be giving those who care about you an opportunity to see the inner workings of your thoughts and emotions surrounding your mental illness.
It gives them an open dialogue which they can use in order to offer support and compassion in positive ways.
Finding Professional Help And Personalizing Your Anxiety Can Help You Conquer Your Fears And Win The Battle Against Anxiety
It’s important to remember that you can’t fight anxiety on your own.
Even with medication, it won’t be enough – it can certainly help, but the best solution is to find a good therapist who can create a personalized plan to tackle the causes of your anxiety.
Therapy also provides an invaluable opportunity to trust another person and to have them give you the guidance and support needed for tackling anxiety head on without causing additional harm.
It’s essential to address anxiety as soon as possible since it can spiral into depression and even suicidal thoughts if left untreated.
The key is to remind yourself how far you’ve come when battling your anxiety.
The author’s personal story is a great example – he even named his anxiety “Fred” and tracked his progress in getting him out of his life over time.
This was the motivation he needed to defeat Fred completely!
So if you’re struggling with anxiety, don’t hesitate – seek professional help and keep reminding yourself how far you’ve come by celebrating all of your small victories along the way.
Wrap Up
The overall message of Hardcore Self Help is clear: Anxiety disorders are incredibly difficult to manage alone, but with the right tools and support system, it’s possible to combat them.
One technique that can be useful for managing anxiety is 4-7-8 breathing.
This simple exercise involves focusing on inhaling for four seconds, holding for four seconds, and then exhaling for eight seconds.
Doing this in a safe and nonstressful environment every day can help you find more peace and reduce panic attacks when they arise out of nowhere.
In combination with other self-care techniques as well as professional advice from counselors or doctors, this book offers hope that relief from anxiety disorders is possible.
