People Share Their Secrets on How to Walk Off Anxiety

Anxiety is a real problem for many, and for some, it can be severe enough to become a crippling disorder. Enough to disrupt normal life and add even more stress to an already volatile situation. While occasional anxiety over a troubling situation is part of life, for many people it can take far more serious forms. A few brave souls decided to share what they do to manage their anxiety levels and stave off a panic attack. Scroll down to read their inspiring tips and stories.

Out-of-the-box solutions to soothe anxiety.

• My anxiety tends to creep up on me the worst when I’m trying to fall asleep, so I end up lying awake in bed for hours thinking about the most random, stressful stuff. Then years ago, one night, my husband asked me to lightly run my nails/fingers up and down his arm to help him fall asleep. So I did, and I ended up falling asleep within a few minutes. So now, when we go to bed, I’ll hug his arm and run my fingers up and down his arm. It puts us both right to sleep in minutes. So yeah, that’s my weird little bedtime anxiety habit, lol. MissMerrimack / Reddit
• Maybe a weird one, but to counter my brain being hyper-vigilant about my body (heartbeat, breathing) and the tornado of thoughts, I recite The Litany of Fear from Dune over and over again.
  The Bene Gesserit Litany Against Fear: I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is a little death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past, I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone, there will be nothing. Only I will remain. EvilMonkey_86 / Reddit
• I give my anxiety and intrusive thoughts a name so it’s easier to dismiss them. I think to myself “Not now Debra, we don’t have time for this!” It’s like they’re these obnoxious backseat drivers, and sometimes I just need to remind myself that I’m in the driver’s seat, and Debra’s full of crap, but she’s just trying to keep us all safe. The quicker I can recognize “Whoa that’s an intrusive thought, it’s not real!” the easier it is to keep from spiraling. LePamplemousse817 / Reddit
• I don’t know if this is the healthiest, but I have “No worry times.” These are just 2 hours of my day I put away where I don’t worry about anything, and then I’ll do the worrying later. It took me a while to get used to, but it helped. Also taking a shower helps for me, but I don’t know if that’s just me. TheAbominableBanana / Reddit
• I’m a very tactile person, so I like folding papers and running my fingers over a texture I like. I also test my memory. I list Marvel characters, states, countries, etc. Furthermore, I play this game called A to Z, where I go through the alphabet naming things within a theme; like movie titles, comic book characters, etc. Huntress13 / Reddit

All you need to calm down is skin, and sometimes water.

• Sometimes, I get acute anxiety attacks. When this happens, I start feeling hot and stressed and can’t focus on anything else. My solution is something rather simple. I strip down to my underwear, lie down somewhere cool, and listen to Enya. Sounds weird, but it works for me. DinnerMilk / Reddit
• I thought I was the only one that got naked, only I got fully naked and meditated somewhere in a dark room. It calms me down and puts things into perspective. Twitxx / Reddit
• Sometimes I take a shower, it feels like it helps slow me down a bit during an acute anxiety attack. Meditating can be helpful, but sometimes I just can’t focus enough on anything. andymancurryface / Reddit
• Wet cloths, wrapped around ice packs. Place on the forehead, temples, and small of the neck. Breathe slowly in, through the nose, followed by a second quick, short inhale, then full release with an exhale. Repeat. Staygroundedandsane / Reddit
• Honestly, cold water helps me the most. Wherever you are, get to a bathroom and run cold water over your hands, if you’re at home put your face under it. It kinda shocks your system and for me, it works. Also, rub your lips. I know it sounds weird, but just rub your lips with your finger or apply chapstick. My doctor told me that doing that will activate your parasympathetic nervous system, which is what makes you calm. Google other ways to activate your PNS :) kittysdoodle*** / Reddit

Sometimes, the best solution is to move and breathe.

• For me, the best stress reliever is picking heavy things up and putting them down repeatedly. Aka hit the gym and demolish those deadlifts. The best feeling ever works every time. Eat well after and sleep like never before. As a bonus, you get fit and gain confidence, among other great things.
  Also, I like to preach the following to my wife when she is stressed: Can you do something about it? If yes, then do it and you can stop worrying. If not, why worry about it if it is not your concern? iamnotyourspiderman / Reddit
• Exercise. Can’t stress enough how much that helps me with a lot of things. Everyone thinks I love going to the gym, but I hate it. I just NEED to go. Keeps me sane and fit. goldbamboo / Reddit
• Square breathing. Inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4, exhale for 4, and hold for 4. Repeat until you feel calm. Practice this when you’re not in the middle of an anxiety attack. It can be difficult to get used to that breathing pattern, especially when you’re in a state of panic. snoopwald / Reddit
• Mindfulness meditation. Sit straight up, put my headphones on, listen to ten minutes of relaxing music, and try not to think about anything but my breathing. It’s a hard discipline to maintain, though, because it doesn’t make me feel good, it just gets me to a functional level. rnilbog / Reddit

A simple everyday task can tackle rising stress.

• I’ll go out and get groceries/something I’ve been meaning to get for my place. Not like impulse buying, but like something I NEED that I’ve just been putting off. Gets me doing something productive, I’m outside, and then I feel “one step ahead” of where I was when I was feeling bad about myself. Playing music, gym, or just any hobby. whiskey_agogo / Reddit
• Acutely or aggregately?
  Acutely: Try to focus on the present moment. Look around, take some deep breaths, and assess that nothing is currently wrong or disastrous at that moment. Additionally, it may be helpful to engage in something such as a hobby, a walk, etc. to distract yourself.
  Aggregatively — and hear me when I say this — Do something that will fill your ‘bucket’ daily, weekly, etc. Your bucket will fill 2-3% each day, and be emptied 1-2% from life’s stupidities. 6 months will go by, and you’ll be 30-40% better. 12–18 months will go by, and you’ll be 90% better. Just trust the process, take care of yourself, and never give up. TwinkleToes474 / Reddit
• I have three approaches: physical, long-term, and short-term.
  Physical: avoid sugar and carbs, get 8–9 hours of sleep every night, wake up at the same time every morning, and exercise every day.
  Long-term: gradual, controlled exposure to things that cause me anxiety. For example, if I’m afraid to talk to strangers (which I was), I start by going to a public place and keeping to myself. Next time, I might make eye contact a few times, or maybe smile. Next, I might ask someone for the time, or talk a little with a cashier. You get the point.
  Short term: I focused on my breathing and reminded myself of other situations where I was anxious, and it turned out okay. Instead of pushing the anxiety away, I accept it and pay close attention to how it feels — the slightly sick feeling, the quick heartbeat, etc. I just pay attention to the physical sensation and accept that it will be there while I do whatever it is that needs to be done. Mumble_bee / Reddit

Each of us has our unique ways of handling anxiety, and the key takeaway is that it needs to be tackled, not ignored. Here are some more tips on how to control anxiety and not let it affect your life and mental health.