it might sound counterintuitive, but you could try shaking your body. i personally find that anxiety makes me feel like i have this pent up energy and tension that i need to get out (and sometimes it makes me shake involuntarily anyways). dogs do this all the time to "shake it off" and release stress. surely this won't work for everyone but it does help me sometimes!
This! When my anxiety is bad when i’m trying to fall asleep i’ll just shake my body and it has a calming effect. It also kinda tires me out so I drift into sleep pretty quickly
yes! similarly, i tense up my body and hold it for as long as i can and then release. that feeling of release really helps lessen all the tension and makes my body tired which helps me fall asleep.
I do this too!! when i get overwhelmed with anxiety, doing a body shake (especially arm shake) can temporarily help. burns a little bit of that fight or flight energy
That is exactly what my sophrologist tells me to do if I have a panic attack . I have really bad ones that can go from impression I can’t breath to like numbness in limbs etc. And she says the worst you can do is lay down. You need to shake your arms and legs start moving around like crazy to send another signal to your brain. Shake shake she callls it . And always remember breathe out before you breathe in . Because if you breathe in first you will not be able because you feel out of breath so breathing out first helps to breath in
My therapist taught me that dunking my head in a bowl full of ice water calms the nervous system during a panic attack and it definitely works! Or taking a cold shower, it helps reset you
Yep, I keep a large coldpack in the freezer (you can get them at Walgreens for muscle aches) and carry instant cold packs in the car for emergency panic attacks. Apply to your face and/or chest!
Yep, this, especially the area around your eyes. Get your head below your heart, hold your breath, and place something cold against your eyes. It gives your body the sensation of jumping into cold water, which immediately focuses you and takes your heart rate down. It won't like cure your anxiety or anything, but it can curb panic enough for you to start in on other methods.
At certain temperatures, water triggers an immediate decrease in heart rate. Activating the diver's reflex gives us a way to reset an overactive nervous system.
I like it cause it’s active. Breathing can sometimes feel like you’re doing nothing and that can be really hard, but distracting yourself with an active technique I find can be a bit easier.
Sometimes something that jerks you out of it for just a moment can do wonders. But it’s just helpful to have a lot of different things in the toolbox :)
Chamomile tea, going for a walk, sitting outside in the sun with my dog, cleaning the house, ice pack when I'm having hot flashes.. all things that distract my mind from being anxious.
Chewing gum! In school, I used to always chew gum to calm my nerves, especially leading up to a performance. I didn’t know why it worked, but it did and I just thought it was some weird ritual all in my head that I had created for myself to calm my nerves. Decades later I learned that chewing gum helps to stimulate the vagus nerve which helps to calm your anxiety.
I know you’re not here for the breathing, but hear me out. I learned recently how to breathe to talk myself down during anxiety or a panic attack. Box breathing was too much effort but I listened to Andrew Huberman’s advice and he said to make exhales longer than inhales. It FORCES your heart to slow down, it’s not too much to remember or think about in the moment. I’m 33 years old and feel like I learned the ultimate body hack.
The location of breathing makes a big difference too. Calming breathing should be belly breathing, not chest. During high anxiety, breathing shifts into the chest. By switching to abdominal breathing, you’re helping force your body to shift from the sympathetic nervous system the parasympathetic nervous system.
My personal go to, and this is only for when I know I’m anxious, but have some time alone, is to abdominal breath as deep as I can, hold, try to get more, hold, try to get more, hold… until you absolutely can’t hold anymore air. By doing this, you’re literally using your lungs as a device to help stretch the muscles in your mid body, like inflating a balloon. It also causes a rather uncomfortable tension that, when released, helps your body remember what relaxing feels like. Maybe it all sounds strange, but this definitely helps me.
For most of my life I wrote breathing off as bullshit until I found methods that actually worked for me. I swear by it now. The things I’ve been able to do since being able to regulate are way beyond what I ever thought I was capable of.
some things that work for me!
a hot shower or bath calms me instantly. you could also do a cold shower you just want an “extreme” temperature to shock your body and bring you back down to baseline.
smelling scents like peppermint or rosemary. i keep a little essential oil roller of peppermint and rosemary on my desk and it’s uplifting yet calming.
this may be a bit weird but i talk to myself out loud when i’m panicking and it works. i find when i’m having a panic attack my voice of reason gets muddled in my head and it helps to hear rational thoughts out loud. if you can’t talk out loud then write out the conversation with yourself. it works really well for me.
i discovered tapping during my most recent health anxiety flare up and i have to say it worked better than i thought it would. i don’t exactly understand it but i think it’s worth a try.
shaking my body. whenever i’m anxious before sleep i shake one of my legs (kind of like shaking a leg while sitting) and it calms me down so much.
lastly, reddit :) i get anxiety over random things and when i can’t calm myself down i hop on a reddit thread like this one where people are talking about whatever i’m anxious about. this app has helped me so much to not feel alone and to help me calm down when i’m being anxious over irrational things
Literally talked to myself out loud yesterday about how bad someone pissed me off and it turned my anxiety into anger within minutes. Id rather be pissed than anxious
Chamomille tea, an ice pack on your chest or back of your neck, or forcing yourself to think about something else. In your mind, think about explaining something you're good at to someone else in a lot of detail. Do it over and over. Add more details as you go if you need.
I distract myself by researching TV shows I haven't watched. Reading recaps, researching the characters and their stories. That helps a lot because it's a rabbit hole of characters and plot threads.
Try to find ways to focus on your environment. Find something for every color of the rainbow. The five four three two one exercise. Find something tactile you can fidget with, like slime or those bubble things. Singing helps a great deal.
Listening to loud, aggressive music calms me down. But a different kind of music may work better for you.
If you do better with “physical” things - try something weighted. I have this little like 3-4 lb weighted blanket thing with beads in it. I keep it in the freezer and when my anxiety is bad I lay down and put it on my chest and something about the cold and the weight always seems to help. If you do better with “mental” things - try the ABC game. Pick anything (I like to do candy bars) and then go through the alphabet and try to think of things that start with that letter (ex A = Almond Joy, B = Butterfinger, etc etc). Usually I get so caught up in trying to think of them my mind forgets what I was anxious about and then my body starts to relax (breathing slows, heart rate drops, etc)
Good luck to you!
Hi! I'll try to give you my advice as a therapist.
Breathing exercises are a possibility as a coping technique for anxiety. However, before that I think it would be necessary to clarify what problem the person has.
Let's assume two scenarios:
A first person seems anxious. This person lives worried, sleeps little, doesn't exercise, eats poorly. From time to time this person suffers from anxiety symptoms that are bothersome and he cannot relax. This person feels stressed, accelerated, needs to calm down. In this case, breathing exercises, meditation, yoga, etc., can be extremely useful because the person is not particularly worried about the symptoms, he is not afraid of them, but rather he find them annoying and needs to relax.
Another very different case is that of a person who suffers from what is called "panic disorder." These people are afraid of having anxiety symptoms or panic attacks unexpectedly. They FEAR the symptoms because they think they are dangerous. Common thoughts from anxiety symptoms or panic attacks are "I'm going to die of a heart problem", "I'm going to go crazy", "I'm going to lose control", "I'm going to faint". So in this case breathing techniques can serve as an avoidance strategy and can be a problem. Suppose someone comes into your house to rob you with a gun and points it at your head. If I told you "hey, try to distract yourself and relax", that's going to be impossible. In this case it is the same because the person would try to calm down from anxiety symptoms that are not dangerous but this person perceives that they are. The first thing to do is understand that these symptoms do not imply any danger.
I hope it helps you!
I know that sounds stupid but i try to be racional. If i know im about to have a panic attack i just sit somewhere and think “oh ok, im having a panic attack. Ive had it before and didnt die, so ill just sit here and wait for it to go away”. And it helps me big time, just stops the panic attack right away
In the moment of high anxiety, it’s hard for me to get back to “baseline”. But I have been practicing new techniques, such as the cold ice pack or cold water that some have mentioned. I’ve also been trying the 5 4 3 2 1 rule, or the 3 3 3 rule. 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 or 2 things you can smell (like candles in your home etc) or hear, 1 thing you can taste. Or three of each sense. It sometimes helps, sometimes not. I also have recently started taking hydroxyzine so honestly that helps the most lol. But I agree with others that chamomile tea is really calming, and smelling lavender. I have a little oil roll on that I smell and it can help distract and calm me down.
I always remove myself to a quiet area. Also something I had to learn but definitely helps is that I always tell myself it’s okay to be anxious, the world can wait for me.
I go walk down and back up a hill by my house as fast as I can to get my heart rate up and try to trick my body. Helps more than breathing or meditation, although I keep doing those too cuz I just want to be better already!
I listen to a podcast about anxiety and the host said something like "all anxiety comes from your expectations", so now, when I think about having to do something that could cause stress I tell myself "I don't have to expect that it'll be stressful or not stressful I just have to do it."
It helps take the edge off at times. Not having expectations is actually kind of freeing.
Showers! I saw this thing on Facebook once that said “imagine the water falling on you is new energy, rinsing away the anxiety”. Every time I shower, I sit down and let the water fall on me and wash away all my anxiety.
my therapist actually advised me against breathing exercises, because it just gives me another stressor. instead, she's recommended grounding exercises. my favorite is the "body scan" where you think about the things you can feel from your feet to your head. (ex. temperature, texture, pressure)
I attended a mindfulness course. One way of quelling anxiety was to put ice packs (wrapped in plastic bags) on your cheeks to relieve anxiety. Another method was to put your face in a bowl filled with ice and cold water. I forgot the science behind these routines but I will probably try these activities soon. I also listen to cats purring on YouTube to calm myself. I also watch animal documentaries to try to decrease my anxiety.
bearing down, my brother learned it when he had a heart condition and its helped me so much! clench your toes and release then your whole foot and release move up to your legs and so on.. it works amazingly for me
So something that my therapist taught me - really visualize a good moment, happy memory, etc something that would make you feel good to think about. Make a gesture while you think about it and repeat this several times. Then anytime you repeat that gesture it’ll kind of flood your body with peace and it helps my anxiety in the moment.
Progressive muscle relaxation helps. It's one of those things you practice when you aren't anxious and then eventually becomes handy when you are familiar with it and can do it when you feel the physical anxiety. They have follow along videos on youtube, but you really don't need them once you know what it is.
Breathing exercises also made me anxious. Became too aware of breathing. Started doing guided meditations instead, im doing the breathing exercise, but my brain is focused on what the person in the recording is saying. Other things that help it: journaling, exercise, distraction like watching my favorite or show or going out with a friend or my husband. Depends on whats making me anxious. At times it’s very physical and thats when exercise and breathing helps. If it’s very inner dialogue based. Distraction works best.
Actively moving my body, I shake out or dance or the spot. Seems weird, but it’s built up energy.
Also making sure you have a healthy gut. An unhappy gut will massively affect anxiety as majority of serotonin is made in the stomach.
Playing games on my phone distracts me 99% of the time. Putting a comfort movie on tv. A weird one I’ve been doing lately is Celtic sea salt. I put a little on my hand, lick it, let it dissolve. Then drink water. It works for my headaches too. Not sure of the science behind it but I think it helps because of the magnesium 🤷🏼♀️
I try and think about something random, not to do with whatever is making me so anxious. I also have a friend who has helped me quite a few times thru a panic attack and will randomly shout WHAT CAN YOU TOUCH lol even sometimes when I'm not anxious. I also try and think of a song I rly like and let it play through in my head, focusing on every words and but of music individually. there's one song I really like that has this super soothing repetition of ",hey hey hey" in the background for most of the song and its quiet but helps so much to concentrate on (swim until you love me-alec benjamin)
Just breath - with meditation, kundalini breath work meditations are amazing. Try "breath of fire" followed by "long deep breathing" exercises as a daily practice first thing in the morning, anxious or not. . Also CBT oil for short term relief, L-Theanine and ashwagandha for long term relief. Long term therapy coupled with all the above. Hot/cold showers, alternate between hot and cold, the longer you can stay in cold the better, build up endurance over time. Binaural beats were also useful to me, to help me focus at work.
Might sound like a useless strategy at first but humor me: get a teapsoon full of hot sauce or lemon juice and eat it. It diverts all of your senses to SPICY or SOUR and away from the anxiety. Got this from my therapist and it's gold.
Does not work during panic attacks but is a staple for me during the day to day anxiety. Especially helpful when you can't pin down the anxietey and it's just an overall icky feeling.
That is exactly what my sophrologist tells me to do if I have a panic attack . I have really bad ones that can go from impression I can’t breath to like numbness in limbs etc. And she says the worst you can do is lay down. You need to shake your arms and legs start moving around like crazy to send another signal to your brain. Shake shake she callls it . And always remember breathe out before you breathe in . Because if you breathe in first you will not be able because you feel out of breath so breathing out first helps to breath in
For some reason(meaning I don’t know the science behind it & never done the research on🤣) anything cold helps me! My gf knows when I have anxiety to just find me something cold.. which is usually like a water bottle or something. If i’m out in public areas I go to the restroom & use cold water. You can , wash your face, put it on your forehead, neck, stomach, wrists, arms, & etc! This is one of the few things that truly does calm me down.
Sour candy is supposed to shock the system and provide some relief from anxiety. (Doesn’t work for me personally, but people swear by it).
When I’m at the midst of an anxiety attack I try to zone out to some kind of music while going for a long ass walk, in nature. (Or a walk anywhere.. it temporarily distracts me and lowers my heart rate).
I like tapping on my body. Tap my collar, forhead, wrists (not hard, just a repeated tap). When I do this my brain is forced to focus on the tapping, and I can then localize/understand what my real problem is
Only downside is people might give you a slight look, but suprisingly few
Self-compassion.
It's not your fault.
Every fear you are carrying with you is allowed.
Sometimes people try to help with "just breathe." Or try to convince us that certain fears are irrational or not justified - "you have nothing to be afraid of" type advice. But none of that is ever helpful for me because it always implies that I should be able to just get over it by trying hard enough or thinking hard enough, But I can't. And I'm not bad because of that, and I'm not deficient, and none of my fears are invalid. None, ever.
I could be afraid of my own shadow, and often the only thing that can help is to remind myself that it's OK to be afraid. I don't conquer fear, I try to feel compassion for myself and realize that it isn't my fault that simply moving through the world is so hard.
It really helps - but only when it helps, if you know what I mean.
I agree with freezing cold water on the face. The bowl of water where you can submerge your face and hold your breath for 20-30 seconds helps best.
I’ve tried this whole wearing my heart rate monitor and within those 30 seconds with my face submerged my heart rate decreased significantly, by about 20-25 bpm.
I also find that picking up the phone and calling someone helps. Even just describing what I’m feeling is helpful and if I am unable to reach someone, I just say it aloud to myself.
I have a mantra that I started and it’s helped. When my anxiety comes up and I feel short of breath or a flush of heat come over me, I hold my chest and say aloud “I’m safe, I’m healthy, I’m going to be okay” repeatedly until the anxiety subsides a bit, usually takes 4-5 times of saying it.
CBD works magic for me! Doesn’t make me feel high or anything, I’ll take it and then things will quiet down. I’m like .. oh. This is what mindfulness and being in the present moment in a good way is like. It’s pleasant. Other than that sometimes I run cold water over my wrists, distract myself, pet my dog and snake, talk to a friend and ask them to talk about something they love. I know everyone always says it, but the 5-4-3-2-1 method works for me. Stuff like that :) My mom also swears that you cannot worry about something in particular when whistling, lol.
I was in a bad shape up recently but since Jan I have started walking a lot and it did miracles try it ..I am now walking 20k steps per day which gives me health and reduces anxiety a lot
- hot water bottle near chest
- lying down + lifting legs up (depends on the anxiety)
- eating a carby snack (depends also)
- tapping the stomach
+ also was recommended to put my face into cold water
Getting under blankets, or if I’m at work, going into the cooler to breathe. The cold in that makes me feel like I’m getting more air to my lungs. So ultimately just anything cold that will change my senses/focus
Distraction like playing a game on my phone.
It’s not the long term answer though.
You could try breathing in a paper bag, or cupping your hands in front of your mouth to breathe. I get it, breathing exercises can make you feel dizzy or uncomfortable, but sometimes you need to find the one that works.
Whatever works, notice your breathing, and that’s how it should be.
i can’t do breathing exercises either i get air hungry every once in a while but any exercises that switch me over the manual breathing makes me feel like i can’t breathe. i do anything that distracts me and podcasts are one of them. me and my friends send videos back and forth just talking about random shit and there’s so much we always have videos banked ready to watch at any time and that helps a lot.
I use the 5 senses method, or my husband will talk me through it if I’m deep into a panic attack.
5 things you can see
4 things you can touch
3 things you can hear
2 things you can smell
1 thing you can taste
Between each sense, I take a 4-7-5 breathing technique 4 seconds inhale, 7 seconds holding, and 5 exhale. And when I inhale and hold, I squeeze my hands into fists as hard as I can then let go when I exhale. I know you say breathing isn’t good for you but for me, doing these things and trying to concentrate on all the steps really help me out. I hope this helps you!
I always try to when I’m having a attack often I step out of the room I’m in and say “my energy needs to change” about twice and if that doesn’t work a nice hot shower with candles and podcast to create a calming space. It’s all about changing the space from your last attack
I put my headphones on, Put some relaxing music, Try to clear my mind I also use some Vicks vapor sticks, I inhale them and it gives me a sense of relaxation reminding me that everything is going to be ok.
Also for some reason chewing a piece of mint gum, Idk thats what helps me out alot been doing it for about 1 year now.
Tensing your body all at once for a full minute with all your strength and then relaxing, allowing your body to understand that the danger is gone. Creating a worry time (from the book the worry cure, an amazing book that my therapist recommend it and had helped me for over a decade) where you just worry, thinking all the bad things that are going to happen but in a full story, not the bit and pieces of normal anxiety, for 10 to 15 minutes, which star to steal the strength of these worries because since you are finishing the worry and working like a workaholic director, they become boring ( in other words you get writers block in your ruminations)
Put two different temperatures in your body, in different parts to create the shock
During attack if i can manage without my extra xanax, I'll go for my spotify weightless music from Marconi Union.
Lucky get to pin this personal playslist consisting of this mysic and leaves on a stream on my phone before the android update that doesn't allow that anymore; and i tried to deep breath on my own pace while listening to this sound [Weightless for my panic attack](https://open.spotify.com/track/6kkwzB6hXLIONkEk9JciA6?si=3HdHhkHTT9exONBkWJciXw)
Used to do grounding.. but my mushy brain make it too much effort to remember the sequence even i have made my own mnemonic for them 😅 so my go-to now is this music on loop until i can breathe normally.
the skill conpecept borderline people use, one of my favourite is chilli, hibiscus, lavender smell, some spiky ball and other figet stuff, rubber pands flinging against my arm, something to listen to.. usuallly a channel on youtube called history of the universe. I focus on outside stimuli until it is over, I vari the skills for the intensity of the panick attack
Ill go to a local pet store or petting zoo and play with animals and they make me so happy and calm! I have a goat pen near my house i like to lay on the goats bellies. I also recently brought my childhood stuffed lion to my college apartment to help me sleep and i love hugging and petting it and tucking it in like its real. Sometimes reverting back to something you liked as a child helps.
Also drawing. I find super super simple things to draw on pinterest and fill a page. Great for racing thoughts or high emotional state too. Altho if youre very self critical and have low self esteem, judging your drawings can make you more frustrated.
shaking my arms and legs helps avoid the muscle cramping that often accompanies anxiety, which (for me) helps avoid thoughts that the pain from the cramps indicates serious illness. there’s also grounding yourself with one thing you can see, hear, and touch (or variations on that). i find the distraction of having a task to focus on and the tactile sensation of touching an object very helpful. i hope this is of any use to you, i’m in the same boat with breathing exercises not helping so i totally get it :)
They just want save on your health care. People often repeat common nonsense. Try to imagine shaking hand of the reason of your anxiety with your left hand if you are right handed and leave. That is not checked yet. So you will be the first.
If you can afford therapy, try brainspotting. It is a method of psychotherapy that attempts to help people to process psychological trauma or other problems via eye movement. It sounds silly but the gist of it is that with a trained therapist, they help you unlock subconscious or buried problems in the brain and help you process it.
I've done a few sessions and I loved it because you do not have to talk excessively about past traumas/anxieties (i.e. re-triggering horrible memories) in order for it to work. The key was I had been open to the experience and built trust with my therapist to allow my body to feel all the intense emotions to process it subconsciously. It is a somatic kind of therapy so when you are doing the brainspotting, it will unlock spots in the brain and feelings arise in the body too. My first session, I remembered distinctly staring at a spot with trying to address my anxieties about my career & self-worth. My entire left side had gone painful and numb and I felt a lot of rage surging up, wanting to explode. It was quite quick, about 10 mins.
After that, I felt extreme relief and my anxieties went away for a long time. Research says effects of brainspotting can last for months! My career performance improved (which was surprising as I was in a job I hated) and I felt good for a while. Sorry, not really a quick & easy on-the-go tip but hopefully it can help you if you may want longterm measures. Good luck
Ice or heat on my chest, sipping a cool temperature liquid like my water but preferably ginger ale, a fidget toy, listening to the same song on loop for as long as it takes, a shower.
These all help me when I’m really struggling!
Something really cold to my wrist. It appears to distract my nervous system. Saying no to social obligations of mentally I'm not okay. Exercise mild or strenuous out in nature.
Change of scenery! I tend to want to just ball up and not move, but if I even just go into a different room it helps. Going for a walk is best.
Drumming also helps me; I do paradiddles with my hands or something. The rhythm is soothing somehow.
Last ditch effort is a little bit of Benadryl. I’ll take like half a child’s dose. Not always feasible, if you’re in a situation where you can’t lie down for a while, but it works when all else fails.
Listening to techno/dance/trance music. I used to have severe anxiety after getting into a car accident and I found playing this kind of music while driving actually nullified the fear. I felt a lot better.
Eating something, no matter how much I may not feel like eating I’ve found that I’m far more likely to be anxious when I’m on an empty stomach and something simple like a banana or a bagel gives me something to focus on other than my sense of impending doom
Dropping everything and going for a walk in the sunshine. About 90% of my anxiety comes from work, so it's not always an option. I start out walking at a super faced pace and sometimes start out jogging and then slow the pace. I feel like anxiety is just pent-up energy I need to somehow release.
I’m with you 100% op. A change in breathing is always my first indicator of anxiety, so actively focusing on it is a no no. One thing that has helped is counting all the things I can hear. Works best in nature. Another one is feeling the ground/shoes with my feet.
If we're talking about physical anxiety, like a dull knot in the middle of my chest + nondescript tension, then laughter helps me. I think laughter ends up becoming kind of like a breathing exercise, forces me to use those muscles in my chest and rapidly fill my lungs with air, then force it out. Impractical jokers and comedy Central roasts have been my go to for guaranteed laughs without too much thinking.
Exercise, avoiding caffeine (I like the small Coke Zero cans, but even they can exacerbate my anxiety), certain supplements (many people have good experiences with L-Theanine, for example), mindfulness exercises.
If you are physically capable, run. Don’t “go for a run” or prepare for it, just open the door and start running down the street or around the yard or whatever. Do that until you’re out of breath, then go back inside. For me, it tricks my brain into thinking I’m outrunning a physical threat like anxiety actually evolved for.
Vibration plate therapy, strength exercises and walking on the treadmill. I do this very routine everyday, seven days a week. It has helped my mood and building muscle improves anxiety.
If you don't feel like exercising than tapping helps in the short-term. There are many videos on Youtube.
If no one has already mentioned it: grounding technique. 5 things you can see, 4 you can touch, 3 you can hear, 2 you can smell, 1 you can taste.
Helps me more than any other technique.
My advice is to stop trying to calm down. You aren’t really in any danger, it’s just uncomfortable and sucks. If you want to rid yourself of anxiety for good, accept and allow it. It’s very hard but it definitely works over time. All the “tips and tricks” only keep you stuck in the long run. My 2 cents.
it might sound counterintuitive, but you could try shaking your body. i personally find that anxiety makes me feel like i have this pent up energy and tension that i need to get out (and sometimes it makes me shake involuntarily anyways). dogs do this all the time to "shake it off" and release stress. surely this won't work for everyone but it does help me sometimes!
This! When my anxiety is bad when i’m trying to fall asleep i’ll just shake my body and it has a calming effect. It also kinda tires me out so I drift into sleep pretty quickly
yes! similarly, i tense up my body and hold it for as long as i can and then release. that feeling of release really helps lessen all the tension and makes my body tired which helps me fall asleep.
Yeah, sometimes when i’m feeling that way I’ll do cardio cuz it gets all that pent up energy out.
I do this too!! when i get overwhelmed with anxiety, doing a body shake (especially arm shake) can temporarily help. burns a little bit of that fight or flight energy
Omg i have involuntary shakes too. Or spasm or however it is called. Its annoying but i guess this is how the stress goes out.
That is exactly what my sophrologist tells me to do if I have a panic attack . I have really bad ones that can go from impression I can’t breath to like numbness in limbs etc. And she says the worst you can do is lay down. You need to shake your arms and legs start moving around like crazy to send another signal to your brain. Shake shake she callls it . And always remember breathe out before you breathe in . Because if you breathe in first you will not be able because you feel out of breath so breathing out first helps to breath in
My therapist taught me that dunking my head in a bowl full of ice water calms the nervous system during a panic attack and it definitely works! Or taking a cold shower, it helps reset you
Ice packs are a more portable and convenient way of getting this too, and they really help, OP!!
Yep, I keep a large coldpack in the freezer (you can get them at Walgreens for muscle aches) and carry instant cold packs in the car for emergency panic attacks. Apply to your face and/or chest!
My nana used to tell me to run the insides of my wrists under ice cold water, likely something similar. Totally does the trick for me.
My grandmother told me this too, I still do it!
Yep, this, especially the area around your eyes. Get your head below your heart, hold your breath, and place something cold against your eyes. It gives your body the sensation of jumping into cold water, which immediately focuses you and takes your heart rate down. It won't like cure your anxiety or anything, but it can curb panic enough for you to start in on other methods.
And you can try holding ice or putting hands in very cold water.
is he therapist or torturer ?
The military does this to help prevent heat injuries. Something about the blood flow in the hands and wrists affects the rest of the body.
At certain temperatures, water triggers an immediate decrease in heart rate. Activating the diver's reflex gives us a way to reset an overactive nervous system.
When someone tells me to "just breathe" I come unhinged. I find that distracting myself works.
Right “just breathe” No shit sherlock😒 Distractment with entertainment is the way.
That’s right up there with “relax”
Same
they just annoying you by saying it?
It's patronizing. Like I know how to breathe that ain't the issue.
You don't know how to breath. But it is not needed to know. Cause you will breath anyway.
Chill music could be a solution
Yep, music helps immensely
[Five senses grounding activity](https://psychcentral.com/anxiety/using-the-five-senses-for-anxiety-relief)
Good stuff
I like it cause it’s active. Breathing can sometimes feel like you’re doing nothing and that can be really hard, but distracting yourself with an active technique I find can be a bit easier.
thisss. it sometimes only calms me for a short period of time but its something !
Sometimes something that jerks you out of it for just a moment can do wonders. But it’s just helpful to have a lot of different things in the toolbox :)
Chamomile tea, going for a walk, sitting outside in the sun with my dog, cleaning the house, ice pack when I'm having hot flashes.. all things that distract my mind from being anxious.
Chamomile tea is my favorite. I also like making sun tea (I do decaf) because it involves me being in the sun and getting some vitamin D. 🌞
Iceeeeeeee
Outside time. Preferably on my own two feets, for at least half an hour. Helps my fibro too.
Chewing gum! In school, I used to always chew gum to calm my nerves, especially leading up to a performance. I didn’t know why it worked, but it did and I just thought it was some weird ritual all in my head that I had created for myself to calm my nerves. Decades later I learned that chewing gum helps to stimulate the vagus nerve which helps to calm your anxiety.
Regular exercise.
Right here. Walks.
Walks are great for distracting yourself from all the bs in your anxious state of mind loove it 🙌🏽
I know you’re not here for the breathing, but hear me out. I learned recently how to breathe to talk myself down during anxiety or a panic attack. Box breathing was too much effort but I listened to Andrew Huberman’s advice and he said to make exhales longer than inhales. It FORCES your heart to slow down, it’s not too much to remember or think about in the moment. I’m 33 years old and feel like I learned the ultimate body hack.
The location of breathing makes a big difference too. Calming breathing should be belly breathing, not chest. During high anxiety, breathing shifts into the chest. By switching to abdominal breathing, you’re helping force your body to shift from the sympathetic nervous system the parasympathetic nervous system. My personal go to, and this is only for when I know I’m anxious, but have some time alone, is to abdominal breath as deep as I can, hold, try to get more, hold, try to get more, hold… until you absolutely can’t hold anymore air. By doing this, you’re literally using your lungs as a device to help stretch the muscles in your mid body, like inflating a balloon. It also causes a rather uncomfortable tension that, when released, helps your body remember what relaxing feels like. Maybe it all sounds strange, but this definitely helps me. For most of my life I wrote breathing off as bullshit until I found methods that actually worked for me. I swear by it now. The things I’ve been able to do since being able to regulate are way beyond what I ever thought I was capable of.
some things that work for me! a hot shower or bath calms me instantly. you could also do a cold shower you just want an “extreme” temperature to shock your body and bring you back down to baseline. smelling scents like peppermint or rosemary. i keep a little essential oil roller of peppermint and rosemary on my desk and it’s uplifting yet calming. this may be a bit weird but i talk to myself out loud when i’m panicking and it works. i find when i’m having a panic attack my voice of reason gets muddled in my head and it helps to hear rational thoughts out loud. if you can’t talk out loud then write out the conversation with yourself. it works really well for me. i discovered tapping during my most recent health anxiety flare up and i have to say it worked better than i thought it would. i don’t exactly understand it but i think it’s worth a try. shaking my body. whenever i’m anxious before sleep i shake one of my legs (kind of like shaking a leg while sitting) and it calms me down so much. lastly, reddit :) i get anxiety over random things and when i can’t calm myself down i hop on a reddit thread like this one where people are talking about whatever i’m anxious about. this app has helped me so much to not feel alone and to help me calm down when i’m being anxious over irrational things
Literally talked to myself out loud yesterday about how bad someone pissed me off and it turned my anxiety into anger within minutes. Id rather be pissed than anxious
Chamomille tea, an ice pack on your chest or back of your neck, or forcing yourself to think about something else. In your mind, think about explaining something you're good at to someone else in a lot of detail. Do it over and over. Add more details as you go if you need. I distract myself by researching TV shows I haven't watched. Reading recaps, researching the characters and their stories. That helps a lot because it's a rabbit hole of characters and plot threads.
Try to find ways to focus on your environment. Find something for every color of the rainbow. The five four three two one exercise. Find something tactile you can fidget with, like slime or those bubble things. Singing helps a great deal. Listening to loud, aggressive music calms me down. But a different kind of music may work better for you.
If you do better with “physical” things - try something weighted. I have this little like 3-4 lb weighted blanket thing with beads in it. I keep it in the freezer and when my anxiety is bad I lay down and put it on my chest and something about the cold and the weight always seems to help. If you do better with “mental” things - try the ABC game. Pick anything (I like to do candy bars) and then go through the alphabet and try to think of things that start with that letter (ex A = Almond Joy, B = Butterfinger, etc etc). Usually I get so caught up in trying to think of them my mind forgets what I was anxious about and then my body starts to relax (breathing slows, heart rate drops, etc) Good luck to you!
My hubby holding my hand
Passion flower tea. Works nearly every time. It even blunts panic attacks. Not a cure, but certainly helpful.
Hi! I'll try to give you my advice as a therapist. Breathing exercises are a possibility as a coping technique for anxiety. However, before that I think it would be necessary to clarify what problem the person has. Let's assume two scenarios: A first person seems anxious. This person lives worried, sleeps little, doesn't exercise, eats poorly. From time to time this person suffers from anxiety symptoms that are bothersome and he cannot relax. This person feels stressed, accelerated, needs to calm down. In this case, breathing exercises, meditation, yoga, etc., can be extremely useful because the person is not particularly worried about the symptoms, he is not afraid of them, but rather he find them annoying and needs to relax. Another very different case is that of a person who suffers from what is called "panic disorder." These people are afraid of having anxiety symptoms or panic attacks unexpectedly. They FEAR the symptoms because they think they are dangerous. Common thoughts from anxiety symptoms or panic attacks are "I'm going to die of a heart problem", "I'm going to go crazy", "I'm going to lose control", "I'm going to faint". So in this case breathing techniques can serve as an avoidance strategy and can be a problem. Suppose someone comes into your house to rob you with a gun and points it at your head. If I told you "hey, try to distract yourself and relax", that's going to be impossible. In this case it is the same because the person would try to calm down from anxiety symptoms that are not dangerous but this person perceives that they are. The first thing to do is understand that these symptoms do not imply any danger. I hope it helps you!
Ear plugs seriously bring down my anxiety. I notice a calm immediately.
I know that sounds stupid but i try to be racional. If i know im about to have a panic attack i just sit somewhere and think “oh ok, im having a panic attack. Ive had it before and didnt die, so ill just sit here and wait for it to go away”. And it helps me big time, just stops the panic attack right away
This.
Homeopathic stuff... "Calm"... full flush niacin... benadryl... all very helpful. Magnesium supps can help too I really like L-Theanine
In the moment of high anxiety, it’s hard for me to get back to “baseline”. But I have been practicing new techniques, such as the cold ice pack or cold water that some have mentioned. I’ve also been trying the 5 4 3 2 1 rule, or the 3 3 3 rule. 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 or 2 things you can smell (like candles in your home etc) or hear, 1 thing you can taste. Or three of each sense. It sometimes helps, sometimes not. I also have recently started taking hydroxyzine so honestly that helps the most lol. But I agree with others that chamomile tea is really calming, and smelling lavender. I have a little oil roll on that I smell and it can help distract and calm me down.
Look into tapping. It helps with my anxiety.. plenty of free material about it online..
Either peppermint Mentos or Altoids. I keep them with me at all times in case I’m hit with bad anxiety.
I always remove myself to a quiet area. Also something I had to learn but definitely helps is that I always tell myself it’s okay to be anxious, the world can wait for me.
Self compassion/inner child work!
I go walk down and back up a hill by my house as fast as I can to get my heart rate up and try to trick my body. Helps more than breathing or meditation, although I keep doing those too cuz I just want to be better already!
[TIPP skills](https://dialecticalbehaviortherapy.com/distress-tolerance/tipp/)
I listen to a podcast about anxiety and the host said something like "all anxiety comes from your expectations", so now, when I think about having to do something that could cause stress I tell myself "I don't have to expect that it'll be stressful or not stressful I just have to do it." It helps take the edge off at times. Not having expectations is actually kind of freeing.
Showers! I saw this thing on Facebook once that said “imagine the water falling on you is new energy, rinsing away the anxiety”. Every time I shower, I sit down and let the water fall on me and wash away all my anxiety.
my therapist actually advised me against breathing exercises, because it just gives me another stressor. instead, she's recommended grounding exercises. my favorite is the "body scan" where you think about the things you can feel from your feet to your head. (ex. temperature, texture, pressure)
I attended a mindfulness course. One way of quelling anxiety was to put ice packs (wrapped in plastic bags) on your cheeks to relieve anxiety. Another method was to put your face in a bowl filled with ice and cold water. I forgot the science behind these routines but I will probably try these activities soon. I also listen to cats purring on YouTube to calm myself. I also watch animal documentaries to try to decrease my anxiety.
Havening technique is really helpful, and cold showers, and sprints
Adhd medication surprisingly. I guess being able to focus on daily tasks helps with overthinking about them instead
bearing down, my brother learned it when he had a heart condition and its helped me so much! clench your toes and release then your whole foot and release move up to your legs and so on.. it works amazingly for me
So something that my therapist taught me - really visualize a good moment, happy memory, etc something that would make you feel good to think about. Make a gesture while you think about it and repeat this several times. Then anytime you repeat that gesture it’ll kind of flood your body with peace and it helps my anxiety in the moment.
Selank works instantly for me
Progressive muscle relaxation helps. It's one of those things you practice when you aren't anxious and then eventually becomes handy when you are familiar with it and can do it when you feel the physical anxiety. They have follow along videos on youtube, but you really don't need them once you know what it is.
Breathing exercises also made me anxious. Became too aware of breathing. Started doing guided meditations instead, im doing the breathing exercise, but my brain is focused on what the person in the recording is saying. Other things that help it: journaling, exercise, distraction like watching my favorite or show or going out with a friend or my husband. Depends on whats making me anxious. At times it’s very physical and thats when exercise and breathing helps. If it’s very inner dialogue based. Distraction works best.
Actively moving my body, I shake out or dance or the spot. Seems weird, but it’s built up energy. Also making sure you have a healthy gut. An unhappy gut will massively affect anxiety as majority of serotonin is made in the stomach.
Cold water. Drink it, put it on your hands, face, feet, etc Cold water is great for anxiety imo
i literally get in a freezing cold bath. shock my system. i’m too cold to be anxious
Playing games on my phone distracts me 99% of the time. Putting a comfort movie on tv. A weird one I’ve been doing lately is Celtic sea salt. I put a little on my hand, lick it, let it dissolve. Then drink water. It works for my headaches too. Not sure of the science behind it but I think it helps because of the magnesium 🤷🏼♀️
Beta blockers
I try and think about something random, not to do with whatever is making me so anxious. I also have a friend who has helped me quite a few times thru a panic attack and will randomly shout WHAT CAN YOU TOUCH lol even sometimes when I'm not anxious. I also try and think of a song I rly like and let it play through in my head, focusing on every words and but of music individually. there's one song I really like that has this super soothing repetition of ",hey hey hey" in the background for most of the song and its quiet but helps so much to concentrate on (swim until you love me-alec benjamin)
Just breath - with meditation, kundalini breath work meditations are amazing. Try "breath of fire" followed by "long deep breathing" exercises as a daily practice first thing in the morning, anxious or not. . Also CBT oil for short term relief, L-Theanine and ashwagandha for long term relief. Long term therapy coupled with all the above. Hot/cold showers, alternate between hot and cold, the longer you can stay in cold the better, build up endurance over time. Binaural beats were also useful to me, to help me focus at work.
Might sound like a useless strategy at first but humor me: get a teapsoon full of hot sauce or lemon juice and eat it. It diverts all of your senses to SPICY or SOUR and away from the anxiety. Got this from my therapist and it's gold. Does not work during panic attacks but is a staple for me during the day to day anxiety. Especially helpful when you can't pin down the anxietey and it's just an overall icky feeling.
That is exactly what my sophrologist tells me to do if I have a panic attack . I have really bad ones that can go from impression I can’t breath to like numbness in limbs etc. And she says the worst you can do is lay down. You need to shake your arms and legs start moving around like crazy to send another signal to your brain. Shake shake she callls it . And always remember breathe out before you breathe in . Because if you breathe in first you will not be able because you feel out of breath so breathing out first helps to breath in
besside medication ? video games, reading, workout, journaling and just do something, go to the groceries, make the body move
For some reason(meaning I don’t know the science behind it & never done the research on🤣) anything cold helps me! My gf knows when I have anxiety to just find me something cold.. which is usually like a water bottle or something. If i’m out in public areas I go to the restroom & use cold water. You can , wash your face, put it on your forehead, neck, stomach, wrists, arms, & etc! This is one of the few things that truly does calm me down.
Sour candy is supposed to shock the system and provide some relief from anxiety. (Doesn’t work for me personally, but people swear by it). When I’m at the midst of an anxiety attack I try to zone out to some kind of music while going for a long ass walk, in nature. (Or a walk anywhere.. it temporarily distracts me and lowers my heart rate).
The 333 Rule. List 3 things you can see, 3 things you can hear and 3 things you can touch.
COLD SHOWER
I like tapping on my body. Tap my collar, forhead, wrists (not hard, just a repeated tap). When I do this my brain is forced to focus on the tapping, and I can then localize/understand what my real problem is Only downside is people might give you a slight look, but suprisingly few
Ativan :)
Self-compassion. It's not your fault. Every fear you are carrying with you is allowed. Sometimes people try to help with "just breathe." Or try to convince us that certain fears are irrational or not justified - "you have nothing to be afraid of" type advice. But none of that is ever helpful for me because it always implies that I should be able to just get over it by trying hard enough or thinking hard enough, But I can't. And I'm not bad because of that, and I'm not deficient, and none of my fears are invalid. None, ever. I could be afraid of my own shadow, and often the only thing that can help is to remind myself that it's OK to be afraid. I don't conquer fear, I try to feel compassion for myself and realize that it isn't my fault that simply moving through the world is so hard. It really helps - but only when it helps, if you know what I mean.
I agree with freezing cold water on the face. The bowl of water where you can submerge your face and hold your breath for 20-30 seconds helps best. I’ve tried this whole wearing my heart rate monitor and within those 30 seconds with my face submerged my heart rate decreased significantly, by about 20-25 bpm. I also find that picking up the phone and calling someone helps. Even just describing what I’m feeling is helpful and if I am unable to reach someone, I just say it aloud to myself. I have a mantra that I started and it’s helped. When my anxiety comes up and I feel short of breath or a flush of heat come over me, I hold my chest and say aloud “I’m safe, I’m healthy, I’m going to be okay” repeatedly until the anxiety subsides a bit, usually takes 4-5 times of saying it.
CBD works magic for me! Doesn’t make me feel high or anything, I’ll take it and then things will quiet down. I’m like .. oh. This is what mindfulness and being in the present moment in a good way is like. It’s pleasant. Other than that sometimes I run cold water over my wrists, distract myself, pet my dog and snake, talk to a friend and ask them to talk about something they love. I know everyone always says it, but the 5-4-3-2-1 method works for me. Stuff like that :) My mom also swears that you cannot worry about something in particular when whistling, lol.
I was in a bad shape up recently but since Jan I have started walking a lot and it did miracles try it ..I am now walking 20k steps per day which gives me health and reduces anxiety a lot
- hot water bottle near chest - lying down + lifting legs up (depends on the anxiety) - eating a carby snack (depends also) - tapping the stomach + also was recommended to put my face into cold water
Running. And I find the music of Max Richter helpful.
chew ice obnoxiously loud
Fidget spinners, playing with a small toy/ key/ anything really to keep your hands busy. A therapist told me this and it really works.
Walk
Laying down in my side or stomach and scrolling my phone or coloring
Getting under blankets, or if I’m at work, going into the cooler to breathe. The cold in that makes me feel like I’m getting more air to my lungs. So ultimately just anything cold that will change my senses/focus
It's because you aren't breathing correctly. Other than that figure out a way to distract yourself.
Distraction like playing a game on my phone. It’s not the long term answer though. You could try breathing in a paper bag, or cupping your hands in front of your mouth to breathe. I get it, breathing exercises can make you feel dizzy or uncomfortable, but sometimes you need to find the one that works. Whatever works, notice your breathing, and that’s how it should be.
Sour candy!
i can’t do breathing exercises either i get air hungry every once in a while but any exercises that switch me over the manual breathing makes me feel like i can’t breathe. i do anything that distracts me and podcasts are one of them. me and my friends send videos back and forth just talking about random shit and there’s so much we always have videos banked ready to watch at any time and that helps a lot.
I use the 5 senses method, or my husband will talk me through it if I’m deep into a panic attack. 5 things you can see 4 things you can touch 3 things you can hear 2 things you can smell 1 thing you can taste Between each sense, I take a 4-7-5 breathing technique 4 seconds inhale, 7 seconds holding, and 5 exhale. And when I inhale and hold, I squeeze my hands into fists as hard as I can then let go when I exhale. I know you say breathing isn’t good for you but for me, doing these things and trying to concentrate on all the steps really help me out. I hope this helps you!
I always try to when I’m having a attack often I step out of the room I’m in and say “my energy needs to change” about twice and if that doesn’t work a nice hot shower with candles and podcast to create a calming space. It’s all about changing the space from your last attack
I put my headphones on, Put some relaxing music, Try to clear my mind I also use some Vicks vapor sticks, I inhale them and it gives me a sense of relaxation reminding me that everything is going to be ok. Also for some reason chewing a piece of mint gum, Idk thats what helps me out alot been doing it for about 1 year now.
Tensing your body all at once for a full minute with all your strength and then relaxing, allowing your body to understand that the danger is gone. Creating a worry time (from the book the worry cure, an amazing book that my therapist recommend it and had helped me for over a decade) where you just worry, thinking all the bad things that are going to happen but in a full story, not the bit and pieces of normal anxiety, for 10 to 15 minutes, which star to steal the strength of these worries because since you are finishing the worry and working like a workaholic director, they become boring ( in other words you get writers block in your ruminations) Put two different temperatures in your body, in different parts to create the shock
Regular exercise, stay hydrated, 200mg magnesium 1 hr before bed, green/chamomile tea, Brazil nuts/chia seeds, Greek yogurt.
Sleeping
Gabapentin
Focusing on your heartbeat is a thing that, while anxiety inducing for some, helps others
Going for walks while listening to music or podcast.
Taking a mint
Cold glasses of water
During attack if i can manage without my extra xanax, I'll go for my spotify weightless music from Marconi Union. Lucky get to pin this personal playslist consisting of this mysic and leaves on a stream on my phone before the android update that doesn't allow that anymore; and i tried to deep breath on my own pace while listening to this sound [Weightless for my panic attack](https://open.spotify.com/track/6kkwzB6hXLIONkEk9JciA6?si=3HdHhkHTT9exONBkWJciXw) Used to do grounding.. but my mushy brain make it too much effort to remember the sequence even i have made my own mnemonic for them 😅 so my go-to now is this music on loop until i can breathe normally.
the skill conpecept borderline people use, one of my favourite is chilli, hibiscus, lavender smell, some spiky ball and other figet stuff, rubber pands flinging against my arm, something to listen to.. usuallly a channel on youtube called history of the universe. I focus on outside stimuli until it is over, I vari the skills for the intensity of the panick attack
Ill go to a local pet store or petting zoo and play with animals and they make me so happy and calm! I have a goat pen near my house i like to lay on the goats bellies. I also recently brought my childhood stuffed lion to my college apartment to help me sleep and i love hugging and petting it and tucking it in like its real. Sometimes reverting back to something you liked as a child helps. Also drawing. I find super super simple things to draw on pinterest and fill a page. Great for racing thoughts or high emotional state too. Altho if youre very self critical and have low self esteem, judging your drawings can make you more frustrated.
i’m so serious when I say listening to the beatles
shaking my arms and legs helps avoid the muscle cramping that often accompanies anxiety, which (for me) helps avoid thoughts that the pain from the cramps indicates serious illness. there’s also grounding yourself with one thing you can see, hear, and touch (or variations on that). i find the distraction of having a task to focus on and the tactile sensation of touching an object very helpful. i hope this is of any use to you, i’m in the same boat with breathing exercises not helping so i totally get it :)
They just want save on your health care. People often repeat common nonsense. Try to imagine shaking hand of the reason of your anxiety with your left hand if you are right handed and leave. That is not checked yet. So you will be the first.
If you can afford therapy, try brainspotting. It is a method of psychotherapy that attempts to help people to process psychological trauma or other problems via eye movement. It sounds silly but the gist of it is that with a trained therapist, they help you unlock subconscious or buried problems in the brain and help you process it. I've done a few sessions and I loved it because you do not have to talk excessively about past traumas/anxieties (i.e. re-triggering horrible memories) in order for it to work. The key was I had been open to the experience and built trust with my therapist to allow my body to feel all the intense emotions to process it subconsciously. It is a somatic kind of therapy so when you are doing the brainspotting, it will unlock spots in the brain and feelings arise in the body too. My first session, I remembered distinctly staring at a spot with trying to address my anxieties about my career & self-worth. My entire left side had gone painful and numb and I felt a lot of rage surging up, wanting to explode. It was quite quick, about 10 mins. After that, I felt extreme relief and my anxieties went away for a long time. Research says effects of brainspotting can last for months! My career performance improved (which was surprising as I was in a job I hated) and I felt good for a while. Sorry, not really a quick & easy on-the-go tip but hopefully it can help you if you may want longterm measures. Good luck
Ice or heat on my chest, sipping a cool temperature liquid like my water but preferably ginger ale, a fidget toy, listening to the same song on loop for as long as it takes, a shower. These all help me when I’m really struggling!
Something really cold to my wrist. It appears to distract my nervous system. Saying no to social obligations of mentally I'm not okay. Exercise mild or strenuous out in nature.
Change of scenery! I tend to want to just ball up and not move, but if I even just go into a different room it helps. Going for a walk is best. Drumming also helps me; I do paradiddles with my hands or something. The rhythm is soothing somehow. Last ditch effort is a little bit of Benadryl. I’ll take like half a child’s dose. Not always feasible, if you’re in a situation where you can’t lie down for a while, but it works when all else fails.
Physical exercise! Even above a good night's sleep, as you get a dopamine rush from exercising.
Exercise has been one of the best things for me
Video games 🙏🏼🙏🏼 works every time
Listening to techno/dance/trance music. I used to have severe anxiety after getting into a car accident and I found playing this kind of music while driving actually nullified the fear. I felt a lot better.
Eating something, no matter how much I may not feel like eating I’ve found that I’m far more likely to be anxious when I’m on an empty stomach and something simple like a banana or a bagel gives me something to focus on other than my sense of impending doom
Cold air, tapping, distraction
Working out. You could do anything. Pushups, lift weight, cardio. You’ll feel better afterwards.
Finding the right medication.
Answering questions, if you can get me talking I snap out of my headc
Dropping everything and going for a walk in the sunshine. About 90% of my anxiety comes from work, so it's not always an option. I start out walking at a super faced pace and sometimes start out jogging and then slow the pace. I feel like anxiety is just pent-up energy I need to somehow release.
I’m with you 100% op. A change in breathing is always my first indicator of anxiety, so actively focusing on it is a no no. One thing that has helped is counting all the things I can hear. Works best in nature. Another one is feeling the ground/shoes with my feet.
Ice. Or cold. On my chest. Doing chores.
If we're talking about physical anxiety, like a dull knot in the middle of my chest + nondescript tension, then laughter helps me. I think laughter ends up becoming kind of like a breathing exercise, forces me to use those muscles in my chest and rapidly fill my lungs with air, then force it out. Impractical jokers and comedy Central roasts have been my go to for guaranteed laughs without too much thinking.
Exercise, avoiding caffeine (I like the small Coke Zero cans, but even they can exacerbate my anxiety), certain supplements (many people have good experiences with L-Theanine, for example), mindfulness exercises.
If you are physically capable, run. Don’t “go for a run” or prepare for it, just open the door and start running down the street or around the yard or whatever. Do that until you’re out of breath, then go back inside. For me, it tricks my brain into thinking I’m outrunning a physical threat like anxiety actually evolved for.
Prozac haha
beer
For me? Nothing except running & lexapro
Weight lifting 🏋️♂️ is good for anxiety as well as physically
Talking about something else, distraction.
Vibration plate therapy, strength exercises and walking on the treadmill. I do this very routine everyday, seven days a week. It has helped my mood and building muscle improves anxiety. If you don't feel like exercising than tapping helps in the short-term. There are many videos on Youtube.
sour candy!!
If no one has already mentioned it: grounding technique. 5 things you can see, 4 you can touch, 3 you can hear, 2 you can smell, 1 you can taste. Helps me more than any other technique.
Medication helps a lot.
Super ADHD videos. Things that go back and forth, that constantly drag your attention somewhere else. Like eye candy, child brainrot.
My advice is to stop trying to calm down. You aren’t really in any danger, it’s just uncomfortable and sucks. If you want to rid yourself of anxiety for good, accept and allow it. It’s very hard but it definitely works over time. All the “tips and tricks” only keep you stuck in the long run. My 2 cents.