Anxiety: 5 ways to control excessive worrying

Anxiety: 5 ways to control excessive worrying

You wouldn't be a mother if you didn't worry. In small doses, anxiety is a good thing - it can motivate you to meet a deadline, pass a test or pick up the kids on time.

But anxiety can become so severe that it undermines your ability to function - anxiety disorders, panic attacks, phobias and obsessive compulsive disorder are all symptoms of anxiety that is out of control and needs medication or treatment. Most of us are simply chronic worriers, which is associated with increased risk for depression and heart disease.

Here are some easy actions to take if anxiety and worry are bothering you - for anything more serious, then please see a doctor!

Anxiety cure 1: take slow deep breaths

Most of us breathe too shallowly or rapidly, but even more so when you're anxious. Indian yogis know the art of taming emotions can be done through breathing, and they do alternate nostril breathing to calm down. Try holding one nostril and inhaling, holding the breath for 10 seconds or so and then slowly exhaling through your mouth. Then repeat, holding the other nostril. Zen breathing - also called Hara breathing - involves filling your entire rib cage with oxygen so that your stomach and diaphragm expand on the inhale and contract as you exhale.

Anxiety cure 2: try some meditative activity

Meditation is a known cure-all for anxiety - it keeps the mind focused and free from the mind chatter than eats away at our emotional wellbeing. Research has proven that meditating for at least 15 minutes a day will lower anxiety. The trick is finding meditative techniques that work for you - some people can simply close their eyes and start breathing deeply, other people need to use a mantra or focusing techniques to clear their mind for meditation.

Anxiety cure 3: Home remedies for anxiety

To calm yourself before bed, a glass of warm milk does have some scientifically proven benefits. Milk contains the amino acid tryptophan, which can help with relaxation. Chamomile tea is another helpful relaxant, and the herb contains compounds that have a calming action. It can be beneficial to drink cups of chamomile tea during the day, too.

Anxiety cure 4: keep your thinking in the present

Most of us worry about the past or the future, instead of focusing on what's happening right now. It's amazing how much less you worry if you only think about the now. Other techniques to clear worries including writing them down, so it can help to carry a journal to note worries and clear them from your head. You can also ask yourself to think up the very worst thing that could happen if your worry became a reality - if it doesn't result in death or tragedy, then you can put the worry into perspective and get it out of your head before you obsess over it.

Anxiety cure 5: A worry shared is a worry halved

If we talk or write down our worries, then they seem to dissipate. A worry has more power while it remains unspoken and circling through our brains. Talking worries through helps find solutions and make you realize our concerns aren't as overwhelming as they feel. Anxiety usually happens when people are juggling too many responsibilityies - instead of worrying about all the balls in the air, start to think of life as action-packed and challenging. The way we interpret our worries and fears makes all the difference to the way we cope with them. If family life is making you worry, just think of you much you might miss your kids when they grow up.

Anxiety cure 6: avoid caffeine and alcohol

Drinking coffee to get us going can keep the nervous system overstimulated, and our worries circulating through our heads like monkey chatter. Conversely, having a drink of wine or beer to calm us down can actually exacerbate anxiety, because once the initial relaxation of the drink wears off, alcohol can make us feel more anxious afterwards (especially after a night of heavy drinking).

When to get treatment for anxiety

If you are anxious most of the time, especially over small things, suffer insomnia or poor concentration and experience panic attacks, then you may need to see a doctor and talk about treatment options. Fear of harming yourself or others is also a danger sign, as is avoiding situations like going in elevators or avoiding heights.

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This article was written by Alex Brooks for Kidspot, Australia's best family health resource.

Last revised: Thursday, 27 May 2010


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