Want to learn from people who have anxiety what their most successful coping strategy is?

Do you feel like your anxiety takes over not just your mind but your whole body?

You feel dizzy, nauseous, suffer from brain fog and find it effects your daily life.

In this blog post people who suffer from anxiety will share their top secrets on their coping strategy that works for them.

After learning their secrets, you will be able to find out what works best for you.

Best coping strategies for anxiety

1. Mindfulness

?I find that mindfulness exercises for anxiety have the capacity to bring me back to the present moment. ?When I experience anxiety, I become so caught up in my thoughts that all I can focus on is what I think is going to happen in the future instead of being in the present moment. ?Coming back to the present moment calms me down and I tend to let go of the overthinking.?

2. Sleep

?I find my sleep and mental health are so closely linked. ?Sleep would be my best coping strategy for anxiety. ?If I don?t accomplish enough sleep, I?m likely to drink more coffee which makes my anxiety even worse. ?I find I tend to feel more nauseous and irritable too. ?I need to have a good solid 8-9 hours? sleep to feel my best.?

3. Deep breathing

?When I feel that wave of anxiety washing over me I immediately I start to do some deep breathing. ?It doesn?t matter where I am ? I will stop and take deep breaths. ?I inhale through my nose and out my mouth. ?Almost immediately I start to feel calmer. ?Deep breathing is my best coping strategy for anxiety?.

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4. Releasing emotions

?I used to always try supressing my emotions. ?I thought releasing them would only make everything worse. By holding them in I thought they?d disappear. ?But I soon learnt that it wasn?t the answer and my anxiety became worse.

My best coping strategy for anxiety is releasing your emotions. ?If you need to cry, then cry. ?If you feel angry then run it out or box a boxing bag. ?Often after I?ve had a good cry, I feel like I have detoxed my body. ?The nervous energy and anxiousness seem to slowly dissipate.?

5. Guided meditation

?My best coping strategy for anxiety is using guided meditation. ?I discovered guided meditation for anxiety after hearing someone mention it at work. Their results sounded amazing, so I investigated guided meditations on YouTube. ?I now listen to guided mediations at bedtime and whenever I?m feeling anxious or overwhelmed.?

6. Grounding techniques

?I?ve found grounding techniques to be the best coping strategy for anxiety. My therapist taught me how to use my senses to bring myself back to the present moment. ?I think of it as a game I can play. ?I look for 5 things, listen for 4 things, touch 3 things, smell 2 things and taste 1 thing. It?s easy to remember and simple to do and effective.?

7. Exercise

?There are so many benefits of exercise and it?s my number one choice for my coping strategy for anxiety. ?I love to start my day with an early morning walk. There are so many different types of exercise, but I like to keep it simple and walking is a good exercise to elevate my mood, it?s easy to do and it gets me out of the house.?

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8. Self value

?I struggled with the value I placed on myself. ?But once I started researching self worth I began thinking about the strengths that I possess. ?Now I use this as my coping strategy for anxiety. ?When I?m feeling anxious I journal my strengths. ?This helps me overcome the challenge and not be weighed down with negativity. ?I now think of it as my wall of armour.?

9. visualisation

?My best coping strategy for anxiety is using visualisation. ?If I feel anxious, I look at a photo from one of my holidays then I?ll close my eyes and imagine I?m there again. I like to visualise being back on the islands in the south pacific. It was one of my most relaxing holidays I?ve ever taken and the people were so friendly.?

10. Music

?I find listening to music is my best coping strategy for anxiety. ?Depending on my mood I will either listen to upbeat pop music or I find calming music for sleep is great at the end of the day. Listening to music makes me feel happier and helps to control the overthinking.?

11. Cooking

?Cooking therapy is my go-to coping strategy for anxiety. Cooking distracts me and I love trying out new healthy recipes. ?When I create a tasty meal, I feel proud of what I?ve achieved and grateful that I can afford the produce. ?I enjoy making food gifts for friends and know that they really appreciate it.?

12. A DIY project

?Keeping myself busy with a DIY project around the home and garden is my best coping strategy for anxiety. ?Being productive and doing something I love helps to reduce my anxiety. ?By focusing on completing a project it stops my irrational thoughts and I feel a sense of calm and achievement.?

13. Watching a comedy movie

?If I?m feeling extremely anxious, I often feel exhausted too. ?So, my coping strategy for anxiety is relaxing on the couch with my blanket and watching a funny movie. ?I find it shifts my mood to a better place and I feel better after having some time out of my busy life.?

14. Cognitive behavioural therapy

?Whilst I was attending counselling, I did cognitive behavioural therapy. ?This is my best coping strategy for anxiety. ?When I begin to notice those unwanted, irrational thoughts creeping into my mind I know now to challenge them. I?ve become more aware of my thoughts and so am becoming better at not being sucked into the whole overthinking?

15. Gardening

?I use gardening therapy for my coping strategy for anxiety. The sun, fresh air, soil, and plants help me feel more energetic but at the same time more relaxed and calmer. ?I love the feeling I get when I come inside after the physical exertion. ?It?s like a natural high. I?m not that great at gardening but it certainly benefits my mental health.?

16. Writing

?When I was a child, I was given a letter writing set. ?Since then, I discovered my love of writing and the sense of peace it brings me. ?When I?m feeling anxious, I love to write. ?I have no particular writing styles. ?Some days it?s writing a letter, creative writing or writing a poem. ?But just getting the thoughts out of my head is therapeutic and transforms my mood. ?I always keep a notebook and pen in my handbag as I never know when I?ll feel the need to write.?

17. Being creative

?Being able to express myself creatively is my coping strategy for anxiety. ?When I create something, I feel like I?m using the anxious energy towards creating something magical. ?Whether it?s painting, drawing, or knitting it transports me to my happy place and I feel the anxiety subside?.

18. Watching a funny YouTube clip

?I love searching the funniest videos ever on YouTube. ?It distracts me from my problems and stresses in my life and helps me to change the mood I?m in. ?Laughing releases my nervous energy and I start to feel better. ?This is my coping strategy for anxiety.?

19. Talking to a friend

?Sometimes I just don?t know how to stop anxious thoughts. ?By talking to a friend, I feel validated and supported. ?It?s comforting knowing that someone cares and I always feel so much less anxious afterwards. Managing anxiety can be so difficult but having a good friend in your life does help. ?This is my coping strategy for anxiety.?

20. Singing

?I?m not the best singer but singing brings me joy. ?I started taking singing lessons when I realised how much it reduces my tension and my stress levels. For me there are so many benefits to singing and it?s become my best coping strategy for anxiety.?

21. Hiking

?I love to get outdoors and go hiking when I?m feeling stressed and anxious. ?Even when I?m exhausted, I?ll push myself to go hiking. ?The fresh air and being amongst nature calm me down. ??I?m also managing depression, so hiking is part of my plan for coping with depression.?

22. Crossword puzzles

?I have always loved doing crossword puzzles. ?Even as a child. ?I remember the excitement when Mum would take me to the newsagency to buy a new puzzle book. ?Today this is my coping strategy for anxiety. ?It relaxes me and helps to curb the overthinking. ?Now you can find online crossword puzzles so it?s even easier to access them.?

23. Going to the gym

?If I don?t get some sort of exercise every day, I find it difficult to cope with the stress in my life. ?Going to the gym everyday has totally changed my life. ?I was on the path of destruction reaching for alcohol and drugs to help me cope with anxiety. Now I?ve been 2 years sober and have never felt better. ?Going to the gym has become a spiritual experience for me and something that is healthy for me rather than destructive.?

24. Going on a picnic

?I love the whole concept of a picnic. From researching picnic food ideas and recipes to packing my picnic basket with all the yummy picnic finger food. Eating outdoors in the sunshine boosts my mood and I especially love sharing the moment with friends. ?My recommendation for a coping strategy for anxiety is to go for a picnic.?

25. Reading

?If I?m feeling anxious, I like to get lost in a good book. ?I feel like I can escape my world and delve into another. Reading reduces my stress levels and I feel my tension disappear. ?Since enjoying more reading I have found it has helped my mental health and I really like the quiet time away from the busy world around me.?

26. Remedial massage

?I love having either a remedial massage or a deep tissue massage. ?The more anxious I?m feeling the more I?ll opt for a deep tissue massage. ?I suffer from both anxiety and depression and massage is part of my self-care plan. ?I?ve tried many coping mechanisms, but I keep coming back to massage. ?I truly believe the best coping strategy for anxiety is massage.?

27. Talking to a counsellor

?I?ve seen a few different counsellor?s to help me manage my anxiety and I have learnt that it?s so important to find the counsellor that is the right fit for you. ?When I feel it?s all getting too much and I?m not handing the stress and anxiety very well I book in to see my counsellor. ?Learning different ways to improve my mental health has been invaluable. ?So, my advice for a coping strategy for anxiety is to see a counsellor.

28. Listening to a podcast

?When I go out walking, I love listening to a podcast whether it be educational or just something based on my interests. ?I see this opportunity as doing something for myself and I know to keep my anxiety under control I need to do this every day. ?I think this is a healthy coping strategy and would recommend others to give it a try.?

29. Challenging negative thoughts

?I think I have always been the type of person to worry and stress over the little things. ?But as I get older and after seeing a therapist, I have learnt to start challenging these negative thoughts. ?I realise now that I don?t have to succumb to these thoughts. ?They will always pop up from time to time, but it doesn?t mean I have to entertain them. ?I am so aware of my thoughts now and have become better at challenging them. ?It’s something that I need to keep working on, but I do think this is a good coping strategy for anxiety.

Related post “How to help your teen diagnosed with an anxiety disorder”

30. Progressive muscle relaxation

?When I was first introduced to progressive muscle relaxation, I thought there was no way I could lay still long enough to complete the exercise. ?In fact, I thought it would make me feel even more anxious. ?But I read through the progressive muscle relaxation script then listened to the progressive muscle relaxation audio and decided I had nothing to lose by giving it a try. ?After a few attempts I found that it was reducing my muscle tension and I started to feel more relaxed. ?Now when I feel anxious, I turn to progressive muscle relaxation.?

31. Spending time with family

?Initially I tried to hide how bad my anxiety was from my family. ?I didn?t want to worry them, and I felt that I should be able to overcome the anxiety myself. ?But my Mum picked up that I wasn?t my usual self and so I confessed to her exactly how I?d been feeling. ?My family has offered so much support and when I?m feeling anxious it?s nice to know I can drop around for a cup of tea and a chat. ?Since I?ve had their support, my anxiety has been reducing immensely. ?I strongly recommend spending time with your family for a coping strategy for anxiety.?

32. Taking a bath or shower

?When I feel overcome with anxiety, I love to take either a long bath or a shower. ?I find a warm bath reduces the tension in my body and the feel of the warm water on my skin has such a calming and relaxing effect. ?Sometimes I?ll listen to relaxing music and light some candles. ?The ambiance is that of a day spa but at the fraction of the cost. My coping strategy for anxiety is to relax in the bath or shower.?

33. Medication

?I tried so many different techniques to overcome my anxiety. ?I?d seen therapists, created a self care plan and followed the advice of my counsellor but I just wasn?t feeling any happier. ?Eventually after speaking to my doctor, he recommended I try an antidepressant. ?I was so hesitant as first but looking back it has helped me get to where I am today. ?I was on the antidepressant for 8 months and continued to see my counsellor. ?I am in a much better place now. ?So, I would say from my experience if the other things you?ve tried haven?t worked then talk to your doctor about medication?.

In this blog post you have heard from people who suffer from anxiety. ?These people have shared their best coping strategy tips.

This post was designed to give you ideas on how to reduce your stress and anxiety. ?So, keep this list handy as you may find something that resonates with you.

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