If you’re suffering from anxiety you may feel like you can’t do anything without that familiar tight feeling in your chest or having your thoughts and worries race through your mind. Anxiety can be a debilitating condition, but you don’t have to let it run your life. There are some small ways that you can work towards managing your anxiety that may be able to help you get it under control and let you live your life as you’d like.

1. Face your worries. If you think you have a mole that looks cancerous or worry that you’re at risk for illnesses don’t just let these anxieties fester. Make the time to face them head on by making an appointment at the doctor’s office or whatever else will satisfy your particular worries. Ignoring the things that make you anxious won’t make them go away and will only make you feel worse.
2. Work out. You may not realize it, but exercise can be a great way to release pent up tension and anxiety. Whether you like to run or engage in things like yoga, make time in your schedule to get up and moving. You’ll be healthier and the endorphins exercise releases will put you in a better frame of mind.
3. Don’t self-medicate. There is no easy way out of anxiety. Numbing your feelings with alcohol, cigarettes, drugs and even fatty foods is only a short term fix. You might feel better for a day or a few hours, but then your anxiety will be back and feel twice as bad. Avoid simple solutions and work towards finding a long term way to deal with anxiety instead.
4. Just breathe. Focused breathing can do wonders for lowering anxiety. It gives you something simple to focus your attention on rather than on all the things you are worried about. Consider a class on meditation or relaxation to aid you in learning how to do this properly.
5. Change your thought process. The brain is a highly malleable organ, and one that can be retrained to think in a different way with a little practice. When you feel negative thoughts or worries creeping into your mind, make a conscious effort to shift your thinking. Sometimes it can also help to have a friend nearby who can give you a reality check to keep thoughts from spinning out of control.

This post was contributed by Tara Miller, who writes about the pharmacy schools. She welcomes your feedback at TaraMillerr00 at yahoo.com