Five ways I’m improving my anxiety
Since the loss of my beautiful dog Rory at the start of the year, my OCD and anxiety has been in absolute overdrive. I’ve suffered with it for the majority of my life, but I suppose it goes without saying that during periods of high-stress or life change, it’s going to rear its ugly head. I’ve not experienced it like this for a long time, and so I’ve been making a conscious effort to implement ways to keep it at bay, without turning into a literal hermit who refuses to leave the house. I thought I’d list some of the things that have been helping, in case this helps anyone else struggling with anxiety right now.
Moving my body
I know, I know, we all hate to admit it – but regular exercise really does help the mind, as well as the body. It doesn’t have to be running a marathon or using the heaviest weights in the gym – anything from a simple walk around the block can help boost your mental health significantly. I notice such a difference in my mental health on the days I don’t move in some way. I’ll feel the anxiety cloud appearing above my head, and my mood isn’t that great. Whereas on the days when I do get movement in, I’ll feel more energised, positive, and yeah – happier. I’d say this is probably the number one tip for helping ease anxiety.
Switching to decaf coffee
A few years ago I discovered the joy of coffee and I haven’t looked back since. I just love going to a cute coffee shop and buying an oat milk latte – it brings me joy. However, I realised this year that it also brings me anxiety. So, an immediate switch to decaf took place and it’s helped significantly. I can still enjoy my silly little lattes but I don’t get the scary palpitations and just overall brain-going-into-overdrive-effect that caffeine unfortunately has on me. I’m currently enjoying this Swiss water blend from Rave Coffee.
Reducing my screen time
I hate to admit it, but I scroll far too much. And to be honest, the endless scrolling is quite possibly the biggest problem when it comes to my anxiety. I’ll be feeling absolutely fine, and then TikTok or Instagram will serve me a video that immediately triggers me, and the day is ruined. Often I don’t even know what is going to trigger me until it does, and with apps like TikTok that just serve you whatever it thinks you’ll want to see at the time, it’s a risky business. I’ve tried adding keyword blockers etc. and even had TikTok on restrictive mode at one point, but I’ve found the best thing to do is just avoid the endless scrolling. I’m very much in a ‘create more, consume less’ mindset at the minute and this is a big part of that. I’ve already seen such a big improvement since cutting down on picking my phone up every five minutes!
Getting into more hobbies
This kinds of feeds into the avoid scrolling thing – but finding things you love doing/things that bring you joy and prioritising them is so important for your mental health. If I’m busy with my head in a book, a scrapbook project or playing a new Switch game, I don’t have the brain space to start ruminating or spiralling. I’ve been reading so much more this year and it’s really helped considerably, particularly at night when I often find my brain goes into overdrive. I’m also currently obsessed with the Switch game Tiny Bookshop – it’s so simple yet so wholesome and such a nice way to unwind of an evening.
Journalling
This is probably the one I need to prioritise more, but any therapist will tell you that getting your thoughts down on paper is invaluable. If you feel like your head is full of thoughts and you’re spiralling/your anxiety feels out of control: write it down. Honestly, even if it’s just a scribbled stream of consciousness, it’ll make you feel so much better. Treat yourself to a nice new notebook and keep it on your bedside table for when those thoughts get too heavy.
Do you have any tips for beating anxiety? Just know that you’re not alone, and I really hope these tips help you feel better.