Self-care To Relieve Anxiety

The anxious mind is chaotic and confused. It stifles all potential and puts you on the path of weakness and misery. If you want to control your mind, find the strategy that best suits your personality. However, there is one strategy that always works: practicing self-care. Listen to yourself, and make sure you have everything you need.

Constant worry and anxiety is exhausting. The irony is that the more exhausted you are and the more energy your brain has used, the harder it is for you to rest. This is because exhaustion does not always lead to sleep. You sleep when you feel calm and your mind is quiet.

It is not easy to live with anxiety, and many people suffer from it. Statistics suggest that while anxiety is a treatable condition, only 35% of people who suffer from it seek help for themselves.

Some people are chronically anxious. Their quality of life is poor, they are not reaching their full potential and they are worried about the future. Chronic anxiety even puts their physical health at risk. Given the severe implications that come with an anxious mind, let’s look at how self-care can address this potentially serious problem.

Practicing self-care is not self-indulgence

Self-care is essential in this uncertain and demanding world in which we live. This concept originated in the 80s when health professionals began to talk about the importance of healthy habits to reduce stress and anxiety.

It didn’t take long for the marketing world to usurp this term, which has led to confusion about what it originally meant. The beauty industry began marketing products that were sold under the name “self-care” and therefore people associated it with baths, fats, shampoos and even foods designed to make a person feel good. It is therefore important that the different fields of psychology clarify the basics of good self-care.

What is self-care?

• Self-care is more than self-indulgence. Practicing self-care means doing things that reduce anxiety, fear, and stress.
• Self-care is peace. It means achieving an internal balance that allows you to charge the batteries and stay energetic.
• Self-care means daily exercise. If you really want to calm your anxious mind, you need to have a daily self-care plan. While it doesn’t need to be more broadly designed, it does require a certain amount of dedication. Practicing self-care for a few days and then leaving it aside is useless. Well-being requires commitment.

A study conducted at Queen’s University, Kingston, Canada, explains that self-care is a collection of different activities that an individual performs on a daily basis. Self-care brings about positive changes in life and lowers the risk of exposure to many major diseases.

Five self-care strategies to calm an anxious mind

Pessimism, excessive worry, feeling of lack of control, psychological exhaustion…  The anatomy of the anxious mind is unique to each individual,  but there are some things that most anxious people suffer from.

Before you turn to medication, and before you say “I’m just like this, I can’t do anything for myself,” you might want to try these strategies:

A safe place to calm a distressed mind

A safe place means a corner, bench or chair in front of a window, for example; it is a place that will calm you down. It is your comfort zone where you can spend 15-20 minutes a day. During that time, you can connect with yourself to see how you can.

This safe place allows you to enjoy a moment of solitude. When you are alone, you can focus on a positive internal conversation with yourself. You can practice kindness to yourself. Talk about your worries and convince yourself that everything will turn out well. In that moment, you can alleviate your anxiety, and more importantly, think rationally about your fears.

Arrange happy moments for yourself

Happiness is well-being and satisfaction. It means that you are satisfied with yourself as you are, nothing more and nothing less. Practicing self-care means arranging something for yourself every day so you can feel these things. You need an hour or two every day to be able to rest and positively motivate your brain. 

Again, this doesn’t have to be anything more specifically crafted. It has to have something to do with your passion and personality. You can go for a walk, take a course, listen to music, or go out with friends. The possibilities are endless!

Something to help you relax

You have to have a way to let off steam and release all the repressed energy and tension. Yoga, meditation, sports, creative arts…

Invest in your health

Self-care also means that you need to take care of your physical health. Don’t forget that this requires a strong commitment. Things as simple as diet and daily habits have an important impact on well-being. You need to make a plan for yourself and stick to it firmly. Pampering is ok every now and then, and they are also part of good self-care. But committing to a good diet and exercise every day will make you feel great.

Taking care of your own health means focusing on prevention. One of the best ways to reduce your risk of getting sick is to pay attention to your body and mind. Do not shake off the pain and do not delay going to the doctor. If you postpone things, they can get worse. Lastly, remember that living with an anxious mind is not really about living, but about survival. Practicing self-care can help you break your limits and help you live the best life.