Do you suffer from anxiety? If so, you are well aware of the many relentless symptoms that come fast and hard with an attack. That scary feeling of being smothered as if a pillow is shoved tightly across your face. The rapid onset of dizziness and spinning like you’re in the middle of a State Fair ride…
It never ceases to amaze me when I’m in the midst of a panic attack how I’m 100 percent certain I’m dying with every single one that hits. This is my absolute truth each time a new one arrives even after actually surviving so many of those monstrous moments.
Self-care is key when anxiety tries to take over. These are the times we can step away from anything else on our to-do lists and focus on our well-being. It’s a must.
Here are 7 ways to practice self-care when anxiety hits. I hope they help you as profoundly as they have me in those moments we all desperately need to escape.
Stay Away From Sugar
This one is tough. I completely understand our deepest instinct makes us want to run to a sweet treat for comfort, but I truly believe gut health is a huge part of anxiety and mood disorders. When I follow the FAA food plan with no sugar, flour, or wheat, I literally feel like a different person.
Two weeks ago, I quit sugar again as anxiety has been visiting me too often lately after a nice long break. I’ve had a few sugary slips, but am overall happy with my progress. I’m not quite ready to release flour and wheat yet. They are definitely next on my list.
Have Healthy Food Easily Accessible
Again, we will probably not want to make healthy choices in these moments of overwhelm. This makes it imperative we have good, clean foods within reach. If you need to send someone to the grocery, ask for help!
This might be the perfect time to try out a service like Hello Fresh where all of the exact ingredients arrive at your doorstep and you just follow a simple recipe. If it’s too late to plan for that and you’re already in a dark, anxious space, send someone to pick up food at a local healthier choice restaurant. CoreLife Eatery, Chipotle, and Panera are a few of my family’s favorites.
Get Lost in a Good Story
This seems so simple. Read a book. I know this may be the last thing we want to do as our minds spin, but getting lost in a good story (or even some interesting non-fiction) can give us just the escape we need.
I haven’t read as much as I would like this year. Visit my completed to-be-read pile of books from last year with their corresponding reviews for some great choices to start with. You’ll see I lost the momentum around October, thankfully not before finishing two of my absolute favorites, For The Love and It Was Me All Along.
Turn to God
Of course, the most helpful book to pick up when anxiety hits hard is the Bible.
Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.
~1 Peter 5:7
He loves us more than we could ever imagine. We all know his promises of peace. One of my favorite scriptures:
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
~Philippians 4:6-7
When those relentless anxiety attacks take over, it’s far too easy to forget those many promises He so graciously gives us. One of my favorite ways to connect with Him in my panicked moments is praying scripture. Just personalize one of your favorite verses and pray those beautiful words as absolute truth.
Watch a Movie
For all of the grief screens get these days, a solid two hours in front of one when you’re reeling out of control can be much needed. I’m a big fan of Netflix for this reason alone. Sometimes just the act of scrolling through the choices can alleviate my panic stricken mind.
Something about holding that remote and setting my focus on the screen completely soothes me at times. When I’m overcome with anxiety, I don’t even have to feel a little bit guilty about wasting time with a movie or good TV series binge. I chalk it up to a mental health necessity and call it a day.
Connect With Nature
I studied techniques for healing anxiety with nature on a trip I took with my daughter last year. We were at the beach, my happy place, and I was strangely plagued with panic attacks. After forcing myself outdoors, I found the peace I needed through connecting and grounding myself in nature.
As the weather continues to get colder, I’ve found even opening all of my blinds can give me this same type of relief. My husband has always said he can tell what kind of day I’ve had by whether the blinds are open. He’s a pretty smart guy…
Apply and Diffuse Essential Oils
Last but certainly not least, use essential oils! Nothing has helped my mood management more than these little natural solutions. I’m currently obsessed with my calming roller-bottle filled with doTERRA Balance, Serenity, and Vetiver. (You can find the exact recipe here.)
My favorite book on proper use of essential oils, The Essential Life, lists the following for anxious feelings: Restful Blend (doTERRA Serenity), Lavender, Reassuring Blend (doTERRA Peace), Grounding Blend (doTERRA Balance), and Wild Orange.
I use a variety of oils throughout the day topically, internally, and in my diffuser. You can learn more about essential oils here. You will also find a wonderful list of diffuser recipes for emotional support there as well. I would love to help you get started with these powerful little helpers.
Self-care is not an option. We must make time to serve ourselves just as we do for all the people we love. When anxiety sets in, these habits become even more important.
I hope these suggestions serve you well. Please share some of your favorite self-care practices in the comments!
As always, thank you for being on this journey with me. If you’re new here, make sure to subscribe to my free newsletter!
I like that you wrote “self-care is not an option.” SO TRUE. Great ideas too. I love getting lost in a good book – and I do want to try out essential oils.
-Lauren
#happynow
I used to think self-care was completely optional, Lauren. That was a rough lesson to learn! Books are wonderful. I need to read more fiction though. Those are the ones I can really escape with :).
Let me know if I can help you learn more about essential oils! I have a couple of great free online educational resources. We have 20% off several of our starter kits right now too, just through November.
These tips are spot on! The only one I would add based on my personal experience is to get plenty of rest. I have an autoimmune disorder that brings on anxiety attacks from time to time. You’re right, I just know it it’s going to take me out of this world every time it happens! Being very intentional about what we allow into our diet and life is key to controlling these. I am so glad that you have found relief!
Rest is a wonderful and important addition to this list, Summer. Thanks so much for sharing it! It’s far too easy to get caught up in to-do lists and forget to stop and relax. We have to spend some time doing absolutely nothing but resting and repairing our bodies and minds.
These are great ideas, Candace, so varied. I love that. Lately I’ve discovered lavender and find it so refreshing. Unfortunately my husband and daughter hate it. 😉 And yes to praying scripture when your mind just can’t come up with your own words. (Even in calmer moments, it’s a great way to pray.)
Lavender is wonderful, Betsy. You may want to check out Petitgrain. It’s great for people who don’t like the smell of lavender. It has a lot of the same benefits. I’ve heard it called the man’s lavender ;).
I only learned about praying scripture in the past few years. It’s amazing how comforting it can be in so many circumstances!
Getting outside is a huge help. And shutting down the computer and phone, for sure.
Halt any video games.
Decaf tea’s a good option as well as cutting way back on that sugar you’re talking about, Candace.
Singing praise songs, escaping in a good book or movie. Yep.
And yes, I’ve found there are times I need to take just a little medication, which knocks the anxiety right out and enables me to move on with the day without another thought about the insistent wrestling and crazymaking that anxiety brings.
Thanks for sharing the tips, Candace …
Great tips, Linda! Thanks so much for sharing them here. I completely agree about the medication part as well. Sometimes it can be an absolute necessity. Praise music in the car when I take my son to school really helps start my day off beautifully. I love that idea for when anxiety hits!
Great tips and as someone who also suffers from anxiety I get it. Self-care is not an option and the days I don’t do so well with this are the days I have the most trouble.
Getting outside is one of my go to self-care activities. It’s also my favorite. I also use essential oils and find that turning on some worship music makes a huge difference. Thank you for all of theses ideas.
I always enjoy seeing your outdoor adventure pictures on Instagram, Mary. You are my inspiration for morning walks. I’m still not doing them but seeing your consistency is getting me that much closer ;). I can completely relate to having worse days when I neglect self-care. It really needs to be done daily even if it’s just for a few moments.
Such good tips, Candace. Leaning into God and getting in touch with His creation work the best for me. Getting lost in a good story or movie are next. 🙂 Love and hugs to you!
Thanks, Trudy! I love the way you worded that: getting in touch with His creation. That is exactly what makes being in nature so incredibly special. Love and hugs to you!
These are great tips.I find my anxiety is not made better by just sitting and worrying. I love the suggestion you make to get involved in a good story! I love reading books that give me an opportunity to escape someplace else for just a bit.
Sitting and worrying used to be my go-to plan, Jen ;). I’ve come a long way but must admit to still going there every once in a while. Yes, books are the perfect escape! I have bookshelves filled with stories I need to read.
I recently suffered my first anxiety attack. I was alone in a hotel room and called 911 because the chest pain was so bad, I had collapsed, and truly, as some of you have said, thought I was dying. All the medical came back fine, no heart attack, but it was the most frightening experience of my life. I’ve been focusing more on self care (Bible, yoga, crochet, reading, British tv, earlier bedtime), but am so fearful it will happen again! I have an rx for Xanax, but haven’t taken any yet. I’m going to try not to take any, if possible. I’ve added a 50mg B complex to my daily routine because I’m a firm believer in B6 for the nervous system. I think it’s helping.
I work full time because my husband is chronically ill and cant. It’s sometimes so overwhelming. Any tips other sufferers can offer would be great! Just don’t say “lavender” or “kale” as the cure all, I hate them both. 😉
I’m so sorry to hear about your recent attack, Einer. That sounds like an incredibly scary one. You are choosing some great options for self-care. I really want to start doing yoga again. It’s been a while. No worries about lavender and kale! They can both definitely be left out of your plan ;). Praying for you and your husband. You have a lot on your plate right now.
I listed on the free version of Pandora to “Instrumental Hymns” while doing yoga in my bedroom. It’s like fantastic stretching and worship all rolled into one. It’s awesome and I recommend that Pandora station – it’s so soothing, both for body and soul!
That is a great tip! Thank you, Einer. I’ll definitely try that.
Oh do I EVER, Candace. I just hate anxiety. But I do love these tips, my friend. I honestly never thought of sugar as a problem with this! Now, I need to re-think my diet. *Pours more sugar in coffee while sighing* LOL
Seriously, I think sometimes the best thing is to divert and distract. I fall into these pits of overwhelm and I notice if I am pulled away from allthethings- my perspective lightens and I can center myself again. AKA: movie, book, walk, prayer.
Anxiety is so hard, Chris. I totally get it, my friend. I was really surprised (and quite devastated) when I realized sugar is such a problem for me. Our diets really affect so much!
Divert and distract. Yes, I love that. Great advice and the perfect little mantra for those struggling moments.
Candace,
You supplied some very doable ideas. Thank you.
Thought I’d share why the beach and mountains are so relaxing. They are full of negative ions. (Which are good for us…like niagra falls has tons btw) Especially right at the shoreline where the waves hit the sand. That’s why we feel better there and more balanced.
In the mountains a lot of times wifi isn’t there. And if we spend few days there without it our nervous systems will reset themselves.
That is all…
congrats on the time away from sugar. I am doing well with that also…but yeah…bread is next 😉
Much love!
Emily
I never thought about the wifi issue, Emily. That makes so much sense. I absolutely love the beach and the mountains. They both bring me a great deal of peace. I’m so glad to hear you’re doing well with our time away from sugar! We’ve got this ;). Much love to you!
These are wonderful ideas for dealing with anxiety! I love getting lost in a good book 🙂
Books are awesome :). They are definitely one of my favorite escapes too, Akaleistar!
These are great ideas even for stress and worry, Candace. We do need to take care of ourselves because we never know when any kind of attack will come. Thanks for sharing on Grace and Truth.
It seems like taking care of ourselves always falls to the bottom of the list, Aimee. Having systems in place can be so helpful. Thanks for the space to share :).
I love your post! I am a firm believer in having action plans myself. Love following your blog!
Thanks so much, Sandra! It’s great having you here :). Action plans are the best. I’m not always consistent with follow through but having them in place makes life a lot easier.