What is Anxiety?
Anxiety is a feeling of fear, worry and unease. Most of us experience anxiety at some points in our lives. It can be mild and temporary, for example, when we are about to take an exam. Or for some, anxiety can be more severe and frequent in their lives.
Here are some simple and creative tips to deal with your anxiety:
Write down your worries. Keep a diary or journal. Write down situations that make you feel anxious. Use this information to try and work out what it is about the situation that makes you anxious and ways in which you can improve how you feel.
Try writing down your worries in a different way. Write them onto a piece of paper and put them into a jar or box and shut it.
Express how you feel. Write short stories, poems, songs or articles about your anxiety.
It is not just about writing, you might also be creative in expressing your worries – paint, draw, play music, sculpt. There is no right way to express your anxiety. It is a personal and individual experience.
Take a walk, spend some time out in nature and outdoors. Spending time amongst greenery and nature has been found to reduce anxiety.
Talk to people you trust about your anxiety. This may be friends, family or even anxiety helplines. Getting your worries and anxieties off your chest can be very helpful.
Remember to breathe. Slow, steady breathing can help to reduce feelings of anxiety.
These are just some simple tips, but if feelings of anxiety are taking over the person’s life, it is important to seek help and advice from a doctor or health care professional.
We have a short course on Managing Anxiety that provides practical advice and methods that can help people manage anxiety, whether its for you or for you to help manage your own anxiety, or for professional development for those who work with people. More information on our Anxiety Management Course is here