Anxiety problems are a very common source of discomfort. In fact, anxiety disorders are among the most widespread psychopathologies in practically all age groups, and cases in which we suffer from being anxious but have not developed a diagnosable disorder are even extremely common (that is, cases in which those of us who have subclinical anxiety but which is a problem for us in certain contexts).
But luckily, no one is condemned to suffer from anxiety constantly or to have to adopt a passive attitude towards this problem. While it is true that no human being can fully control their emotions or mental state in general, there are many things we can do to modulate stress, anxiety, obsessive thoughts that feed on each other, etc. in the best possible way.
Therefore, in this article we will review several psychologically healthy habits that help us deal with anxiety either managing it once it has appeared or preventing the possibility of it growing too much in us.
How does anxiety affect us?
What we know as anxiety is a consequence of biological and psychological predispositions that lead us to enter a state of alert when we detect that we must face a challenge, something that requires us to take control of our actions to avoid a risk or danger.
Therefore, it is closely linked to stress, a set of physiological reactions that It makes us more sensitive to the stimuli that comes to us from the environment and leads us to keep our muscles tense. to react quickly, among other aspects related to the “alarm function” of our body.
Neither anxiety nor stress are problems that we should try to completely eliminate from our lives; On many occasions they predispose us to act quickly when faced with problems that must be resolved as quickly as possible. However, it is important to develop the skills necessary to manage them psychologically.
Why is it important to learn to manage anxiety?
As we have seen, anxiety is part of the natural predispositions that are present in the functioning of the human body, and in most cases not only does it not harm us, but it helps us to face the problems and complicated situations of life. life.
However, Sometimes anxiety leads us to internalize unfounded worries or dysfunctional ways of dealing with anxiety. , so that becomes part of the problem. For example, this is what happens when the fear of failure paralyzes us and leads us to avoid thinking about what we must solve, which makes the problem become bigger and bigger due to the time we waste.
In fact, one of the characteristics of dysfunctional anxiety is its ability to send us into a loop. This occurs when the actions we take to momentarily relieve the discomfort that it generates, they make us more vulnerable to future anxiety problems in the medium and long term.
A couple of clear examples: smoking to try to relax or eat without being hungry, even though this is not good for our health and can even make us feel feelings of guilt, dissatisfaction with our body, discomfort if we do not have access to those. physical resources, etc. And the dependency we establish with these “fixed” ways of dealing with stress or anxiety also means that our environment has more elements that remind us of what worries us.
That is why it is key to learn ways to take advantage of the potential of anxiety and prevent it from getting us into one of those vicious anxiety cycles.
Habits to promote the correct management of anxiety
Although anxiety is largely a physiological phenomenon, that does not mean that when faced with the problems it sometimes causes us, we should resign ourselves to suffering the symptoms. The distinction between what is biological, on the one hand, and what can be learned or corrected through behavior, on the other, is artificial, and that is why depending on what we do, we can experience anxiety processes in a different way. more or less adequate.
Thus, there are a series of habits that help us regulate anxiety while maintaining a correct emotional balance and not reproducing behavioral patterns that contribute to keeping it at high levels.
1. Practice Mindfulness
Full Attention (or Mindfulness) has been shown to be very effective in learning to regulate stress and anxiety problems, and even the discomfort generated by chronic pain. This set of practices allows us to focus our attention on the here and now, preventing it from becoming trapped in the loop of intrusive thoughts or in the confusion between what we fear most and what is reasonable to expect in the future. It consists, fundamentally, of experiencing the stimuli and our mental states as what they are in the present, without prejudging them or granting them moral qualities linked to what we remember or what we hope will happen.
2. Controlled breathing exercises
Controlled breathing and taking advantage of the full potential of our diaphragm is another way to place ourselves in the present while we favor in ourselves a physiological state that corresponds to calm. It is a relatively simple and effective way to not let ourselves be carried away by fear and focus our minds on what we can do in the here and now.
3. Fixed sleep schedules
Being very clear about the time to go to bed and the time to wake up is key to maintaining consistent sleep schedules. It must be taken into account that Lack of sleep makes us much more vulnerable to anxiety, as our body goes into a state of “damage control.” in which the priority is to respond to the demands of the present, and not to ensure our well-being by keeping biological processes linked to health in the medium and long term in motion (such as the use of the immune system, a metabolism that allows rapid repair of cells, etc.).
It’s not just that talking about our feelings helps us assimilate them and stop fearing certain contents of our memory thanks to the fact of putting words to what causes us anxiety; Furthermore, good company motivates us to improve, exposes us to inspiring examples and makes us more aware of the social support network we have.
Yes indeed, Quality is more important than quantity: it is preferable to interact with friends and loved ones who truly support us and show affection and empathy towards us, while if we get used to interacting with those who only make fun of us or belittle our achievements, this erosion of self-esteem will harm us. Time to manage anxiety.
- Related article: “9 habits to connect emotionally with someone”
5. Eat a proper diet and do not take drugs
As long as we don’t become obsessed with avoiding going over calories or consuming overly processed ingredients. , eating a proper diet is a protective factor that helps prevent anxiety. In this sense, it is especially important to avoid drugs, which includes minimizing or completely eliminating alcohol consumption, a substance that, despite being highly normalized, is still physically and mentally harmful.
Are you looking for professional psychological support?
In Adhara Psychology We offer therapy and training services in Mindfulness and meditation, serving people of all ages from a humanistic approach.
You can find us at our Psychology center in Madrid, or use the online session modality by video call.
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PsychologyFor. (2024). How to Manage Anxiety Through Healthy Habits?. https://psychologyfor.com/how-to-manage-anxiety-through-healthy-habits/