Managing Anxiety

What is Anxiety?

It's normal to feel anxious, nervous, or worried at times. Anxiety is your body's fight or flight response kicking in that can cause the physical feelings we think of as anxiety, things like: sweaty palms, a racing heartbeat, butterflies in your stomach or nausea, trouble concentrating, and having a sense of danger or doom. While these feelings can be uncomfortable, they serve the purpose of bringing your attention to something happening in an effort to keep you safe (even if it sometimes may feel more harmful than helpful). 

If anxiety is more than a temporary feeling for you, it is time to seek support. This could look like anxiety getting in the way of daily activities such as your schooling, relationships, and enjoyment of other activities.

Anxiety Toolkit

Many things that alleviate anxiety work by helping to ground you, or in other words, showing your body that you are safe or have a sense of the things you CAN control in your environment. Here are some ideas to help get you started.

Box Breathing


Complete box breaths by doing the following, breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth. 

Acceptance


Oftentimes our impulse is to avoid uncomfortable feelings, but by avoiding anxiety, you may inadvertently be adding fuel to the fire. Instead, acknowledge and label your feelings and give yourself compassion. This might sound like, "I'm feeling butterflies in my stomach and my heart is racing. Oh, Anxiety Brain is here right now. This is hard, but it's okay to feel this way."

Shake It Out


Physically shaking out your body can alleviate muscle tension and burn through adrenaline, helping your body feel calmer. Think of it like a the hokey pokey, taking turns shaking out your arms and legs one at a time for an 8 count, or just move however feels good to you in the moment.

Journal

Explore your thoughts and struggles without judgement! This outlet allows you to verbalize your thoughts and potentially help identify patterns of thinking. 

Your journal doesn't have to be fancy, it could even be a note on your phone.

Guided Walk


Walking can lower your heartrate and release feel good endorphins that balance stress. If you need to occupy your mind on a walk, focus on your senses, try to feel your footfalls or breath, search for colors and smells, listening for the sounds of nature.

Cold Compress


Grab a piece of ice and hold it to the back of your neck or in your bare hands, then close your eyes and begin counting. Focus on your breath and the icy sensation until the ice melts. The cold sensation diverts your attention from anxiety to the physical sensation. 

Distract Your Mind

Find something else for your brain to think about! 

Here are some ideas to get you started: play a puzzle game (like Sudoku, a crossword, or 2048), color or draw, listen to music, clean your room or physical environment.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Take turns tensing and relaxing different muscle groups, moving through all areas of your body while deep breathing. 

Videos such as this one can help guide you through while you get used to the technique.