What Can You Do on a Bad Anxiety Day?

For individuals with anxiety, some days may be more difficult than others. If you’re struggling with a difficult anxiety day, try some of these suggestions!

Self Care Day

On a difficult anxiety day, take time to rest and care for yourself. Imagine how you would care for a child, a partner or a dear friend who was feeling ill. Be purposeful in the way you care for yourself. Allow time for relaxation and enjoyment. Some helpful self-care activities could include taking a warm bath, watching a comfort movie, or engaging in creativity through art or writing.

Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness allows us to readjust our attention to the present, and practice non-judgment on ourselves and our environment. A body scan meditation can be a good way to practice mindfulness. In a body scan meditation, take a few deep breaths and starting at the top of your head, notice and name how your body feels. Slowly progress down your body observing and naming the sensations you feel in your body. When you reach the end of your body scan meditation, take a moment to express gratitude for your body and how it moves you through the world.

Deep Breathing Techniques

Deep, slow breathing can help to decrease anxiety. To practice diaphragmatic breathing, first find a comfortable place to practice. Position one hand on your chest and one hand on your belly. Inhale slowly, in through your nose and exhale slowly, through your mouth. Notice how the hand on your belly moves up and down with each breath. As you practice these breaths, try to maintain a slow, purposeful rhythm. Try counting while taking your breaths or using the mantra “inhale peace, exhale stress” while practicing.

Grounding Techniques

Grounding techniques help to take us out of our anxious mind and into our sensing mind. Whether you’re dealing with panic symptoms or daily worries, grounding can help! A simple way to practice grounding is to center yourself and focus in on your visual sense. Take a few minutes and begin to observe and describe the world around you. For example, pick a color and ask yourself, what are all the things in that color that you can see? What is their name? What is their shape? What does their texture look like? Try to observe and name many details of the objects to best practice this technique.

Talk with Your Therapist

If you’re working with a therapist, talk with them about how your anxiety feels and how it is impacting your thoughts and behaviors. Therapists can help to provide education on coping mechanisms, in addition to providing support and reframing help for anxious thoughts.

If you are looking for Anxiety And Depression Treatment Centers in Moorestown, NJ, reach out to [email protected], call 856-834-3709, or contact us through our website.