Let’s face it, anxiety sucks. And if you’re anything like it, you’d like it to go away as quickly as possible.
So take it from an avoidance expert—I’ve compiled the three biggest mistakes when it comes to trying to get rid of anxiety ASAP!
1. Avoidance or trying to get it to go away
Trying to make anxiety disappear just doesn’t work. Period.
Anxiety is a neurological response that will power can’t solve, it’s a signal asking to be paid attention to.
So if you head straight to Instagram every time you get anxious feels in hopes that when you’re done it’ll have cooled down the worry, it likely won’t.
Instead, process your thoughts trough journaling, setting goals, or creating to-do lists. This way you can understand what your brain is trying to communicate.
By writing down your thoughts, you’ve physically put your worries outside your body which allows the brain to rest.
2. Overthinking and Ruminating
The anxiety response drives nervous thinking.
We want to get ahead of the fear and plan for every possible outcome. But the more you think about alternatives, the more negative they become.
If you’ve ever found yourself at the bottom of a black worry hole, you know how quickly this can get out of hand.
Instead, chat with a logical friend about your anxious thoughts.
A talk with a calm, logical friend you trust will help you better understand what you’re feeling without going down the black hole of endless situations!
3. Inactivity
Anxiety paralyzes us. We find ways to desensitize and zone out. But that will only delay the response.
Anxiety chases away any interest in exercise and promotes avoidance, lethargy, and idleness.
Instead, take a walkby yourself, with a friend, or call Mom! Just by taking a walk, you gain control of the amygdala, our emotional reacting system.
A walk or workout is the perfect solution! By raising your heart rate changes brain chemistry, releasing anti-anxiety neurochemicals to calm the nerves.
It took me 30 years to realize how much running calmed me down and it quickly became the additive remedy that I needed to manage my anxiety.
