Long-term strategies for managing feelings of anxiety
On top of the things you can do in the moment to manage feelings of anxiety, there are several long-term actions you can take to minimise stressors in your life.
Anxiety feeds off uncertainty, which is why understanding what triggers it for you can be helpful. By making connections between certain situations and your emotions, you can reach for self-care strategies or learn to avoid triggers when possible.
Over the next few days and weeks, try to think about:
- What happened before you started feeling anxious
- How you feel when you’re anxious
- What you do to feel better that works
- Where and when your anxiety feels more under control.
You can keep your answers in a journal, in your phone's notes app or in a wellbeing app like Calm.
Scroll down to learn more strategies you can try.
Tips for managing anxiety in the long term
- Identify and minimise your stressors
Identifying and minimising the stressors in your life can be an effective way of reducing symptoms of anxiety.
While you might not be able to resolve everything straight away, you can begin to take the steps needed to reduce the impact that these stressors have on you.
Common stressors include:
By being aware of your stressors, you can:
- Use self-care strategies to help manage your emotions
- Reach out for support. For example, if you're experiencing financial stress due to debt, you may want to contact the National Debt Helpline.
- Consider exposure therapy
- Prioritise and practise self-care
“When I was willing to let go and not focus on “success” I found peace and my joy back.”
Our mental and physical health are deeply affected by one another. One of the best ways to look after how we feel emotionally is to look after our body physically.
- Focus on what you eat
Research shows that what we eat and drink can impact how we feel.
If you're anxious, it can be helpful to:
- Eat complex carbohydrates – these are digested more slowly which creates a calmer feeling. Complex carbs are things like fruit and vegetables, wholemeal bread and pasta, and beans.
- Stay hydrated
- Limit or avoid alcohol – while a drink might calm your nerves in the moment, alcohol can interfere with your mood and sleep as your body processes it
- Limit or avoid caffeine and high-sugar foods – these can make you feel irritable, jittery or nervous
- Eat foods with omega-3 – including avocado, tuna, salmon and olive oil.
- Move your body
- Avoid substances
- Get enough sleep
Getting help from others
Anxiety isn't something you have to deal with on your own.
Remember, 1 in 4 people experience it. Having the courage to ask for help can be hard but is one of the best things you can do for yourself.
- Talk to someone you trust
Talking to someone you trust or others who experience anxiety can help you feel less alone.
It can also help you learn new coping strategies and give you a greater understanding of your triggers and experiences.
You might like to try talking in a peer support group, or even on an online forum.
- Try talk therapy
- Speak with your GP about a Mental Health Treatment Plan
To learn more ways to manage feelings of anxiety, you can:
- Discover tools and apps that can give you practical techniques and strategies
- Contact an anxiety support service for further resources.
