How to Manage Symptoms of Anxiety
The physical and psychological symptoms of anxiety can be overwhelming and impact day-to-day life and functioning for those who struggle. Managing symptoms of anxiety involves a multifaceted approach that addresses both the psychological and physiological aspects of the condition. However, with the right strategies it is possible to regain control and find relief.
One effective approach is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), which targets negative thought patterns and behaviours contributing to anxiety. Examples of some helpful CBT interventions for anxiety include cognitive restructuring, behavioural experiments and graded exposure.
Cognitive
Cognitive restructuring helps manage anxiety by changing the way we think. When we feel anxious, our thoughts can often become exaggerated or unrealistic, making the anxiety worse. With cognitive restructuring, we learn to identify these unhelpful thoughts and replace them with more realistic and balanced ones.
Behavioural
Behavioural experiments are like real-life tests we use to challenge our anxious thoughts and beliefs. Instead of just thinking about whether something will go wrong, we actually try it out to see what happens. Graded exposure is a method for gradually facing fears or anxiety triggers in a safe and controlled way. Instead of jumping straight into situations that make us anxious, we start with something a little bit challenging and work our way up.
Psychoeducation
Psychoeducation teaches us about how anxiety works, which is crucial for treating anxiety and panic disorder. Anxiety and panic are triggered by our body’s natural reaction to danger, known as the ‘fight or flight response.’ This response is helpful when we face life-threatening danger as it prepares us to fight or run away, but sometimes day-to-day stresses can trigger this response unnecessarily. When this happens, it causes physical symptoms like a fast heartbeat, sweating, and shallow breathing, which can be scary. However, psychoeducation helps us understand that these symptoms are just the body’s natural response to stress and are not harmful.
Breathing
Deep breathing exercises and progressive muscle relaxation can also help by calming the body’s stress response. Breathing techniques, like box breathing (holding and exhaling at intervals of 4 seconds) can help ease anxiety symptoms by promoting relaxation. Progressive muscle relaxation involves tensing and then relaxing different muscle groups, one at a time, to release built-up tension and reduce overall anxiety levels.
Grounding
Grounding techniques help manage anxiety symptoms by bringing attention back to the present moment. One simple grounding technique is the “5-4-3-2-1” exercise, where you name five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste, which helps shift focus away from anxious thoughts.
How we can help
Consistency is key when implementing the strategies set out above, and regular practice strengthens coping skills and helps integrate them into daily life. Seeking support from a mental health professional can provide additional guidance along the way.
By combining CBT interventions with psychoeducation as well as emotional regulation and grounding techniques, individuals can develop a robust toolkit for managing anxiety symptoms and improving overall well-being.
At North East Counselling and Therapy, our qualified counsellors and psychotherapists in Durham are able to offer support in how to manage symptoms of anxiety.
Contact us to set up an initial 60 minute assessment session, where we will work together to identify which form of therapy is right for you.