7 effective anxiety management techniques

Anxiety disorders can take various forms such as generalized anxiety, phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and panic attacks. Luckily, there are many ways you can manage your symptoms.

You know the feeling. You're doing fine, then your son announces that he's dropping out of university, and you discover you need a new roof. Suddenly, you can't breathe. Your chest hurts and you're convinced it's a heart attack. It's more likely you're having an anxiety attack.

1. Simply experience your anxiety for 45 minutes. That's usually all it takes for you to become used to it and for the anxious feeling to dissipate. The worst thing to do is ignore it, because anxiety tends to fight back if you push it down.
2. Talk to yourself. Remind yourself of how you handled similar situations in the past, your strengths and how long you will need to get through it. Show yourself that this anxiety is manageable as well as time-limited.
3. Keep a journal noting what makes you anxious. Then revisit these same items when you're feeling calm and develop plans to deal with them.
4. Make sure you're getting several servings of whole grains, fruit and vegetables every day, along with healthy protein sources such as fish, poultry, lentils, soy or lean meats. The combination of healthy foods helps your brain to make serotonin, a chemical that induces a state of calm relaxation.
5. Go to the museum, see a film, read a good book or take up oil painting (or some other hobby). People who are bored tend to score higher on tests designed to measure levels of anxiety.
6. Rent a meditation, tai chi or yoga DVD from the library. They are all effective, non-medical ways of dealing with anxiety.
7. Share your anxieties with a confidant. It's a good idea to find someone who can help you to understand why you worry too much. If appropriate, try to play the same role for that person. We are usually better at putting someone else's worries in perspective than we are our own.