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Anxiety is a common problem in today’s world, and as per the reports from World Health Organization (WHO), more than 300 million people in the world suffer from anxiety. Many anxiety tools formulated by health experts try to bring instant relief from these kinds of distress.1
Anxiety is a mix of uneasy feelings, which are feelings of nervousness, fear, or worry. It could be caused by specific situations such as waiting for a job interview or visiting an unfamiliar city for the first time. Anxious thoughts and feelings are mostly unpredictable and could creep into our lives anytime all of a sudden.
Some of the physical symptoms of anxiety include profuse sweating, sick feeling, shaking, and an inability to sleep. The mental symptoms may include the inability to concentrate or any hyper-alertness. Feelings such as shame and embarrassment also sometimes accompany anxiety.
Like other conditions, the intensity of anxiety also varies from mild to severe, sometimes even causing paralyzing distress. 2The duration also varies from momentary to prolonged and constant in some cases.
But if anxiety seems to occur without any cause and feels very overwhelming, it is very important to take immediate action.
1. Signs And Symptoms Of Anxiety
Here is a list of the most common signs and symptoms of anxiety:3
- Profuse sweating
- Rapid heart beating
- Feelings of panic
- Hyperventilation
- Weakness or tiredness in the body
- Shivering or trembling
- Nausea
2. Common Types Of Anxiety Disorder
Some of the most common types of anxiety disorders 4found in people categorized by experts are:
2.1. Panic Disorder
One may have a panic disorder if they constantly experience panic attacks or anxiety attacks. They may occur out of the blue and last for a few minutes. Some of the most common symptoms of a panic attack include pain in the chest, profuse sweating end shortness of breath.
2.2. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
PTSD or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is a serious disorder in people who have undergone traumatic experiences or disasters in their lives. People with this condition have trouble sleeping and may have recurrent flashbacks. They are also constantly alert about their surroundings all the time.
2.3. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
OCD is a type of mental disorder that causes people to have obsessive and compulsive thoughts. They may feel uneasy if they don’t do things in a particular way or always have the urge to do elaborate physical and mental routines. OCD is usually caused due to personality traits, genetics or can also be triggered due to a particular event in some cases.
2.4. Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
Individuals suffering from Generalized Anxiety Disorder constantly expect the worst thing to happen even when there is no reason to do so. They are most often anxious about their family, friends, and work. Even when the issue is solved, another new one immediately fills up space in their mind. Individuals with this disorder have a hard time being in a state without anxiety.
2.5. Health Anxiety
People with this type of anxiety often worry about having or acquiring an illness or disease. They are always concerned about their health and fail to be assured.
2.6. Social Anxiety Disorder
Social anxiety is not just being shy in social situations; rather, it is a major fear of being constantly judged by other people, even to the extent of stopping yourself from performing or anything so that you don’t embarrass yourself in front of others.
2.7. Specific Phobias
Suffering from different types of phobia is also a form of anxiety disorder. Phobias make you anxious or frightened about different objects, places, or situations, making individuals go out of their way to avoid them.
3. 10 Best Anxiety Tools
Here is a list of 10 simple yet effective anxiety tools that will help you and bring about a significant change in your mental well-being.
3.1. Deep Breathing
One of the simple yet effective anxiety tools is Deep breathing. Deep breathing helps you to calm down and feel relaxed. According to experts, the number of breaths does not matter, and instead, the focus must be centered on the inhaling and exhaling process.
The breathing exercises help one tighten their muscles and release them slowly as it makes them aware of their surroundings leading to mindfulness.
3.2. Physical Exercises
Physical exercises are the best anxiety tools to get rid of the negative energy from the body. Exercising or also stretching greatly helps to release emotions from our bodies. Just a run or a simple stretch will take away the sense of panic from our body and also aids in maintaining a fit body.5
3.3. Music
The next on the list of best anxiety tools is music. It is a well-known fact that music can instantly boost our mood and implant positive feelings in us. Various research studies have also shown that listening to music can cause significant changes in our mental well-being and reduce feelings of anxiety.
Music can also come as a savior if you are feeling down or having a bad day. Playing uplifting music and singing along with it also greatly helps. And the best part about music is that it prevents you from feeling isolated.
3.4. Doing Simple Math
Numbers have an amazing ability to bring our focus toward them. If you unexpectedly experience nervousness or anxious feelings, immediately try counting numbers backward from 100 to 0 or start multiplying random numbers in your head.
Math person or not, doing simple math is one of the best anxiety tools for anyone out there to shift their attention toward reality.
3.5. Social Interaction
Humans are a community, and one of our most basic needs is human interactions with other people. Even though we cannot do many activities alone, we cannot do everything all alone.
Having quality relationships with people around you will enhance your confidence levels as well as self-esteem. This will gradually bring out the anxiety levels in an individual and makes them amazing team players.
Therefore having a good social relationship serves as one of the best anxiety tools.
3.6. Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy6 is known to activate certain receptors inside the brain that will ease anxiety levels in us. Various research studies have also shown smelling pleasant things will calm you down and helps you relax instantly.
Whatever forms they are in, whether candles, oils, or incense, they are very soothing and have a therapeutic effect on people. Therefore, aromatherapy is one of the best anxiety tools for people suffering from stress and anxiety.
3.7. Watching Funny Videos
Laughing makes you happy, and when you laugh, your heart and mind also immediately become happy. The easiest yet most effective anxiety tool is watching funny videos.
Make a playlist of clips of your favorite comedian and watch it whenever you feel anxious. Many research studies have shown the innumerable ways laughter benefits our well-being as well as our mental health.
It has also been found that humor can lower anxiety even more than physical exercise.
3.8. Cold Water Splash
Splashing cold water on your face and hands also acts as one of the best anxiety tools. The reason for employing this method, according to health experts, is that it shocks our body and pushes it to notice what is going on.
Also, the sudden change in temperature of the body will help you bring your sensation back into your body in the current scenario leading to a redirection of all emotions and bringing the focus towards the cold water.
3.9. Mindfulness Exercises
Mindfulness exercises formulated by experts are one of the best anxiety tools to deal with unprecedented anxiety. The most popular 5-4-3-2-1 exercise is practiced to redirect your attention toward the present moment and turn your negative thoughts away.
The mindfulness exercise requires you to use all your 5 senses and delve into the details of your surroundings as much as possible to bring back your mind into reality.
3.10. Picture Your Happy Place
The last one on the list of effective anxiety tools is to picture yourselves in your happy place. Everyone has their own happy place, where they feel safe, calm, and relaxed. It could be a beach, mountains, or even your home where you enjoy your own company.
When an unprecedented anxiety or panic attack arrives, please close your eyes immediately and imagine yourself in your favorite place and feel that place and its breeze, which will immediately instill a feeling of warmness in us.
4. Conclusion
Apart from these anxiety tools, making significant changes to our lifestyle can help to reduce the impact of anxiety on our lives drastically. Some of the techniques may include staying away from smoking and alcohol, avoiding caffeine, following a healthy diet, and most importantly, staying hydrated all the time.
Anxiety tools, to a great extent, help people suffering from anxiety and depression. They try to provide a sense of comfort to these people and help them when they are having an anxiety attack or flashbacks from previous traumatic events.
Even though anxiety tools work for most individuals, in some instances, they do not work, and therefore the individuals should seek professional help. Individuals with severe mental health problems should definitely work with health experts to chart out an effective treatment plan.
Once you get to know what works best for you, life will be more wonderful and less daunting!
FAQs
1. How can I choose the right anxiety tools for me?
A. Choosing the right anxiety tools depends on your preferences and needs. Experiment with different tools and see which ones resonate with you. Consider factors like your personality, lifestyle, and the severity of your anxiety.
2. Can I create my own anxiety tools?
A. Absolutely! Creating personalized anxiety tools can be highly effective. You could develop a relaxation routine, design positive affirmation cards, or curate a playlist of calming music. Tailoring tools to your preferences can make them more meaningful and powerful.
3. Can I use anxiety tools alongside professional treatment?
A. Yes, anxiety tools can complement professional treatment, such as therapy or medication. Many therapists recommend using these tools as part of a comprehensive treatment plan.
Read more
- McMillan, FRANKLIN D. “What is distress? A complex answer to a simple question.” Mental health and well-being in animals. Wallingford UK: CABI, 2020. 140-155. ↩︎
- Cheyne, James Allan, and Gordon Pennycook. “Sleep paralysis postepisode distress: Modeling potential effects of episode characteristics, general psychological distress, beliefs, and cognitive style.” Clinical Psychological Science 1.2 (2013): 135-148. ↩︎
- Freud, Sigmund. “Inhibitions, symptoms and anxiety.” The Psychoanalytic Quarterly 5.1 (1936): 1-28. ↩︎
- Martin, Patrick. “The epidemiology of anxiety disorders: a review.” Dialogues in clinical neuroscience 5.3 (2003): 281-298. ↩︎
- Tsakiris, Manos, Marcello Costantini, and Patrick Haggard. “The role of the right temporo-parietal junction in maintaining a coherent sense of one’s body.” Neuropsychologia 46.12 (2008): 3014-3018. ↩︎
- Cooke, Brian, and Edzard Ernst. “Aromatherapy: a systematic review.” British journal of general practice 50.455 (2000): 493-496. ↩︎
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