1. Talk
Talking is the most important thing you can do. Share your worries with someone you trust.
Talking to someone can prevent you from feeling alone with your feelings and worries. If you don’t have a close family member or a friend you feel you can talk to, is there someone at work perhaps in HR or someone trained as a Mental Health First Aider who might lend an ear? The Samaritans and Anxiety UK both run helplines if you feel you have no-one else to turn to.
2. Control what you can control
You have no control over what other people say and do, or over certain life and work events; but what you do have control over is how you react. My advice is to take a deep breath, think it through and remember that sometimes it’s not about you, it’s about how others are feeling at the time. So, carry on reacting in the way you normally would and don’t let other people’s thoughts and feelings throw you off track.
3. It’s OK to have a bad day.
We all have a bad day sometimes and that’s ok. You have survived 100% of your bad days so far and things have improved - you will survive this.
4. Breathe
It’s something we get told to do a lot – and that’s because it works! Slow down, take some deep breaths, hold it in, and breath out slowly. It will make you feel better.
5. Lean into panic attacks
I’m sure that this doesn’t work for everyone, but for some, if you lean into a panic attack and go with it, then it feels like it’s over a lot quicker and you feel more in control. Like the note on bad days above – you’ve got through every panic attack you’ve had before, this is just one more to live through.
6. Regular sleep routine
Try to get into a regular sleep pattern – if you haven’t had enough sleep you won’t have the reserves to face everyday problems.
7. Worry diary
If you have a broken sleep pattern because you wake up constantly in the night with your mind working overtime, keep a notebook next to your bed, write down your thoughts at that moment and then put them aside to deal with in the morning. Maybe in the cold light of day they won’t seem so bad.
8. Physical Exercise
My least favourite piece of advice as exercising is really not for me – but it’s about the good endorphins I know 😉. Even just going for a walk can sometimes make all the difference and help to calm your mind.
9. Diet
Eat regularly and make sure you eat food that is good for you. Treat yourself occasionally but don’t always rely on junk food.
Work out what works best for you. For me, small meals eaten regularly throughout the day is better than three huge meals.
10. Meditation
Take 20 mins each day to do some meditation, calm your mind, and sit with your thoughts. Sometimes it can be hard not to get distracted but practice does help with this.