Anxiety is something most people face at one time or another. Be it public speaking, a job interview or other high pressure event, we all experience fear. However, real anxiety issues linger and interfere with a person’s ability to live a normal life. If this sounds like you, keep reading for advice on living with and dealing with anxiety.

Have a trusted resource to call on, whenever you may be subject to an attack. Be it a relative or friend, you should have someone who is aware of your condition and can help talk you through an attack. Having to face one alone is very overwhelming, and you will work through them quicker if you have someone to help.

Learn how to have control over your feelings and do not let them get the best of you. If you allow your feelings to take over in everyday situations it will only lead to more anxiety. Take a few deep breaths and think things through before letting things get out of control.

Take control of your emotions. The way you feel can often cause anxiety. Once you have the discipline to control your emotions, you can rid yourself of anxiety. You may have to learn to emotionally detach yourself from feelings to gain control of your emotions and eliminate anxiety for good.

Vocalize your greatest fear to someone you trust and take special care to exaggerate it. After telling them the story more and more and hearing how silly you sound when you say it, you can sometimes look at your real fear from another perspective.

Do not worry alone. When your worrisome thoughts go unchecked, they can easily spiral into terrible doomsday scenarios unnecessarily. Call a friend or supportive loved one, and run your fears past them. They can probably offer you some reassurance and perspective on what is bothering you, keeping your fears under control.

Try not to watch the news often. Many times, the news is filled with all kinds of negative stories, about occurrences in your town, and around the world. When dealing with anxiety, you do not need to feed the anxiety anymore negative issues to dwell on. Turn off the TV, pick up a lighthearted book to read instead.

Planning ahead is a great way to reduce stress on a daily basis. Instead of waiting until the last minute for projects at work or school, start in advance to eliminate any hassle when you face crunch time. This will help to put you in the best position to maintain a positive mindset.

Soda is one of the worst things that you can drink during the course of the day ang you should avoid this beverage at all costs. Soda contains a lot of sugar and caffeine that can exacerbate your mood and dehydrate your body of essential nutrients, causing more tension and anxiety.

Watch how much alcohol you drink. If you are going out with your friends to drink, then try to reduce your alcohol consumption. Alcohol can do damage to your body while increasing the amount of stress that you have in the long-term. Also, alcohol puts you in many dangerous situations that can yield more anxiety.

Talk to a trusted friend or family member about your anxiety problems. If you tell someone else how you feel, they may be able to help you put things in perspective and help you to think positive thoughts. This can help you get rid of anxiety or at least make it better.

Don’t forget to play. With the hustle and bustle of your busy life, taking the time to play a sport, a game or an instrument might seem frivolous. Taking an hour to let your hair down and have fun can do wonders for your stress and anxiety levels, though.

One of the things that you should aim for each day is at least eight hours of sleep. This helps a great deal in reducing anxiety, as it will give your body the ability to recuperate from all of the stress and tension that you put on it as the day wares on.

When you feel your anxiety coming to a head, you can help get the feelings of worry under control by controlling your breathing. When you are anxious, your breathing rate increases, which itself, can cause a heightened sense of fear. Breathe in and out slowly, counting to four on each inhale and exhale. In addition to slowing down your breathing, it also gives you something to focus on besides the source of your anxiety.

If you feel like nothing is working for your anxiety and your doctor recommends it, take medication. Many people do not like the idea of relying on medication for assistance, but sometimes, it is the only thing that works. But, only resort to this if your doctor feels it is needed.

If you are naturally quite anxious, steer clear of individuals who cause you to feel nervous. It may seem obvious, but a lot of people that have anxiety don’t want to make people angry so they keep them around. If you spend time with people who you feel don’t accept you or who otherwise unnerve you, your anxiety and stress will get worse.

Believe it or not, a nice, deep massage may be what is needed for you to control your anxiety. When you are tense, your stress levels are high and anxiety tends to flare up. Getting a massage helps physically relax your body, which in turn, allows your mind to relax as well.

Find ways to distract yourself from feeling anxiety. Mental exercise, such as doing a crossword puzzle or looking at a book, can do a lot to reduce your anxiety. The best way to reduce anxiety is to stop thinking so much, and spend time thinking about something else.

As noted earlier, most people experience anxiety at one point or another, but serious anxiety issues can keep you locked in a dark and lonely world. Hopefully, this article has shed some light on some of the things you can do to help yourself live a happier, more productive life with less anxiety.