Del.icio.us
Digg
Reddit
Facebook
StumbleUpon
TwitThis
Gain Perspective
8. Turn on the news and watch the disasters unfurl. It will help you put your own problems into perspective and realize it's a large world, filled with both triumph and disaster. The challenges in your life that make you anxious may not seem as great when you put them in world context.9. Don't borrow future problems. Many people get into a cycle of predicting and worrying about future concerns, says Larina Kase, Psy.D., a psychologist at the Center for Treatment and Study of Anxiety at the University of Pennsylvania and president of Performance and Success Coaching. Ask yourself, "Is this something I know can happen and is it something I can do something about right now?" If the answer to either of these questions is no, tell yourself you will revisit it later.
10. Simply experience your anxiety for 45 minutes. That's usually all it takes for you to become used to it and for the anxious feeling to dissipate, says Dr. Kase. The worst thing you can do is try to ignore it, she says, because anxiety tends to fight back if you push it down.
11. Talk to yourself. Remind yourself of how you handled similar situations in the past, your strengths, and how long you will need to get through it. Show yourself that this anxiety is manageable and time-limited.
12. Go to the museum, see a movie, read a good book, or take up oil painting (or some other hobby). People who are bored tend to score higher on tests designed to measure levels of anxiety.
13. Keep a journal of what makes you anxious. Then revisit these same items when you're feeling calm and develop plans to deal with them.
14. Name your fears. The most anxiety-producing thing of all is the unknown. So drag your worries out of the shadows. Worried about your son/daughter/spouse getting hurt or killed in a car crash? Discuss it -- at least with yourself. Look up the statistics on driving and injury to relieve your mind. Do the same for whatever else makes you worry, whether that's West Nile virus, bioterrorism, cancer, or plane crashes. Once you name your fears and learn about them, you can take steps to minimize your risk. You'll also find the fears you name and tame are far less menacing than fears left to lurk in the shadows of your imagination.
15. Make sure you're getting several servings of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables every day, along with healthy protein sources such as fish, poultry, lentils, soy, or lean meats. The combination helps your brain make serotonin, a chemical that induces a state of calm relaxation.
16. Rent a meditation, t'ai chi, or yoga tape from the library. They are all effective, nonmedical ways of dealing with anxiety.
17. Share your anxieties with a confidant. You need to find someone who can help you understand why you worry too much. Try to play the same role for that person. We are usually better at placing someone else's worries in perspective than we are our own.
Advertisement 
