The past few years have been tough on everyone, let alone people who struggle with anxiety. It seems like every day there is something new to worry about. The pandemic is still not over, the political turmoil of 2020 still hasn’t disappeared, and now we’ve got a war to fret over. How do you manage your anxiety when the world just won’t let up?
The good news is that there are effective ways to manage anxiety no matter what is going on in the news. If you are struggling to remain calm among all the turmoil, here are 5 tips to help you cope.
1. Stop reading the news
A controversial approach to alleviating the anxiety caused by current affairs is to stop reading the news. There are reasons to be in the know about what is going on globally, even if it does not directly affect you. However, the news is very selective about what it tells you. In fact, media companies benefit from your anxiety.
The reality is that while the pandemic may be a once-in-a-lifetime event, much of what is going on in the world is not new. It seems like the world has been more chaotic than ever over the last few years, but that is large because we have had it thrown in our faces.
It can seem impossible to get away from the neverending news cycle, and it is important that you are not totally out of the loop. But the moment you feel yourself getting caught up in a news rabbit hole, step away.
2. Schedule a “worry hour”
One way of staying in the know without letting the news consume you is by scheduling time for it. Anxiety is useful to an extent. It tells you to make sure everything is okay. You can assuage your anxiety by listening to it. When you have a “worry hour” planned, you don’t feel so out of control.
Scheduling time to worry is a good idea no matter what is going on in the world. When struggling with anxiety, your brain is attuned to finding everything that could be “wrong” in your life. You will feel much better knowing that you have a plan to actually consider your fears. If a worry comes up during the day, take a note of it and leave it for later.
3. Breathe
There are many ineffective ways of trying to shut down your anxiety. One of the most ineffective is by trying to push the thoughts out of your mind. The more you engage with them, the more stubborn they become. Mindful breathing exercises provide a very different approach.
You can try a number of different types of breathing exercises but start with the basics. Close your eyes and just follow your breath without trying to change it. If your mind gets distracted, simply bring it back to the breath without judgment.
This is a good way of managing anxiety because it does not engage with the thoughts. Rather, it gives you something else to focus on. The thoughts can come and go, but as long as you keep pulling your focus back to your breathing, they will not be overly intrusive.
4. Use CBT techniques
Another way of managing the anxiety you feel is by using cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques. The most well-known technique is challenging your thinking. It takes sitting down and considering your thoughts one at a time.
Some thoughts will seem like perfectly reasonable concerns. Maybe they are. But by taking the Serenity Prayer into account, you can get a clearer perspective on them.
The Serenity Prayer asks for the “serenity to accept the things I cannot change [and] the courage to change the things I can change.” When using this approach with your anxious thoughts, you can strip the thoughts of their power. If something is really concerning, ask if you can do anything about it. If so, do that thing. If not, worrying is not going to help.
5. Distract yourself
There is nothing wrong with finding ways to distract yourself when you feel most anxious. Distracting yourself with a game, music, a book, or TV can provide short-term relief. Instead of trying to get rid of anxiety when it feels most strong, use the other management strategies when you have calmed down somewhat.
Distraction is not a good long-term solution, but it is better than tormenting yourself when the other solutions are not possible. Do something you know you will enjoy and that will help calm your mind. Afterward, you will find it easier to manage the anxiety caused by a chaotic world.
