Stressed and Depressed: 4 Ways to Reduce Anxiety Symptoms

Feelings of anxiety should never be dismissed as if they are not important. Most of the time, people feel anxious because they fear they might be in danger. When someone senses danger, their body’s automatic response is to either face it or run away from it, also known as the fight-or-flight response. However, chronic anxiety and anxiety disorders come from someone’s perceived danger, whether that threat is actually present or not. 

In moderation, anxiety is not necessarily bad. In fact, it is a person’s natural reminder that they might need all the extra help they can get. But when it gets overwhelming and painful, that’s when seeking advice from a professional may be necessary.

Are You Suffering From Anxiety Disorder?

Have you ever submitted yourself to a social anxiety test? Perhaps you have thought of it a couple of times in the past, but you never really gave it serious thought. Maybe you’ve even suffered an anxiety attack but didn’t know what it was, just that it was terrifying.

Many people suspect that they are suffering from anxiety, but they do not admit to it because they are scared of getting help. They do not want others to know because they are afraid that people may start to treat them differently. 

They pretend not to suffer from the effects of anxiety simply because they do not want to be exposed to even more judgment. 

How can you tell if you are suffering from chronic anxiety? Here are the telltale signs:

• If you are always on edge, worried, and tense about things ahead of you. When you feel like nothing in the future is going to go right, then you are definitely anxious and not just under a lot of stress. 
• If your worries get in the way of your work and relationships at home, you should start to look for help.
• If you have become irrational about a lot of things in your life and you constantly worry if people you love feel the same way, then you definitely have an anxiety problem. 
• If you feel like things never go right for you or that you don’t have any control, this is a sure sign of chronic anxiety.

Fortunately, dealing with stress is not as hard as it sounds. It takes a lot of courage to accept that you are suffering, so once you do that, it will get easier. After all, the first step to getting help is admitting that you have a problem. 

How to Deal With Anxiety

How do you deal with your anxiety? Talk-therapy can be a huge help when figuring out why you’re anxious, and a therapist can show you different ways of coping. Apart from therapy,  homeopathic remedies and supplements for anxiety and panic attacks are available at all times. For example, many people report that smelling lavender helps them feel calmer. Take some time and research what would work for you, and make sure you speak to your doctor before starting any new supplements or medications. All that you need is to ask for help. Seek, and you shall find.

All of these aim to help you deal with the fear and overcome the feeling of anxiety. 

And yet, there are still other ways to help you deal with anxiety. Below is a list of things that can help you reduce the symptoms of anxiety and lessen your fear:

Stop and breathe

Allow yourself a moment of silence to put yourself back together. Sometimes, it is in these quiet times when people can think straight, sort their thoughts, and deal with their emotions. Take a deep breath and allow yourself to relax. Put yourself at ease in the most comfortable of situations. Doing so will help relieve you from all the stress from which your body is suffering. Deep breathing helps keep the body healthy. The more oxygen the cells get, the healthier they become. Increase feelings of relaxation and help improve your emotional wellbeing. 

Connect and socialize with people

Isolating yourself from the world is not going to help at all. Loneliness will only make your anxiety worse. It could even trigger depression. Find someone you can open up to. Tell them how you feel, what you are worried about, and release all the tension. Talking to someone can make your feelings of anxiety a little less overwhelming. Meet up with your friends. Connect with your mom, or maybe you can join self-help groups. Connecting with people will make you feel alive again, and perhaps show you that you’re not alone. 

Deal with your stress

Stress is part of everyone’s life. It usually comes with the pressure of expectations. You have self-expectations, and when you don’t meet them, you end up in a lot of stress. How you deal with stress dramatically affects how your life turns out. If your stress levels are too high, stop what you are doing and step away. Find a place where you can find peace. If it is all about work, maybe it would help if you look at your responsibilities and think about what you can delegate to others. 

Meditate and relax

The practice of meditation and other relaxation techniques should help you deal with stress. Mindful meditation enables you to connect with your core. It allows the physical body to be one with the mind. In this way, you can carefully consider what is causing you stress and the many ways you can take to deal with them. 

Engage in regular exercise

Did you know that exercise benefits your body in more ways than just getting rid of excess fat? Regular exercise helps you achieve a sound mind. It helps clear your head, making it one of the most effective anxiety relievers. In fact, engaging in regular exercise can be a suitable replacement for those anxiety medications. The best part of it is that it is all-natural, so you don’t have to worry about unwanted side effects. In the process, you are getting your body in good shape. 

There are a lot of ways you can deal with stress and overcome anxiety. All that you need is to accept that you need help. That is where it all begins -- in acceptance.