Q: Can you please elaborate on these lifestyle changes?
You can start by creating a different environment for yourself one with positive and mindful choices. Everything from your activity level to your social life affects anxiety. Set the stage for success by making a conscious decision to promote relaxation, vitality, and a positive mental outlook in your everyday life.
- Learn about anxiety. In order to overcome anxiety, it’s important to understand the problem. That’s where education comes in. Education alone won’t cure an anxiety disorder, but it will help you get the most out of therapy.
- Cultivate your connections with other people. Loneliness and isolation set the stage for anxiety. Decrease your vulnerability by reaching out to others. Make it a point to see friends; join a self-help or support group; share your worries and concerns with a trusted loved one.
- Adopt healthy lifestyle habits. Physical activity relieves tension and anxiety, so make time for regular exercise. Don’t use alcohol and drugs to cope with your symptoms, and try to avoid stimulants such as caffeine and nicotine, which can make anxiety worse.
- Reduce stress in your life. Examine your life for stress, and look for ways to minimize it. Avoid people who make you anxious, say no to extra responsibilities, and make time for fun and relaxation in your daily schedule.
Q: Thanks for the wonderful insights Karina Diaz. Is there a final note for our readers?
You are not alone! And there are plenty of resources available to you to start you on your road to recovery. While there is no quick fix, there are plenty of strong therapeutic models to help support you on this journey. I specialize in Creative Arts Therapies: Having a creative outlet in which you can explore and visualize some of the hidden aspects that could be causing a high level of fear. These can come to the fore front with writing, drawing, painting…regardless of your talent level or skill. Having a visual way to stimulate your mind releases other ways of expressing meaning that you may be attaching to certain situations that you were not consciously aware of.
Understanding where the fear is coming from and confronting it in a nurturing manner can help stimulate your inner resources to face these fears and ultimately release them. Remember that anxiety tends to live in the past as well as in the future. Worry of past and future possible scenarios is most often associated to heightened levels of stress and anxiety. Practicing a mindful life style, one that grounds you to the present each and every moment can hold a wealth of relief.
Thank yourself for taking the time to consult and gather information to help you through this difficult time.
