Self Help Techniques for Anxiety

Symptoms of anxiety are similar to stress and usually result from long-term stress. Physical symptoms like muscle twitches, problems concentrating, tiredness and increased heart rate may accompany anxiety, according to MedlinePlus. It is important to differentiate between day-to-day anxiety and an anxiety disorder. If symptoms of anxiety persist and/or worsen, consult a physician as this could indicate a more serious problem.

Diet and Nutrition

• Certain foods and beverages contribute to anxiety. Caffeine and alcohol, for example, can increase anxiety. If you suffer from anxiety, consider cutting these foods out of your diet. Increase levels of vitamin B12 intake, since a deficiency in this vitamin can cause stress, according to MedlinePlus. Drugs like cocaine and cigarettes should be avoided, since they contribute to anxiety. Psychoactive medications, some asthma treatments, weight loss pills, thyroid prescriptions, cold medications and amphetamines can contribute to anxiety as well.

Sleep

• Get enough sleep. Being anxious and frustrated is only worse with sleep deprivation. If insomnia becomes a serious problem and contributes to the anxiety, consider seeking medical help. Try going to bed at the same time every night and waking up at the same time every morning to adjust the body's sleep cycle.

Time

• If time management is a problem, keep a planner to avoid anxiety due to poor planning. Avoid procrastinating and stay on top of deadlines. Procrastination can be a normal reaction to anxiety for some people, especially anxiety caused by fear of poor performance or of being too successful, according to The University of North Carolina.

Time Alone

• Determine if there are any external factors which may be contributing to the anxiety. If it is a person or particular situation, avoid that situation. According to Psychology Today, taking time to experience emotions is important. Schedule time alone to think about remedies to things that cause stress and anxiety on a day-to-day basis. Put forth a concerted effort to sit quietly, without distraction, and allow the mind to reach a restful state. Practicing becoming calm should make it easier to calm yourself in difficult situations that may trigger anxiety.

Emotions

• Anxiety can be an intense emotion, and may be a response to other emotions or traumatic events, according to MedlinePlus. If anxiety is constant due to the experience of a traumatic event, a recent death or some other extremely stressful experience, pay attention to how often the stress occurs. If feelings of anxiety are interfering with the enjoyment of day-to-day activities and/or occur on a nearly constant basis, seek medical and/or psychological counseling instead of attempting to solve the problem alone.