Living with anxiety is not a good choice, which is why many experts recommend mental exercises, which you can do anytime and anywhere to calm down and avoid getting to the point where you feel like your heart is going to jump out of your chest and the world is going to end.
According to the Mayo Clinic, it’s normal to feel some anxiety in everyday life, but if we don’t learn to control it, it can hurt our quality of life, physical and mental health, relationships, work performance, and level of happiness, so we shouldn’t ignore it or let it get worse.
The problem with anxiety is that when you have it, it’s hard to break out of this cycle. Everything seems huge or impossible, and you can’t think straight. For example, Harvard Health suggests looking for a “relaxation response,” a term that was first used by Dr. Herbert Benson, editor of the Harvard Medical School Special Health Report, in the 1970s.
This is a technique or set of techniques that you can use to get back to a state of calm and inner peace. It includes different mental exercises that you can do to fight anxiety and stress. Experts from all over the world have come up with exercises and “tricks” that can be very helpful.
How to stop your anxiety attacks with mental exercises
Guided images
Harvard Health Publishing says that doing this for just a few minutes can change your mood in a big way.
For the Guided Imagery technique, you should think about times, places, or things that made you feel calm. This will help your mind relax. Also, they recommend using apps or playlists that help you feel calm and peaceful.
He says, “Guided imagery can help you feel better about yourself.”
Reality test
PsychCentral says that this is something that Sigmund Freud came up with as a way to “change your perspective on things that normally make you feel anxious.”
He wants you to have a more logical way of thinking so you can figure out if what you’re feeling is based on something real or if it’s just a perception you’ve changed because you’re not feeling well or because you’re afraid it’s not logical.
What they suggest is that you tell yourself over and over that thoughts are just thoughts. This doesn’t mean that they have no value, but it does mean that they don’t always reflect reality. Getting to the bottom of this can also help you find a solution and stop worrying so much.
Count
When you need to break the cycle and change your way of thinking, the simplest things can also be very helpful.
Healthline says that counting is a great way to calm yourself down. “Find a quiet, comfortable place to sit when you start to feel anxious. Close your eyes and count to 10 slowly. If you need to, say it again and count to 20 or even more. Keep counting until you start to feel less anxious.”
This works because it gives your mind something to focus on other than fear or worry, and you can do it more than once a day and in any place or situation.
