If you are currently feeling particularly anxious or you are simply looking for some tips for the next time you are, I urge you to read on!
Here is a list of ways I have tried to calm myself down that have worked. Some of these tips may work on their own, and some you may have to combine with others. Regardless, I hope you find some comfort here on this page.
- Square breathing
Find a square in front of you. If you cannot find a square, close your eyes and picture one. practice breathing the square. Inhale 4 seconds up the square, hold for 4 seconds across. Exhale 4 seconds down the square, and hold for 4 seconds across. Repeat until your breathing calms.
2. Similar to the square breathing, breathe along to this
(found on giphy)
3. Find some activity to distract yourself.
For me, I clean. Half of the time I don’t even notice I do it, I feel myself starting to panic and instinctually I start cleaning. I do dishes, scrub counters and walls, sweep. It becomes a form of meditation for me and can bring me down from the worst anxiety attack within the span of 10 minutes. Other options would be coloring/drawing, playing an instrument, walking, tapping, etc.
4. Take a walk.
I find that sometimes just getting outside and walking for an indefinite amount of time really helps. Walk in silence if that’s what calms you, or put on some headphones and listen to some “Lofi Hip-Hop Chill Beats To Have An Anxiety Attack To” or something (all jokes aside that probably exists lol).
5. Write in a journal.
Sometimes it really helps to see your thoughts physically in front of you. I’ve found that writing everything down when I am in the middle of an anxiety attack helps distance myself from the panic. I can see each individual thought and dismiss the irrational ones while focusing more on the issues I can fix.
6. Calming apps.
I have gone through lots of different apps on many different phones to try and help with my anxiety because I realize that sometimes, my brain just needs a distraction. Some of my favorite apps are: Mahjong, Particle Flow, Mirrorgraph, Flow Free, Color Puzzle, and Candy Crush. The colors and simple puzzles help my mind focus in on one task and lets me focus on my breathing while playing.
7. Meditation/Yoga
This is not one tip I regularly practice as, right now in my life, it is near impossible to find a place quiet enough to do either. But many people swear by the two and say yoga and meditation transformed their lives. In my opinion, it seems like one of the few long-term fixes for anxiety.
8. Speak to a professional
If your anxiety attack is particularly bad and no other options are working, speak to a professional. If you have a therapist, call them if they are available and talk it out with them. If you do not have a regular therapist, there are apps now for that! Apps like Talkspace, BetterHelp, and Youper (Youper uses an AI and not a real therapist) exist to let you speak to therapists from the comfort of your home or wherever anxiety hits, without the pressure of going to an appointment. I’m pretty sure they all cost a little bit of money, but so does traditional therapy so why not give it a try.
Positively Anxious 