Originally Posted by
ankietyjoe
It took me several years to 'get' anxiety tbh. Just because you suffer with it a while, doesn't mean you have the answers.
In terms of practicing mental habits, there are a few things that work wonders over time.
1) Use mantras, construct your own. One of my favourites was 'this will pass', and this is something I still use from time to time now. If you go out for a run, keep telling yourself that you will recover. It sounds ineffectual, but the subconscious can be re-programmed, and self dialogue is one of the most effective ways of doing this. You are what you think, remember?
2) Meditate. I cannot stress just how effective this can be. I would urge you to read up on what meditation actually is. It is NOT a relaxation technique and it is absolutely NOT about emptying your mind.
3) Acceptance. I'm going to pick you up on something, and that's using running to take the edge off. By all means, exercise, but try not to attach an escape emotion to it. If you feel on edge, accept it. If it doesn't bother you, does it matter? This is hard, and takes practice.
I'll just leave this video here too. I found it after I had mostly recovered from anxiety and I think it's one of the best balances of science, explanation and 'it just works' out there. If you are an analytical type, it gives you a reason to believe in it.