If you live with anxiety, you’ll know how unbearable it can feel at times. The constant worrying and sense of dread are exhausting. You tend to worry about things that other people seem to have no problems with. This might be meeting new people, going to work, or even something as simple as getting up in the morning and brushing your teeth. But if you’ve been asking yourself the question of Will my anxiety ever go away?, then we have good news for you.
The truth is, if you’re suffering from anxiety, then yes — it’s absolutely possible to find relief from it and live a normal life. It may not be as simple as snapping your fingers and making your anxious thoughts disappear (trust us, we wish it were that easy), but there are definitely ways to cope and reduce your anxiety. Read on to find out how.
Contents
- What is Anxiety?
- How Can I Make My Anxiety Go Away?
- How Long Does Anxiety Last?
- Tips to Stop Anxiety From Returning
- Is There Any Hope For Anxiety Sufferers?
What is Anxiety?
Anxiety is actually pretty natural, and it’s an experience that every single person will have gone through at some point or another. Simply put, anxiety is a natural response we humans have when we feel threatened or are under a lot of pressure.
This feeling can manifest in so many different ways. If you suffer from anxiety, you might get physical sensations, such as:
- Shortness of breath
- A racing heart
- Sweating
- Tingling or numbness in the fingers
- Chest tightness
However, some of the worst symptoms can actually be found in the mind, leaving you to replay worries over and over in your mind, difficulty concentrating, and a constant feeling of dread or impending doom. These obsessive thoughts can affect so many aspects of your life, from your relationships to your job.
Like we said, a little bit of worry from time to time can be normal, such as worrying over an exam or a swiftly approaching work deadline. However, when these thoughts start to take over your life and you find yourself Googling things like, “Will My Anxiety Ever Go Away?”, that’s the difference.
How Long Does Anxiety Last?
There’s no specific timeline for anxiety. It could last anywhere from a few minutes to a few days or months. Anxious periods lasting weeks, months, or even years are known as sustained anxiety, and if this sounds like you, then it’s very likely you have an anxiety disorder.
For others, it may come in waves. You may have periods of brief respite where your anxiety might not feel as bad, until you experience a trigger that sets it off. This could be an argument with your parents, money worries, work piling up, or even social situations.
How Can I Make My Anxiety Go Away?
Anxiety often feels never-ending. However, there are many things that you can do to relieve the symptoms. Over time, these things can also lessen long-term anxiety, helping you to live a more normal life.
01. Try Therapy
Talk Therapy
Talk therapy is a popular type of treatment for anxiety. This involves meeting with a therapist (usually on a weekly basis, although it can be more or less) for a session where you talk to them. Talk therapy is kind of an umbrella term — below, are some other therapies that can fall under talk therapy.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
CBT is a hugely popular therapy that helps treat a range of different disorders such as OCD, depression, phobias, and, yes, anxiety. This type of therapy focuses on changing the way you think about worries and how you deal with them. It involves practicing with a therapist as well as on your own.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Dialectical Behavior Therapy is specifically designed to teach you the coping skills and techniques you need to live with anxiety. Although this was actually originally developed to treat BPD (borderline personality disorder), this type of therapy is also effective for a range of other mental health issues, including anxiety.
02. Pick a Hobby (And Stick To It)
When you’re experiencing anxiety, working on a hobby is likely the last thing you have the energy to do. But hobbies are great for anxiety because they give you something to think about, rather than the constant worries and the feelings of impending doom in your stomach. If you pick a hobby you enjoy, you’re also doing something good for yourself.
However, it’s important to stick to it. You may be tempted to try something once or twice and then immediately throw the towel in when you don’t feel better, but that would be a mistake — you need to build a routine.
Some relaxing hobbies include:
- Painting and drawing
- Crochet
- Patchwork
- Puzzles
Notice how the majority of these are creative hobbies? Engaging your mind and your soul can help with anxious feelings.
0.3 Try Meditation
Look, we know what you’re going to say. You’ve tried it before, and we get it — we totally do. But with meditation, it’s important to be consistent. Unfortunately, one meditation session in the middle of an anxiety attack isn’t going to help.
If you suffer from anxiety, you need to be constantly looking after your nervous system. Practicing meditation every single day, even on low-to-no anxiety days, will give you the tools you need when you do experience a flare-up.
0.4 Bring Routine Into Your Life
When we’re experiencing anxiety, a lot of the time we feel completely out of control. However, a routine offers stability and structure, which means it can help soothe symptoms – especially if you design a specific morning routine to reduce anxiety.
And the best part of a routine is that you can tailor it to your own individual needs and adjust it to what offers the most relief. For example, if you find exercise helps the most, you can schedule an after-work gym session to burn off your stress.
Routines are also great when your worries make it hard to complete basic tasks. If you’re having trouble showering in the morning, make it a non-negotiable part of your routine.
Don’t put too much pressure on yourself! If you start to overthink your routine, then you’re giving your anxious thoughts a chance to creep back in. And if you skip it one day, that’s totally okay. Overcoming anxiety isn’t always linear — just try again tomorrow.
0.5 Try Medication
Although medication may not be for everyone, it has been known to bring relief to anxiety sufferers. There are different types of anxiety medications, with some that even remove the physical symptoms of anxiety. If you’re considering medication, speak with your doctor.
0.6. Focus on Yourself
When we have anxiety, a lot of the time, we’re so worried about external factors that we forget to look inward and focus on ourselves. Things like meditation, breathing techniques, and grounding techniques can all help us focus on the present moment and bring us back to our bodies. Looking after your nervous system and yourself can help you control feelings of anxiety.
Tips to Stop Anxiety From Returning
If you’ve managed to get your anxiety under control, or almost under control, you may still worry about symptoms returning. Here are some tips to stop it from coming back:
- Make Sure You’re Getting Enough Sleep — Try for your full eight hours a night. This might mean coming up with a good nighttime routine, staying off screens for one hour before bed, taking a hot bath, or doing whatever you need to do in order to quieten your mind and relax your body.
- Surround Yourself with Loved Ones — Loneliness is a breeding ground for anxious thoughts. Allowing negative thoughts to sneak in and not sharing your problems with your loved ones can soon give way to a spiral. Sharing with others can put your worries into perspective.
- Stick to Your Routine as Much as You Can — We live in a busy world and sometimes, our routines end up on the back burner. Try to focus on routine and stability as much as possible, even if your anxious thoughts are at a minimum.
- Challenge Your Negative Thoughts — This is perhaps the hardest thing to do, but negative thoughts are a cycle. You need to practice breaking the cycle by challenging your negative thoughts. This will help if you do find yourself in the middle of a spiral.
- Go Outside Every Day — Soak up that sun! It doesn’t matter whether you’re spending five minutes in the garden or going on a 60-minute walk; just get some sun on your face, and often.
- Practice Self-Care — Don’t just use self-care as a tool when you’re in the middle of an anxiety spiral. You need to practice it every single day, by taking time for yourself and doing things you love. This could be as simple as spending 30 minutes painting after work, grabbing a morning coffee from your fave coffee shop, or investing in a hair mask. It’s all about doing something that makes you feel good every single day.
Conclusion — Is There Any Hope for Anxiety Sufferers?
Anxiety is a natural part of life, and the majority of people will experience it at some point or another. Although your anxiety may never leave you completely, yes you can control your anxiety enough to live a normal life. It doesn’t matter whether you’re stuck with temporary bouts of anxiety that you can’t seem to shake, or anxiety seems to follow you every single day — it is absolutely possible to control it. Good mental health is about consistency, whether that’s remembering to take your medication every day or making sure you’re soaking up that sun. Using a combination of the tips suggested above can help, but it’s also important to know what to seek professional treatment. The right medication and therapy can be life changers.
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