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If you have been recently diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, you might be feeling pretty overwhelmed right now. While it is nice to finally have a diagnosis to back up your struggles, it can still be scary because you need to figure out what this means for you and how to move forward. If you have recently been diagnosed with anxiety, these tips can help you determine what you need to do to move forward.

Cut Down on Caffeine

Coffee lovers may not like this suggestion, but if you drink too much caffeine, it can increase anxious feelings. Caffeine will speed up your heart rate, which can make your anxiety act up, and if you drink too much, it can also affect your sleep. While you might be someone who lives on caffeine, if you have recently been diagnosed with anxiety, it would be a good idea to try to cut down on your caffeine to help lower your anxiety levels.

Identify Triggers

Everyone has triggers that can make their anxiety worse, but it is not always easy to identify them. When you first get diagnosed with anxiety, identifying your triggers is a good way of learning to manage it. One great way that you can learn your triggers is by keeping an anxiety journal. When you feel anxious, write down what you are doing, where you are, and any other information about your surroundings that you think is relevant. Over time, you will be able to see patterns, which can help you learn to ignore the triggers or manage them more effectively.

Another way to work on identifying your triggers is by seeing a therapist. They can help you work through the thoughts and feelings that come with having an anxiety attack, too, helping you manage your anxiety better.

Therapy

There are a lot of stigmas about going to therapy, but it can truly be beneficial to people to talk to a professional sometimes. A therapist can help you work through your anxiety, identify triggers, and help you find things that can help you cope. They can also prescribe medications for your anxiety if they are needed.

Exercise Regularly

A good way to help you combat tension and stress is with exercise. It can also help your brain release serotonin, which can help you improve your mood. You do not have to lift weights or go for a run; you can do something simple like going for a walk every day, swimming, hiking, going for a bike ride, or sports.

Put Together a Coping Kit

Everyone has different things that can help them cope with their anxiety, but when you are out and about, you may not have everything with you that will help you cope. That is why making an anxiety coping kit is great. You can put in everything you need to get through your anxiety attacks, so you are always well equipped for getting through a panic attack. Some of these things include:

  • Snacks
  • Candles or essential oils
  • Things to touch
  • music or soothing sounds
  • Visuals
  • Headphones
  • A warm blanket
  • Something to fidget with, like a phone game or puzzle

You can find a travel-sized version of most of the things that help you cope, so you are always prepared for a panic attack.

Try an Anxiety App

There are a lot of anxiety apps to help you get through an attack. This can be a deep breathing or meditation app or something like Rootd, which is designed to help you when having a panic attack, and to better understand your anxiety.

Get Enough Sleep

A lack of sleep can make your anxiety act up. If you are not sleeping well, try changing your diet and cutting back on your caffeine. Getting enough sleep is not always easy; if you are not getting enough, try talking to your doctor, they might have ideas to help you rest better.

Try to Stop Chronic Worrying

When you have anxiety, chronic worrying can be something that makes it worse. This can be a really tough habit to break, but if you can do it, this will help you reduce your anxiety. A therapist can be helpful with this one by giving you tips to get through your worrying thoughts.

Medication

If your anxiety is severe, you can try medication. There are a lot of types of anti-anxiety medications out there that can help you control your anxiety and get through panic attacks. Talk to your doctor about your options; they will have a good idea of what medications you should try.