Beyond breathing exercises: How to tackle anxiety at its root
This article explores effective strategies to confront anxiety, not just cope with it
Can colouring books, positive affirmations, deep breaths truly vanquish the anxiety beast? While these coping mechanisms can be powerful tools, they might not be the only weapons needed in the fight.
Many of these strategies help, soothe, comfort like Dubai-based homemaker Ameena Thomas’ little worry jar, but as she admits, it only takes her so far. It’s a simple pickle bottle, filled to the brim with slips of paper, detailing her latest slew of anxieties. “It was my mother’s idea. She would tell me to write down my worries, put them in a jar, and come back to it later, months later, and tear them up. It’s a way to show your worries never amounted to anything,” she says. From ‘I am worried I’ll fail my math test’ to ‘I won’t be able to meet this week’s deadline’, the jar travelled with her from childhood to adulthood.
As she explains, her anxieties haven’t gone away; the worries just get temporarily tamed. “It helps to write it down. It seems less daunting after I do so,” she adds.
People engage in coping strategies to prepare themselves for upcoming situations that can cause possible anxiety. Usually, these behavioural or psychological coping mechanisms are only semi-successful, owing to the maladaptive cognitions or beliefs that has a person about themselves that are not addressed....
“No one can argue about the utility of coping mechanisms like breathing, exercise and such distractions,” explains Ozan Akbas, a Dubai-based clinical psychologist. “They immensely help people in the face of the acute anxiety. These different behavioural external or internal suggestions do work wonders and usually help people from the first day of implementation,” he says.
As he says, for most people, the expectation of anxiety is even worse than the anxiety itself. The unpredictable nature of such intense emotions causes people to constantly check themselves most of the time without conscious effort. “People engage in coping strategies to prepare themselves for upcoming situations that can cause possible anxiety,” adds Akbas. Usually, these behavioural or psychological coping mechanisms are only semi-successful, owing to the maladaptive cognitions or beliefs that has a person about themselves that are not addressed.
‘Bandages for wounds that require surgery’
So how do I cope? How can I reduce my anxiety?
“These are questions that I often hear,” explains Keith Adams, a Dubai-based British psychologist. “It makes me realise that we are in such a hurry to ‘get better’, without realising what the cause of our affliction really is. I’ve seen people scraping the surface of their anxieties, and then immediately asking for solutions and coping strategies. Yes, exercise, working out, and finding new hobbies are extremely useful methods to battle anxiety, but in many cases, the anxiety keeps returning and overwhelming the person,” he says. It’s a deeply complex emotion that has many manifestations, physical, emotional, and cognitive, including midnight ruminations, sweating, and rapid heart rate and foot-tapping. Adams maintains, such mechanisms like deep breathing help to calm the racing heart, and progressive muscle relaxation can ease muscle tension. Yet, the underlying factor that made you feel this way, often remains unaddressed.
Worse, sometimes, people tend to employ coping strategies such as an avoidance tactic, he emphasises. They start relying entirely on a coping strategy to calm down. So, they might tend to unintentionally avoid situations that trigger anxiety. “This might feel good in the short term, but it prevents you from confronting your fears and learning to manage them in a healthy way. In the long run, this avoidance can make your anxiety worse, as the underlying fears are never rooted out,” he adds.
Most of these coping skills are relaxing, but they aren’t a long-term strategy, he maintains. “You cannot cope your way out of anxiety solely based on such strategies, all the time. Of course, in certain high-pressure situations such as job interviews, you could do deep-breathing, go for a run and do some positive affirmations. Yet, if your only approach to anxiety management after years of dealing with it, is coping skills, you’re just bandaging a wound that isn’t healing,” he says.
Can you confront anxiety instead of avoiding it?
You have a presentation due. You can practise and remember the good presentations that you have done before. Or you could distract yourself with music or watch television, every time you think about it. The second, could perpetuate avoidance and increase the likelihood of an ineffective presentation. The first, will hone your chance to do well at the presentation, as a similar example from Psychology Today explains.
As Marissa Thompson, an Abu Dhabi-based psychologist explains, it’s also about knowing the kind of coping strategies that you employ too, and when. Sometimes, you need to engage in direct confrontation rather than avoidance to root out fears and worries that are buried in the recesses of your mind.
So, this might come in the form of being assertive in communication, working on standing up for yourself against someone who intimidates you, or setting boundaries. You learn to say no to activities that could affect your well-being, as she says. “By confronting your anxieties head-on, you can challenge negative thought patterns and gain a sense of control. It can also boost your confidence and self-esteem as you overcome your fears,” she says.
However, as she notes, while confrontation can be effective, it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. “Used wisely, it can help you break free from avoidance patterns and develop long-term resilience. However, it's crucial to combine it with other coping strategies, support systems, and professional guidance when needed,” adds Thompson.
So, how do you really deal with anxiety?
“What many people don’t realise is that anxiety and panic proceed in stages – albeit very fast stages - which seem to come out of nowhere,” explains Graham Williams, a Dubai-based clinical psychologist, at Medcare Camali Centre. “Anxiety is often set off by certain thoughts which then causes the body to panic – so it feels like your mind and body are conspiring against you,” he says.
Williams breaks down some techniques of coping with anxiety. “One technique you can use is to check the types of thoughts you are having and ‘examine’ them for their validity and accuracy,” he says.
One technique you can use is to check the types of thoughts you are having and ‘examine’ them for their validity and accuracy...
For example, if you are worried about something, have you already drawn a negative conclusion about it? Have you already anticipated the ‘worse-case scenario’, in the absence of any ‘evidence’ to support this conclusion? “Such thought ‘examination’ is called ‘thinking about our thinking’ and people who develop anxiety often have very unhelpful thinking patterns – but they don’t know it,” he says. “Making yourself happy or stress-free is not the goal of ‘thinking about our thinking’; rather, it is a skill to develop more realistic and balanced thinking that can stop anxiety escalating in the first place and as with all skills, it takes time to develop and comes with practice,” he says.
Here are some effective coping strategies to manage and cope with anxiety, not avoid it, explain psychologists. These strategies work best when combined, say experts.
Identify your triggers: The first step is to understand what sparks your anxiety. Keep a journal to track situations, thoughts, or emotions that trigger anxious feelings. This self-awareness allows you to anticipate potential challenges and prepare coping strategies.
Embrace relaxation techniques: Techniques like deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and mindfulness meditation can calm the physical symptoms of anxiety in the moment. Focus on your breath, tense and release muscle groups, or practise being present in the moment to activate the body's relaxation response by focusing on an object.
Challenge negative thoughts: Anxiety often fuels negative thought patterns. Identify and challenge these distorted thoughts. Ask yourself: "Is this thought helpful? Is it realistic?" Replace negativity with more balanced and empowering self-talk.
Develop problem-solving skills: Sometimes, anxiety stems from practical concerns. Learn to break down problems into smaller, manageable steps. Develop assertive communication skills to address issues that contribute to anxiety. Mastering problem-solving empowers you to take control of situations.
Prioritise self-care: Taking care of yourself physically and mentally is crucial for managing anxiety. Eat a balanced diet, exercise regularly, and get enough sleep. Engage in activities you enjoy, spend time with loved ones, and prioritise relaxation time. A healthy lifestyle provides a foundation for resilience.
Celebrate your progress: Celebrate your wins, no matter how small. Focus on progress, not perfection. Acknowledge your achievements and recognise your growing resilience.