how to control anxiety?

 Learning how to control anxiety is an essential tool for many people, allowing them to avoid, as much as possible, moments of tension and stress.

What is anxiety?

Anxiety is a normal response our body exhibits when we perceive danger or fear. Experiencing it in moderation allows you to prepare to react and act, but if anxiety becomes excessive, it can paralyze you, cause great discomfort, and significantly interfere with your life, says psychologist Nadia Paulina Arvizú Martínez, a neuropsychology specialist at ABC Medical Center.

How to calm anxiety?

 Although anxiety can arise from a variety of causes, and its intensity can vary even in the same person, there are some exercises that will help you manage anxiety in your daily life.

Focus your attention on the present.

 If you feel yourself starting to have an anxiety attack, take a break to focus your attention on the present moment. Although this can be difficult when we feel anxious, it's important to create a sense of calm. If you're at home when this happens, you can look around, contemplate a plant or a painting, walk around a bit, and notice your surroundings. This will help you return to the present moment and feel a little calmer.

deep breathing.

 When we feel anxious, we experience physiological over-arousal, which accelerates our breathing and heart rate. To control this, Psych. Arvizú recommends performing a deep, slow breathing exercise. This will allow us to regulate this over-arousal and gain greater control over the physical symptoms that accompany anxiety.

 For this, it is recommended to follow the following steps:

·Inhale air through your nose for four seconds.

·Hold your breath for another four seconds.

·Exhale through your nose or mouth for four to seven seconds.

 Perform this breathing routine for three minutes; you can do this type of strategy at any time of day, regardless of whether you're sitting, lying down, or standing.

Relax your muscles progressively.

 It's common for our muscles to contract when we feel tense or anxious. To prevent or reduce this, it's recommended to tense and relax different muscle groups. This can be achieved in different ways. For example, start with your toes and gradually work your way up to your legs, torso, and neck or head. You can also do the opposite, whichever works best for you. Try to do the tension movements for five seconds and the relaxation movements for 30 seconds.

Practice a visualization exercise.

 Another technique designed to distract you from a moment of anxiety and achieve greater control in your life. To do this, try imagining a situation where you feel very relaxed—it could be a place, a space, a situation. But you should do this by engaging all your senses, for example:

·If you're sitting by the sea, try to visualize the movement of the waves. How does the breeze feel? How does the sun feel on your skin? What sounds are there? And what aromas do you smell? To name a few. 

 To perform this type of technique, you may want to retreat for a moment to a quiet place, where you can sit, close your eyes, and loosen your clothing a little to be more comfortable.

Question disruptive thoughts.

 Disruptive thoughts often accompany anxiety, causing us to have catastrophic thoughts. At these times, it's a good idea to try to question your thoughts by comparing them with reality. For example, if you're afraid something will go terribly wrong at work or school, you can try to question it by asking yourself, "What evidence do I have that this is going to happen?"

 You can also resort to statements like, “What happened in the past doesn't mean it always has to be that way.”

 This helps you counteract disruptive thoughts that tend to be distorted and exaggerated about the negative aspects of a particular situation. This will help you achieve greater mental control and feel calmer.

Take actions that help you regain control.

 Taking small actions will help you regain a sense of control during anxiety, as it's common to feel a loss of control in our lives at these times. To achieve this, it's advisable to take small actions that will allow you to regain a sense of accomplishment and control.

 An example of this is answering pending emails, tidying up a spot in the house, or taking small actions you've been putting off. All of this will help you feel more in control and help you continue to manage anxiety better.

Additional tips.

 Finally, Psych. Arvizú points out that an excellent complement to the aforementioned techniques is to lead a healthy lifestyle, through:

·Do some physical activity.

·Eat healthy.

·Get the necessary sleep.

·Enjoy the company of other people.

Anxiety crisis.

 Not only can controlling anxiety in its early stages help prevent considerable physical and mental exhaustion, but it can also prevent this anxiety attack from turning into an anxiety crisis or anxiety attack.

 Prolonged, uncontrolled anxiety can escalate into an anxiety attack, which seriously impacts daily life and can be debilitating, generating symptoms such as palpitations, difficulty breathing, and intrusive thoughts.

 During an anxiety attack, the body enters a state of high alert, and over time, this wear and tear affects the cardiovascular, immune, and digestive systems, increasing the risk of developing other physical disorders or chronic diseases.

 If you feel that you or someone you know is experiencing increasing anxiety and that anxiety control exercises aren't helping, it's highly recommended to seek help from a specialist.

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