For most people who experience anxiety, it’s the outside world that can feel overwhelming and be a source of discomfort. However, it’s not uncommon to experience feelings of anxiety at home, too. No matter your triggers, your home is a great place to start when it comes to managing your symptoms. In this guide, we delve into a few different strategies you may want to try out.
Educate yourself
When we feel anxious, we don’t always know what it is that we’re feeling anxious about. This in itself can lead to even more feelings of discontent, as we struggle to rationalize and come to terms with what we are experiencing.
Many people find that when they take a little time to understand the way that their minds work, their anxiety is alleviated considerably. Often, this is achieved through the guidance of a counselor or psychologist during therapy, however, it’s possible to conduct a little bit of research on your own at home too. By taking the time to study psychological processes, you’ll likely increase your self-awareness, and may even learn a few helpful therapeutic techniques.
Allow yourself some downtime
When you’re feeling anxious, the last thing you want to do is go to work or socialize. While it’s important not to isolate yourself or avoid the activities that trigger you, it can be helpful to allow yourself some downtime when it’s feasible.
Perhaps you’ll want to take some time for yourself after a busy day at work or allow yourself a day on the weekend to laze around. It’s important to recognize that downtime is just as important as being productive, and ultimately, a little relaxation every now and then will help you to better manage your responsibilities and commitments in the long run.
Anxiety can be stressful, so it’s important not to put further pressure on yourself to get things done. Instead, allow yourself to simply do nothing, and let your mind and body enjoy a little rest and recuperation.
Look after your body
Our physical and mental health is inextricably linked, so it’s important to make an effort to take care of your body, just as you do your mind.
It can be easy to rely on comfort food as a coping mechanism when you’re feeling anxious. However, such foods, along with caffeine and alcohol, are likely to stimulate and increase feelings of anxiety. Similarly, there are some foods that will help you to feel better, such as protein-rich foods and complex carbohydrates. So, you’ll want to think about which foods will help or worsen the situation next time you’re feeling anxious at home.
Reach out for support
A problem shared is a problem halved, so if you feel able to, it’s best to reach out to someone else for support when you’re feeling anxious. This could be as simple as calling a family member texting a friend, or perhaps reaching out to a mental health service if you feel more comfortable speaking to a stranger.
Don’t forget that while there are ways to manage your anxiety by yourself at home, support is usually just a phone call away – and if you’re particularly struggling, you never have to suffer in silence. By trying out a few of these strategies and figuring out which works best for you, it’ll become much easier to manage your anxiety day-to-day, whether you’re out and about or at home.
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