Photographed by Bianca Valle.
Living with anxiety can feel like a constant battle. You have to stay alert to catch anxiety creeping up on you, and it can turn into an all-day fight to keep from being overwhelmed. Different therapies, like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), can help manage it, but when you're in the throes of an anxiety attack, a therapist's office might as well be a world away.
Anxiety is one of the most common mental illnesses in the U.S., affecting about 18% of the population. And, of course, it can sometimes feel like an uphill battle.
During times when it feels like anxiety is "winning," many look for some small saving grace to get them through the day. To see what techniques people living with anxiety use to combat their mental illness, we asked The Mighty's mental health community to share their tips for getting through rough times.
This story was published on The Mighty, a platform for people facing health challenges to share their stories and connect.
If you are experiencing anxiety and are in need of crisis support, please call the Crisis Call Center's 24-hour hotline at 1-775-784-8090.
Illustrations by Tristan Offit.
"I say hello to the anxiety (in my head of course), give it the name of someone annoying, and invite it along on my day because I have things I need to do. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't." -- Kimmie R.
"I avoid anxiety triggers by keeping my house clean, and on days [when] everything is too much, I try to keep stressors down." -- Amanda C.
"The only thing that really helps me instantly is holding my oldest cat. We have a special bond, and if I'm not feeling well and reach out for her, she just stays in my arms and I listen to her breathing and purring" -- Lisa O.
"I listen to music and try to focus on just the music and nothing else. Sometimes if I am able to, I lay down in complete silence or with my music and just lay there concentrating on my breathing." -- Jade C.
"I pray or read my favorite Bible verses. Focusing on my faith is a great tool for getting refocused on days when I feel like a nervous wreck. It's also very encouraging and lifts my mood." -- Autumn J.
"I try to ground myself using a five-senses technique I was taught. I take off my shoes if I can, first. Then I name five things I can see, four I can feel, three I can hear, two I can smell, and one I can taste. Surprisingly, it works really well by putting me in the moment." -- Kelli C.
"Meditate. I always thought it was one of those cheesy ideas people gave that would 'cure anxiety,' but it really has helped me. I generally use YouTube for guided meditations, they help force you to clear your mind and just focus on the words guiding you." -- Rachel H.
"Regardless of how anxiety creeps up on me and seeps into myself, I just breathe. If nothing else, I just survive and exist. Sometimes you just have to exist." -- Syed K.
"I never fight it -- I try to determine what's causing it. Negative self-talk? Fear of speaking my mind? Too much stress? Then I remind myself that although the physical manifestations and symptoms are very frightening, they cannot hurt me. I will not have a heart attack or stroke. Of all the things I've learned about my anxiety, I believe that has been the most comforting." -- Kelly L.
"Belly breathing! My therapist and I have been working on this a lot. Also acceptance, which I'm still working on. If I beat myself up and feel like I'm all alone with my panic and anxiety, the anxiety only gets worse. So I'm also working on saying to myself, 'OK, this is a panic attack. I'm accepting it.' I'm still working on a lot of things, obviously, but these have helped somewhat." -- Sarah B.
"Go for a walk in the mountains! After a while my brain stops going over and over my worries and just focuses on getting up the next peak until I've finished my intended route -- then I focus on getting home." -- Sian H.
"When anxiety is winning, I need alone time. I need to be on my own to relax, breathe, journal, and just be by myself. I'll come back when my heart has stopped feeling like it's going to burst out of my chest, my hands aren't shaking and I can breath again." -- Chelle H.
"I tell myself 'I've gotten through worse and I've come so far from where I used to be.'" -- Brandon H.
"Sometimes, if my husband can see I'm having a difficult time, he will get me to go out somewhere special with him -- even if it is just for ice cream or something." -- Wendy Z.
"I do whatever my mind and body wants. If it wants to sleep, I sleep. If I want that hamburger, I eat it. On the days anxiety is winning, it is easier to not argue with yourself about the small things. Tomorrow will be better and you will be better. So, you can fight with yourself tomorrow." -- Shelby D.
"Since the bulk of my anxiety is exacerbated by my internal monologue and self-directed hate speech, I try to focus on external things such as sending thank-you notes, texts, e-mails, celebrating someone else's successes, or some other act of giving or expressing gratitude." -- Kris G.
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By: Andrew Lorenz