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GOOD THERAPY

Healthy and Safe Ways to Deal with Panic, Anxiety and Depression

Dealing with significant anxiety, sadness and stress is an overwhelming and often frightening experience. Fortunately, there are healthy, safe ways you can deal with panic that comes from anxiety and depression. Here are some immediate ways you can help yourself:

Look forward to something

It doesn’t matter what it is, big or small, having something to look forward to will help you feel better. Simple things like visiting your friend or making a reservation at your favorite restaurant can remind you that there is still good in life. Depression and anxiety is often associated with apathy, so it’s crucial that you keep yourself going by finding something to be excited about in every single day. Writing these things down so you can look at them throughout the week will help create anticipation so when the day actually comes you can fully experience those feelings of savoring, expression and reflection.

Take a short walk

Panic attacks create an excess of adrenaline that needs to run its course. If you’re feeding anxiety with negative self-talk or trying to force yourself to calm down, the adrenaline will just continue. If you’re in this situation, trapping yourself in a room is an unhealthy solution. Taking a brisk, short walk will release the adrenaline faster as you distance yourself from the situation. Try using positive self-talk as you walk if the anxiety is extreme, or call someone you can trust if you find that helpful.

Find volunteer work

Generosity is a powerful thing. It can cut through sadness, fear and indifference. When you’re helping someone else you can forget about your own worries and put your life into perspective. Whether it’s providing aid at a food bank or playing with animals in shelter, selflessly helping out will make you feel better.

Remember that it’s anxiety and not reality

People who suffer from anxiety often suffer from moments of distorted reality, which sounds much scarier than it really is. Anxiety and panic attacks create extreme stress and the intensity of that stress tunes out the surrounding world. This feeling is not dangerous or permanent and it will not occur for a long period of time unless your anxiety is extreme. There are simple ways to get back to reality during a panic attack, like running your hands under cold water and focusing on the cold, pinching yourself to feel a sensation and counting objects in a room.

Schedule a doctor’s appointment

Anxiety disorders and depression are extremely treatable. With help, you can live a fulfilling, normal life, so finding a psychiatrist and therapist in your area is essential. Visit your insurance provider’s website and search for doctors in your network. Evidence shows that treatment and medication in conjunction are the most effective, so you need to find qualified professionals to fulfill both needs.