Managing Anxiety

“Breathe in. Now breathe out,” a common phrase used to help during meditation and when people are feeling anxious. With the way the world has been, feeling anxious has become a sort of norm, and of course people are going to be nervous about what is going on around them. As times change, and with the release of vaccines, the stress of it all is starting to go away. But what about the people who are diagnosed with anxiety? 

On the website Healthline by Fiona Thomas, she explains ways to help anxiety to better improve one’s anxiety, “There’s no quick fix for anxiety, and it may often feel like an uphill struggle. But by gaining awareness of what causes your symptoms, and getting help from your doctor, you can manage your symptoms.” 

There are also things that we do in our daily lives that can change the way we handle our anxiety and make it worse, such as caffeine. Caffeine is a big anxiety inducer and should be avoided before stressful activities (this includes carbonated soft drinks). 

Of course, everyone handles their anxiety differently. Senior Hollie Loveridge says “texting my love” is how she helps cope with her anxiety. 

Sara Fulkerth states, “what I do to calm myself when I am feeling anxious is I like to be doing something. Whether it’s randomly cleaning my room or baking in the kitchen, I like to be doing something so it takes my mind off of what was causing my anxiety in the first place.” 

Some ways to calm anxiety is through the use of fragrance; lavender is well known for its calming properties.  Consider carrying around a small bottle of lavender on you or jewelry that was made to absorb essential oil so you don’t have to worry about carrying the bottle.  

Hannah Crandall states “I’m so into essential oils and using them in my baths, on my wrists and diffusing them into the air really helps to calm my nerves and soothe anxiety that I experience. I’ve also found that mother nature’s scents are very healing. Smelling rain, pine trees, or even just dirt and grass have helped me so much to focus on the present moment and not to be in my head.” 

Simple tasks can help as well.  Eating a snack or drinking some water can make a noticeable difference. During a stressful day, we sometimes forget to eat something or drink some water; hunger and dehydration can cause heart palpitations bringing on panic making anxiety symptoms worse. 

Senior Kennedy Harley explains that “when someone is anxious, it may trigger their fight or flight causing them to sweat which can enhance the feeling of dehydration.” Anxiety is a big issue that many people struggle with. If you are unsure if you have anxiety and need help, be sure to visit your local doctor and get help. Never be too shy to talk about what you are feeling. Mental health is an important aspect of your health so when needed, please seek help from a medical professional.