It's been said that anxiety is one of the reigning plagues of the modern world. The causes of anxiety are widely varied, and the solutions can sometimes be quite tricky. Fortunately, through increasing your awareness of the causes and educating yourself on strategies for easing anxiety, you can set yourself up for a little bit more peace and calm in your life. Here are a few sources of anxiety, plus some practical solutions for coping with or eliminating those feelings of unease.
Anxiety Source: Negative Thinking
As the proverb goes, "As a man thinks, so he is." Your thoughts can become beliefs, actions, habits, or worldviews. Often, anxious habits and tendencies originate from a negative thought cycle. These thoughts may happen regularly on a conscious level, or they might be happening so rapidly or frequently that you're practically unaware of them. Though it might seem difficult to rewire your own thinking, it may simply be a matter of replacing anxiety-inducing thoughts with healthier ones, eventually re-training your mind to break those negative patterns.
Anxiety Solution: Mindfulness Training
Re-establishing new patterns of thinking doesn't happen overnight. Rather, it's a result of regular reflection on thoughts, triggers, and habits which contribute to anxiety. Daily practice with the aid of an anxiety management app such as Unwinding Anxiety can be helpful. Instead of trying to remember to replace negative thoughts and reflect on new ones all the time, you can simply choose an anti-anxiety app that provides you with daily reminders and mindfulness practice instead.
Anxiety Source: Social Environments
Social anxiety is a fairly common experience for people, with 7.1% of American adults grappling with this issue every year. Unless you live an isolated life as a religious monk or an off-grid homesteader, it's unlikely that you'll be able to perpetually avoid social situations or public speaking. Simple actions such as bringing a friend along may help you feel more at ease in unfamiliar groups, but this isn't always possible in places such as job interviews or work celebrations. Fortunately, there are plenty of other ways to build coping skills for these environments.
Anxiety Solution: Anxiety Relief Program
An anxiety app or anxiety relief program might be just the ticket for you if you suffer from social anxiety. Strategic intervention through the introduction of anxiety-taming techniques, guided meditation, and other calming exercises can equip you for managing social anxiety well before you set foot in your next party or meeting presentation. An app-based program with regular reminders can help ensure you stay on track with your progress building these skills.
Anxiety Source: Unhealthy Habits
Poor health habits often contribute to anxiety. Overconsumption of caffeine, for example, may trigger or aggravate anxiety, especially if you already have a diagnosed anxiety disorder or panic disorder. Another health habit-related cause of anxiety is skipping meals, which may result in a blood sugar drop that makes it harder to cope with stressors that would otherwise be manageable. On the other side of the coin, emotional eating can also become a vicious cycle where unhealthy weight gain leads to anxiety, which leads to more overeating.
Anxiety Solution: Mindful Health Practices
Managing health habit-related anxiety may be a matter of choosing better foods at the grocery store, stocking up on decaffeinated tea and coffee, and planning meals for the week. You might even need to pencil in things like meal prep and lunch breaks into your planner to ensure that you prepare (and eat) all of the healthy food you've purchased. For support with emotional eating, you can look into resources such as health coaches or mindful eating apps.
Anxiety Source: Financial Concerns
Finances are a huge source of uncertainty and unease for many people. Many people encounter this concern on a daily basis, but it may also come at you out of seemingly nowhere. This can send you into an anxiety spiral, leading to other forms of stress, bad habits, and even health problems. Financial anxiety can be tricky to deal with since many people don't understand money very well. In this case, getting a little help from an expert may be beneficial.
Anxiety Solution: Financial Advisors
When money is tight, unexpected bills emerge, or debt piles up, it's no surprise that people become stressed and anxious. Much of this worry may be alleviated with the help of a financial advisor or another money expert. Seeking help from an expert who can give you sound advice may ease your fears and by supporting you in making a long-term money management plan. Not only will this help ease tensions in the present, but it will also help you avoid unnecessary financial stress in the future.
Anxiety is a multi-faceted problem with a complex range of sources. Fortunately, once those sources are identified, there are plenty of remedies to mitigate unease. With a little bit of reflection on these areas, you can determine some of the causes of anxiety in your life and finally begin working toward lasting peace.
