8 Anxiety Tips That Actually Work

Anxiety is the worst. Regardless of what form your anxiousness takes — whether that be generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, or just everyday stress — anxiety can turn any otherwise normal situation into something really scary. Furthermore, it's not always easy to figure out how to manage anxiety and the panicky feelings that come with it. Besides just being a total day-ruiner, it can be truly difficult to cope with.

That's where this incredibly helpful video comes in. Created by Jess Carroll of AsapSCIENCE, it provides tips on the eight most effective methods you can use to manage your anxiety. A lot of information out there on the internet might not be effective for you in particular (which is why Carroll encourages all of us to avoid WebMD), but the tips in this video are fully customizable to your lifestyle, and helpful for anyone experiencing any level of stress. Everyone has different triggers and different ways in which their anxiety manifests itself, so naturally the treatment of this anxiety should be as unique as the person themselves. Fortunately, there are a few surefire ways to help manage your anxiety, all of which are totally in your control.

Below, I've picked out a few of my favorite tips. Scroll down to watch the full video for all eight.

1. HALT

When you feel anxiousness setting in, Carroll encourages you to "HALT" and ask yourself if you are "Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired." These are a few common scenarios that pave the way for anxiety to thrive. Fortunately, they are also relatively easy to remedy. After identifying the source of your stress, you can grab a snack or call up a friend to meet for coffee. You'll be surprised at how something so simple can have such a big impact.

2. Move

It's no secret that exercise can help manage stress — but that "E" word is so scary. Carroll puts it best when she says, "You don't need to run a 5K to feel good." Something as simple as walking around the block or petting a dog will help you decompress. It's all about getting connected to your body in any form that may take.

3. Start Small

Big projects and tasks can be majorly scary. When something so big looms ahead, an anxious person can easily spiral out into tons of negative thoughts. Carroll reminds us that it's important to start small. Whether that means breaking down a project at work into manageable pieces, or calling a restaurant to make a reservation, starting with the small stuff will help you achieve big things.

4. Practice Self-Care

It seems so obvious, but it's something we constantly neglect: take care of yourself. Practicing self-care can take many forms. The uniting factor is that you put time and thought into feeling good, happy, and focused on yourself. Go ahead, show yourself some love.

Images: Jlhopgood/Flickr; AsapSCIENCE/YouTube (4)