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Have you ever been in a situation that all of a sudden brought on the sweats, a rapid heartbeat and/or a shortness of breath? You probably weren’t having a heart attack but instead you were most likely having an anxiety attack.  If you suffer from anxiety disorders, learning to manage your anxiety is the first step to overcoming it.

Anxiety is characterized by extreme reactions to fearful situations in which ways are out of the ordinary.  If someone was to follow you into a dark alley, those anxious feelings of a racing heartbeat and sweaty palms would give you heightened senses and a rush of adrenalin that can potentially save your life.  This is known to many as the fight or flight syndrome.

In the cases of having frequent anxiety attacks, the fearful feelings are from dreading a particular situation and not the actual situation itself.  If you were to get caught in traffic,  an anxiety attack could happen over what might happen when you get to work late.  Starting a new job is another way that can bring on anxiety attacks.  You don’t know anyone at the new job and the fear of that unknown can send you into a panic.

Don’t worry though because everyone experiences panic or anxiety in some ways.  Like the fight or flight example, it can save your life.  In new situations, we get panicky but when the outcome we fear doesn’t actually happen, the anxiety disappears.  For someone with chronic anxiety, this is just not the case.

You need to remember that every situation that brings anxiety is not life-threatening.  More than likely it is an extremely stressful situation that has brought on the anxiety as a way of dealing with it.  Unchecked anxiety of this type can lead to depression.

If you suffer from anxiety attacks or frequent anxiety disorder, there are steps you can take to keep your anxiety under control.

1. See a professional.  This is always a good first step.  Self-diagnosis of any type of physical or mental condition is unwise and can be dangerous.  A professional psychologist can help you understand your anxiety and prescribe medication or other effective techniques.

2. Get a good night’s sleep. During the sleep cycle, your body repairs itself.  You feel more rested after several hours of restorative sleep, reaching the REM stage.  Most people need eight hours a night which varies within an hour or two each way.

3. Exercise on a consistent basis. Exercise helps you to use oxygen more efficiently.  It helps to get more oxygen to the brain.  It also increases focus which may help you see solutions to problems rather than simply worrying about them.

4. Meditate. Meditation is more than chanting mantras.  Yoga is an exercise that involves quieting the mind and controlling your breathing.  Simple mediation such as taking 5 minutes to clear your mind everyday can work wonders in the fight against anxiety.

5. Manage the worry. When you feel your pulse start to quicken, count backwards from ten.  As you count, focus on the situation.  What has actually happened? Resist the urge to read anything more into the situation.

6. Don’t use alcohol. You might think that the glass of wine is relaxing your tension but alcohol is a depressant.  In anxious situations you could rely too heavily on it and gain another problem in the process.

7. Find some relaxing activities.  Stress can rob you of your energy.  On a regular basis, do something you like such as gardening, painting, reading or listening to music.

Anxiety can come into your life at any time.  It’s a normal thing so no need to get worked up over it.  However, if the anxiety becomes more and more frequent you could be at risk for more serious conditions.  If you feel your anxiety is starting to take over your life or increasingly causing you problems, seek professional help immediately.  There is no need to suffer this terrible condition in silence.