12 Unconventional Tricks to Beat Anxiety

Harvard published an article a few years ago linking autoimmune disease and mood disorders. According to their 2013 paper people who suffer from autoimmune issues are 45% more likely to develop a mood disorder like anxiety or depression. Im willing to bet that number has increased. They explain that triggers may overlap and therefore diagnoses and treatment may be hindered. ALSO, in my case, anxiety disorders may increase your susceptibility for an autoimmune.

Luckily, over the years I have created a list of unconventional ways to get past an anxiety attack. Just like today, I wake up in fear and its a hard thing to shake and your day could be ruined if you dont combat it. Counsellors have taught me all the traditional breathing techniques and ways to talk yourself out of it BUT these are what work for me. Hopefully they can help YOU too.

1. Adopt a dog

Riley has been my best friend since the beginning. An animal gives you a sense of routine and being needed. I cant hide in my bed all day because the world seems scary. No, my pup needs a walk (also so beneficial) and to be fed and fresh water. They remind you to think beyond yourself especially since anxiety/depression can turn into a very self-centered illness. Plus side: they do amazingly cute things everyday.

2. Have a crush

This was something I discovered through talking with my friends. Give yourself permission to have a crush on someone IF YOURE SINGLE. Its important to feel worthy of another person and their affections. Having a crush on someone will give you motivation to take care of yourself and perhaps to be in more social situations. IF MARRIED, remind yourself of the crush you have on your partner! Plan a date and give yourself an excuse to feel worthy.

3. Buy scratch cards

This one is from my mom. We started a tradition of buying a scratch card on our way to doctors appointments. I really struggled with terrible anxiety attacks near the beginning of my diagnoses and this would give my brain a distraction. Plus side: everyone else in the waiting room will be super jealous when you win the jackpot!

4. Remind yourself youre not on a plane.

Obviously this only works when youre not actually on a plane BUT any anxiety suffers know, planes are just about the worst place ever. I use this fact to my advantage and whenever I find myself really struggling through an attack, Ill put my head in hands and think how much worse it would be if I was currently sitting on a plane. This reminds me to be grateful for my current surroundings and that things arent as severe as my brain is telling me.

5. Write it all down

This one is what you are all seeing right now. Going back and reading your past perspectives will help you see how far you have come or give you helpful hints on how to start changing that perspective.

6. Use the 15 Minute game

I use this method for travelling or when I have to be in situations that induce anxiety but I cannot avoid (like hospital visits). Make a plan BUT only for the next 15 minutes. Attacks can be awful although, at least mine, are usually short lived. If I can will myself to make good and healthy decisions for only the next 15 minutes, and the next 15 after that etc, you will find yourself home and safe and sound before you know it.

7. Find the humour

Laugh at yourself. I can clearly remember having an adverse effect to some medications and/or pushing myself too hard. This all landed me with my head in the toilet feeling terrible! For whatever reason I started a laugh at the absurd path my life had taken and this was enough to get me through that day. Not everyday will be terrible, you will laugh again.

8. Become a crafts master

Sew, Knit, Crochet, Quilt, Paint, Cross stitch, make jewellery, woodwork. All these things you can do at home and even when you feel like the world is ending. Plus they give you a sense of accomplishment and you can practice until youre a wizard at everything. Plus side: it gives you extra crafts to gift away to the amazing friends and family that have helped you out.

9. Make amazing music playlists to talk a walk

This was the only way I could get myself (and Riley) our for a walk. The further I got from my home, the more I felt that anxiety in my stomach. Worst-case scenarios circled my brain like vultures. Listing to music, and making sure its awesome music, helped me to embarrassingly sing along and remove myself from the mounting fears. Its all about the simple distractions.

10. Bring a bottle of water everywhere

I do this to this day. For some reason this has become one of the most helpful unconventional tricks. When I find myself at the vet or waiting in a huge line at the grocery store Ill suddently get that feeling of being stuck. No problem, I get my water out and take a few sips. This calms my body and helped with the weird/awful not-being-able-to-swallow feeling that anxiety brings

11. Get back into church

Besides the obvious help that my faith has given me, church also forces you back into a routine and social life with less expectations. You can leave whenever you need to. You can miss a week if your health is awful BUT it provides a safe place to stretch yourself and to show you that you can accomplish more than you think.

12. Always drive yourself to social events

Sometimes just knowing you have an escape plan is enough to get you to the social event. Removing myself from my friends was the worst decision I made. Once i figured out a way to calm my social nerves but still say yes to events, my quality of life skyrocketed. Make it happen!