Did you know that anxiety is the most common mental health condition in Australia? It might be the most common mental health condition, however, we often keep the difficulties of anxiety to ourselves. Therapy can help manage the challenges of anxiety and for some a combination of medication and therapy is best to manage the affects. For advice on medication, seek out health professionals such as your GP and/or psychiatrist and for therapy seek out allied health professionals experienced in working with anxiety such as social workers, counsellors, or psychologists.
It is true that everyone can feel anxious from time to time, but we are talking about feeling stress or anxious feelings that occur often or most of the time and can occur more when under pressure and/or managing stressful situations. When anxious feelings won’t go away, they can make it really hard to cope and deal with the day to day. This is where a therapist can help to unpack the things that are making you anxious and work with you to develop ways of managing the day to day in a way that isn’t all consuming.
There are many ways to help manage anxiety and the sooner people with anxiety get support, the more likely people are able to develop healthy coping strategies to work through the anxiety.
General tips that may help with anxious thoughts:
- Challenge the anxious thoughts
- Interrupt thoughts through activity
- Use your notepad to write down your worries and read them back
- Focus on solvable anxious thoughts
- Talk with someone about these thoughts to gain a new perspective and insight
- Use breathing or grounding exercises provided by your therapist
- Include movement in everyday
- Limit alcohol and caffeine – we know reducing the daily coffee can be tough!
- Learn what triggers your anxious thoughts
- Flip the script – how would you support a friend, family member if they were experiencing anxiety? Apply that same compassion to yourself.
If you are feeling anxious and wanting to seek support, With Grace Therapy has social workers who are experienced in provided counselling and therapy. Please reach out to us at With Grace Therapy if you would like to chat more.
