- I eat a vegan diet, as clean as possible, it will change your mood and leave you feeling more balanced. I eat a vegan diet for other reasons but the impact on my mood has been immense. I have removed all junk food from my diet and the processed foods I do eat, I know what all of the ingredients are because I recognize them from nature, not a lab. Dump junk and chemicals into your body, you’ll feel bad. To me, it’s as clear as can be, treat yourself well and you will feel better and be naturally more adept at handling life and the curve balls that will come your way.
- Journal about what your feeling anxious about. Write it down, do not disregard your feelings as being silly or shameful or whatever. Some believe that if you work with your inner child, you can handle your emotions better. I like the book self-parenting. Dealing with your emotions will always be a life long thing, but you know what they say about forming good habits.
- Action cures anxiety. If you are worried about something, take action. If you procrastinate, you will hold onto anxiety longer. Even if you can not do something about the exact thing you are worried about, do something about something, action will help you feel good.
- Make a decision. If your anxiety is over a decision you need to make, make the decision using the information you have and accept the decision. If you leave it out there it’s weight on your shoulders, right?
- Smoke some pot (only available in states that are compassionate enough to accept marijuana as medicine, do not break the law or do something that will hurt your future, choose this carefully) For me, this has been very helpful to at times, as my night is coming to a close, take a quick toke and relax. Try journaling while doing this, the effects are amazing and your insightfulness may surprise you. Indica is the type you would want to smoke, Sativa may make you more anxious.
- Find a friend and talk about anything EXCEPT your anxiety. Get your mind off of it. Ask your friend lots of questions and really listen and pay attention to them. We sometimes get so absorbed in our own anxiety we forget other people have lives too. They are your friend, they need you to pay attention to them as much as you need them.
- Positive affirmations, yep, I said it, new age mumbo jumbo positive affirmations. They work well if used regularly. They need to be in the positive sense, meaning focus on what you want, not on what you don’t. Good = I am feeling safe, secure and confident. Bad = I do not feel anxiety… do this and you’ll feel worse real fast. Do it with a smile, out loud and in front of a mirror for full power. Just find 2 or 3 you like, write them down and carry in your pocket, repeat several times in the morning, night and when ever you feel bad. Give this a chance, it works. If you believe it will help, it will help faster.
- Realize that worry and anxiety contribute no positive value to your life and worrying will not accomplish anything or make worry go away, it will only make it worse. I went through a time in my life where I would wake up in the morning after just an hour or two of sleep feeling like anxiety woke me up. It would feel like it would rip me out of sleep like a nightmare, I would awake having a panic attack and I was a mess all day. I know worry and anxiety are not always the same thing. I have been a very anxious person my whole life, depending on the doctor you talk with, I have had social anxiety, panic attacks, post traumatic stress disorder, phobias, OCD, ADD, hyper activity disorder and my family was told I was a psychopath and a sociopath and too many other BS diagnosis to remember. Different doctor, different diagnosis and too me, all BS. I don’t tell you this to combat your doctor and refuse their diagnosis and treatment, but its ok to be skeptical until you have proof. I believe sometimes doctors feel the need to label you quickly. If it doesn’t feel right, think about why.
- Someone very wise once told me that life has a way of working out for the best if you don’t fight it. Your mind is the key, use it to your advantage. You bring about what you think about, if you sit and mull over bad things, you will feel bad. Think about good things, take action and work towards your desires and you will lessen the effects of anxiety over time.