Whether or not you choose to get treatment for your Anxiety, you can benefit from making certain lifestyle changes if you have not already. Taking care of your Mind and Body can help you recover from your anxiety.
Seven coping strategies that may help women experiencing anxiety are:
(1) FIND TIME
FOR SELF-CARE
Self-care is any act that brings you positive feelings. Finding time each day to do at least one positive activity for yourself can help reduce stress, which can make you less prone to feeling anxious. What activities are considered self-care vary depending upon what you personally enjoy, but some examples include exercising, taking a bath, reading, or connecting with a loved one.
(2) TRY MEDITATION
Meditation techniques, like mindfulness, yoga, and tai chi, all involve non-judgmental awareness of the present moment. Countless studies have shown that practicing meditation can help decrease anxiety. Meditation is believed to affect areas of the brain involved in attention and focus and also stimulate the release of neurotransmitters like serotonin. If you are new to meditation, you can consider taking a class or practicing on your own by watching a guided video. Just a few minutes of meditation a day can provide significant benefits.
(3) EXERCISE
Physical activity is important for your physical and mental health and is associated with lower levels of anxiety. Experts recommend at least 60 minutes of light aerobic exercise, like walking, or 20 to 30 minutes of more rigorous exercise, like running, at least 4 days a week. If you are new to exercising, be sure to talk to your doctor before starting a new regimen.
(4) GET ENOUGH SLEEP
Sleeping issues are common among people with anxiety. In fact, up to 50% of people with generalized anxiety disorder experience sleeping problems. Insomnia can be both a risk factor for anxiety and a symptom of it. If you are experiencing sleeping issues, be sure to avoid substances that can impair your sleep, like caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine. You can also practice good sleep hygiene by keeping a consistent sleep and wake schedule, avoiding electronic devices before bed, and creating a dark, distraction-free environment in your bedroom. If you continue to struggle with sleep, consider speaking with your healthcare provider. You may benefit from further testing or treatment.
(5) DON’T OVER
CONSUME CAFFEINE
While small doses of caffeine can increase energy and alertness, too much caffeine can negatively affect your anxiety and cause irritability, headaches, and sleeping problems.14 If you use caffeine, try to limit it to less than 400 milligrams a day and 200 milligrams if you are pregnant. Some coffee and energy drinks have high levels of caffeine, so be sure to check how much you are drinking and also avoid caffeine in the late afternoon and evening hours.
(6) DON’T DRINK TOO MUCH ALCOHOL
While some people find that alcohol “takes the edge off,” excessive drinking can actually worsen your anxiety. It can also impair your decision-making and judgement, harm your relationships, and negatively affect the quality of your sleep, which can lead to more stress. If you do drink alcohol, be sure to stick to the recommended guidelines for moderate drinking, which is no more than one drink per day for women. If you are taking prescription medication, be sure to ask your healthcare provider if it is safe to consume alcohol and always avoid alcohol if you are pregnant.
(7) SPEAK UP!
Many women with anxiety will put off speaking up or seeking help for a number of reasons. If you have tried alternative ways to deal with your anxiety and just feel like it is not working or not enough, do not hesitate to seek professional help. For some women, getting help is necessary for recovery. There is no reason to suffer in silence when other options are available.
WHEN & HOW TO GET HELP WITH ANXIETY
It is never too early to get help for your Anxiety. In fact, waiting too long may cause unnecessary suffering. Untreated anxiety can negatively affect many areas of your life, including your mood, relationships, and ability to function at work, school, or home. If your anxiety is mild and not significantly affecting your life, you may be able to deal with it on your own with by taking care of your physical and mental health, practicing self-regulating activities like havening, and connecting with your support system.
However, if your anxiety is causing you distress, negatively affecting your life, and does not go away within a few weeks or months, then you should strongly consider getting help. Also, if you are dealing with more than just anxiety, like depression or sleeping problems, then you should think about getting professional help.
HOW ANXIETY IS TREATED
Treatment for anxiety among women typically involves therapy, medication, or a combination of both. There are several different types of therapy and mental health medications that are effective for reducing anxiety. During menopause, women may also receive hormone therapy to help alleviate their anxiety. The type of treatment that is best for you will depend upon how severe and long you have been dealing with anxiety, the causes of your anxiety, and your own personal preferences.
Common treatments for anxiety in women include:
(A) THERAPY
Therapy for anxiety involves speaking with a mental health professional who will help you change your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors related to your anxiety. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and exposure therapy are two popular and effective therapies for anxiety.11 CBT helps you change unhealthy thought patterns that contribute to your anxiety, while exposure therapy helps you confront situations that you may be avoiding because of your anxiety. Therapy is provided by psychologists, social workers, counselors, and therapists.
(6) MEDICATION
Psychiatric medications do not cure anxiety but can help alleviate some of your symptoms. Benzodiazepines, antidepressants, and beta blockers are medications that can help decrease anxiety. For more information about medication for anxiety, and whether medication is safe during pregnancy, you can speak with a physician, psychiatrist, OB/GYN or psychiatric nurse practitioner.
(C) SUPPORT GROUPS
If you are experiencing anxiety, you may benefit from attending a support group where you can talk about your feelings and receive encouragement and feedback from other group members. Support groups for anxiety are available both online and in-person and may be helpful in addition to therapy.
(D) HORMONE THERAPY
Women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) or those undergoing menopause may also benefit from hormone therapy to help treat their anxiety. Some studies have found that prescribing birth control pills or estrogen can help alleviate anxiety and depression in these women.
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