Anxious thoughts have a way of spiraling. One minute, you’re completely fine, and the next, you’re imagining every single possible situation that could go wrong. Most of these scenarios will never actually happen, but that’s the nature of anxious thoughts. One what-if can turn into ten in the blink of an eye.
You may not be able to completely stop anxiety from showing up, but you can stop it from controlling your entire life. The goal isn’t to completely get rid of those anxious thoughts; it’s to change how you respond to them so that they have less control over you. Let’s learn more about how to reduce anxious thoughts.
Pay Attention to Your Thoughts
Anxiety can lose its momentum if you’re more aware of how it builds. The sooner that you notice an anxious thought, the easier it is to keep it from spiraling into another. Instead of giving in to those anxious thoughts, try to pause and put a name to them. This can create enough mental distancing to prevent it from snowballing into something larger.
Challenge Anxious Thoughts
Just because your brain is telling you something doesn’t mean that it’s true. Question your thoughts so you can determine if they’re based on facts or fears. The next time you’re experiencing an anxious thought, try asking yourself what the evidence is. Treat yourself with the same grace and compassion you would show a friend.
Shift Your Focus
Anxiety can cause you to fixate on past behaviors and actions or worry about future events that haven’t even occurred yet. Instead of letting your anxiety prevent you from living in the present moment, you can try to incorporate grounding techniques to pull you back into the here and now.
The 5-4-3-2-1 method is a common and fairly easy method to implement. Here’s how you do it: Name five things you can see, four things you can feel, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste.
Breathe Deeply
Anxiety can cause your breathing to get thrown out of whack. It may become shallow, which can be a signal to your body and brain that you’re in danger. Try to slow down your breathing by taking deep breaths to let your body know that you are safe.
There are many different breathing techniques out there, so you’ll have to see what works best for you. Here’s an easy one to start with: inhale for four seconds, hold for four seconds, and exhale for six seconds.
Find Your Triggers
Be mindful of the things in your life that may be contributing to your anxiety. Social media scrolling, consuming too much caffeine, or skipping meals could all be factors that are causing your anxiety to worsen. Being mindful of what’s fueling your anxiety can help you make the necessary changes in your life.
Write in a Journal
Journaling is a great way to get all of those anxious thoughts onto a piece of paper instead of holding them in. Not only is this activity good in the moment you’re feeling anxious, but it can also be a powerful tool to look back on later. Reflecting on what you wrote can help you determine any potential triggers as well as learn about coping mechanisms that worked or didn’t work for you.
Seek Additional Support
Although there are many different ways that you can reduce anxious thoughts on your own, you don’t have to do this all on your own. Sometimes the most effective way to calm your anxious thoughts is to lean on your support system.
Consider reaching out to someone you trust, whether that is a family member, friend, or a licensed and trained mental health professional. Reach out today to learn more about how we can help you reduce those anxious thoughts through therapy for stress and anxiety.
