- Helpful Topics
- Explaining Therapy To Child
- Coping With SAD
- How To Support My Anxiety
- Mindfulness and Mental Health
- Managing Social Anxiety
- Creativity & Mental Health
- Support For School Exam Stress
- Childhood OCD
- Feeling Included In The Family
- Back To School Anxiety
- Support child's mental health
- EMDR for Children & Adolescents
- …
- Helpful Topics
- Explaining Therapy To Child
- Coping With SAD
- How To Support My Anxiety
- Mindfulness and Mental Health
- Managing Social Anxiety
- Creativity & Mental Health
- Support For School Exam Stress
- Childhood OCD
- Feeling Included In The Family
- Back To School Anxiety
- Support child's mental health
- EMDR for Children & Adolescents
- Helpful Topics
- Explaining Therapy To Child
- Coping With SAD
- How To Support My Anxiety
- Mindfulness and Mental Health
- Managing Social Anxiety
- Creativity & Mental Health
- Support For School Exam Stress
- Childhood OCD
- Feeling Included In The Family
- Back To School Anxiety
- Support child's mental health
- EMDR for Children & Adolescents
- …
- Helpful Topics
- Explaining Therapy To Child
- Coping With SAD
- How To Support My Anxiety
- Mindfulness and Mental Health
- Managing Social Anxiety
- Creativity & Mental Health
- Support For School Exam Stress
- Childhood OCD
- Feeling Included In The Family
- Back To School Anxiety
- Support child's mental health
- EMDR for Children & Adolescents
Supporting Your Anxiety
Anxiety is part of everyone’s life. We all experience a certain level of anxiety when faced with challenges. Managing anxiety involves adopting various strategies that can help reduce symptoms and improve overall well-being. It’s essential to remember that managing anxiety requires a personalised approach and different techniques may work better for different individuals. Here are some general strategies that can be helpful to keep the effects of anxiety at a manageable level:
Recognise and accept anxiety: Acknowledge that anxiety is a normal human emotion and that it’s okay to experience it from time to time. Accepting anxiety can help you approach it with a more compassionate and understanding mindset.
Practice relaxation techniques: Engage in relaxation practices such as deep breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, meditation, or yoga. These techniques can help calm the nervous system and reduce anxiety levels.
Exercise regularly: Physical activity is a natural stress reliever. Regular exercise can increase the production of endorphins, which are natural mood lifters, and help alleviate anxiety.
Maintain a balanced diet: Be mindful of what you eat and drink. Limit caffeine and alcohol intake, as they can worsen anxiety symptoms. Focus on a balanced diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
Get enough sleep: Lack of sleep can exacerbate anxiety. Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night. Establish a bedtime routine and create a calming sleep environment.
Challenge negative thoughts: Learn to identify negative thought patterns and try focusing on more positive or realistic ones. Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT) can be particularly helpful in this regard.
Set realistic goals: Avoid overwhelming yourself with unrealistic expectations. Break larger tasks into smaller, manageable steps, and celebrate your achievements along the way.
Establish a routine: Structure and predictability can provide a sense of stability, which can be especially helpful when dealing with anxiety.
Limit exposure to stressors: When possible, identify and reduce exposure to triggers that cause anxiety. This might involve setting boundaries, saying “no” to excessive commitments, or seeking support for certain stressors.
Stay connected: Isolation can exacerbate anxiety. Try to maintain social connections with friends, family, or support groups. Talking about your feelings with others can be comforting and provide new perspectives.
Practice mindfulness: Being mindful involves staying in the present moment without judgment. Mindfulness techniques can help you become more aware of your thoughts and emotions and reduce anxiety.
Journal: Writing down your worries and anxieties helps to bring them out in the open. Sometimes just seeing your worries written down can help to give clarity to what’s going on and may make it easier to share those anxieties with others. And if you don’t want to share them you can just rip them up but at least they have made it out of your head which leaves some space for clearer thinking.
Everyone’s anxiety is unique, so be patient with yourself as you explore and implement different strategies to find what works best for you.
Managing anxiety is an ongoing process, and it’s okay to seek help when needed. If anxiety significantly interferes with your daily life or becomes overwhelming, consider reaching out to a professional who can provide support and guidance tailored to your specific needs.
At NorthStar Counselling & Therapy Centre we have a team of Professional, Qualified and Experienced Therapists to help you work through your anxieties and to get you back on track and living your best life. Check out our team here: https://www.northstartherapy.ie/about
Opening Hours
Monday 9am–8pm
Tuesday 9am–8pm
Wednesday 9am–8pm
Thursday 9am–8pm
Friday 9am–4pm
Northstar Counselling & Therapy Centre provides professional counselling, psychotherapy and play therapy to children, teens, adolescents and adults for all conditions including anxiety, depression, OCD, school avoidance, social anxiety, grief and loss. Serving Wexford, Waterford, Wicklow, Kilkenny, Carlow and the South East.
Information on this site is not meant to provide a medical diagnosis. Contact us to discuss your specific situation.
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