This week is Mental Health Awareness Week and this year, we are focusing on anxiety.
Anxiety can be a challenging and overwhelming experience that affects people of all ages, genders, and backgrounds. Lots of things can lead to feelings of anxiety, including exam pressures, relationships, starting a new job (or losing one) or other big life events. We can also get anxious when it comes to things to do with money and not being able to meet our basic needs, like heating our home or buying food.
Whether you’re feeling anxious because of any of the above or not, it’s essential to have strategies available to help you manage these feelings so that you can maintain good mental health and wellbeing.
We’ve put together some tips that can help you manage and cope with anxiety:
- Practice deep breathing: Take slow, deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth. Focus on your breaths and try to release the tension in your muscles as you exhale.
- Engage in physical exercise: Exercise is a natural stress-reliever and can help improve your mood. Even short walks or stretching sessions can make a huge difference.
- Write it down: Journaling can be a helpful tool to express your thoughts and feelings, reflect on your emotions, and identify patterns that may be causing your anxiety.
- Talk to someone: Talking to a friend, family member or mental health professional can help you feel heard, understood and supported.
- Challenge negative thoughts: Identify any negative thoughts or self-talk that might be fuelling your anxiety. Then, try to reframe them in a more positive light.
- Take a break: Give yourself permission to take a break from whatever is causing your anxiety. Whether it’s a social event, a work meeting or other stressors, taking a short break can help you regain your focus and composure.
- Practice self-care: Self-care is essential for our mental wellbeing. Take time to do things that bring you joy such as reading, taking a bath, or listening to music.
Remember, anxiety is a normal and natural response to stress, and there is no shame in experiencing it. The key is to develop coping strategies that work for you and your lifestyle.
Focusing on anxiety for this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week will increase people’s awareness and understanding of anxiety by providing information on the things that can help prevent it from becoming a problem.
If you feel that your anxiety is affecting your daily life, or if you’re having difficulty coping, please get in touch. We are available on 01482 240133 or you can email us at [email protected]
Why not check where you are on the Healthy Minds wellbeing scale? Check it out here > https://eastridinghealthandwellbeing.co.uk/healthy-minds/#er-well-chart
