Research-Based Techniques to Cope with Anxiety Disorders

It is usual to feel anxious or nervous when you have to give a public speech, interact with strangers, or appear for an interview, or an exam. Sometimes anxiety can even be healthy. It can help us stay alert and motivated to solve problems.

However, an anxiety disorder goes beyond the feeling of anxiousness or slight fear that you may feel from time to time. Anxiety disorders are a group of complex mental health conditions that include Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD), panic disorder, social anxiety, phobias, separation anxiety, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Each has a varied set of characteristics. Living with an anxiety disorder cannot easy, especially if you have a demanding lifestyle. However, you can seek help in many ways to cope with it. 

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Also read: 5 Major Types of Anxiety Disorders

Here are some techniques to try to cope with anxiety disorders which are backed by research:

Focus on the breath

A simple activity such as breathing can become a powerful tool to cope with daily stressors. There is a plethora of research explaining how breathwork contributes to reducing stress. 

Evidence suggest that different emotions are linked to the way you breathe. Slow and deep breathing has been linked to increased parasympathetic responses, that is, it results in bodily reactions that help to calm and relax the body by reducing heart rate, constricting pupils, and increasing digestion. Systematic inhaling and exhaling can aid mental relaxation and overall well-being. Besides, you can practise them almost anywhere. 

Also read: 5 Therapist-Recommended Tools to Deal With Anxiety

Diaphragmatic breathing

Here are some simple steps you can follow to practise diaphragmatic breathing:

• Place your right hand just below the rib cage and your left hand on the chest. 

• On inhalation, try to intentionally send the air towards the navel and let your abdomen expand freely. 

• Feel your right hand rise. 

• As you exhale through pursed lips, feel your stomach move in.

• Keep your left hand as still as possible on the chest throughout. 

• After repeating this a few times, return to breathing naturally.

Anchor breathing

• When your mind wanders while feeling anxious, imagine being on a boat where it is safe and calm.

• Attached to the boat is an anchor that keeps you where you are. 

• Similarly, you have anchors in your body to ground you when your mind wanders.

• As you take a deep breath, place your hand on your chest. 

• Breathe out gently and allow your nose, your chest, and your belly to act as grounding points. 

• If your thoughts begin to drift, slowly bring your attention back to the anchors. 

Also read: Why Mindfulness Is Essential to Self-Care

Relax the muscles

Your mind and your body are interconnected. Progressive Muscle Relaxation is a technique which requires gradual body relaxation to relax the mind. On relaxing the muscles, you send a signal to relax the mind. This technique has proven to offer relief from anxiety, lack of sleep, and stress. You can do this by slowly tensing each muscle group and then releasing them. 

To focus on the hands, clench your fists and release slowly. To focus on the neck, gently bring your chin to your chest without straining your neck and then come up. Your therapist is also trained to guide you through muscle relaxation. 

Interestingly, according to a study, briefly smiling during stressful times can help reduce the body’s stress response intensity. Start by smiling as wide as you can. Visualising an ear-to-ear smile can help perform this better.

Also read: How Does Anxiety Affect Your Physical Health?

Sensory deprivation

Feeling anxious often results in sensory overload where you feel irritated, restless, and overwhelmed. Sensory deprivation is the deliberate reduction or removal of stimuli from the senses. The concept largely uses a sensory deprivation tank for restricted environmental stimulation therapy (REST). 

Research has shown that this technique can help lower anxiety and depression as it reduces the sensory input received by the brain and the nervous system.

Brief sensory deprivation exercises can also help get through complex emotions. You can do this by going to a place away from the trigger. Find a quiet place and close your eyes to rest your audio and visual input.

Also read: Why Do We Feel “Triggered” & How Can We Overcome This Feeling?

Finally, it is essential to realise that different things work for different people. If these recommended techniques work for you, you can continue applying them. 

Also read: Can Anxiety Disorders Be Cured?

If you think that there is something else that you would like to approach the solution for, connect with our mental health coach. Talk to them over a free 20-30 minute call and resolve all your doubts about what the right help looks like for you!

Sources: 

https://rightasrain.uwmedicine.org/mind/stress/sensory-deprivation-floating-mental-health 

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9536-anxiety-disorders