If your emotions have been running high lately, you\u2019re not alone. It\u2019s perfectly normal to get anxious when the future is uncertain and you\u2019re closed off from the outside world, alone with your thoughts all day. But things will get better, and you can start feeling better now by following these tips to ease your anxiety.<\/p>\n
Focus on what you can control<\/strong> \u201cStress and anxiety are directly related to feelings of loss of control, so by shifting our thinking to \u2018we can control this moment,\u2019 it empowers us and reduces stress,\u201d says <\/span>Dr. Roseann Capanna-Hodge<\/span><\/a>, psychologist and integrative mental health expert.<\/span><\/p>\n Use essential oils<\/strong> Make a list of your worries<\/strong> \u201cWrite down your worry and then ask yourself, \u2018What is the worst possible outcome of this?\u2019\u201d she suggests. \u201cKeep repeating the question and writing each subsequent answer on the page until you have a list of increasingly terrible outcomes. When you reach the bottom, you’ll probably have landed on some totally outlandish nightmare scenario that would obviously never happen in real life. By exaggerating the worry and taking it to its natural conclusion, it gets easier to see the flaws in your worry in the first place.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Stick to a schedule<\/strong>
\nYou may not be able to control when you\u2019ll go back to work or see your family, but throwing yourself into whatever you can control \u2014 perhaps home projects, or preparations for your future work life \u2014 will help take your mind off the things you can\u2019t.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cEssential oils can affect both the brain and body,\u201d says Capanna-Hodge. \u201cAs the molecules reach the brain, they affect several regions, including the limbic system, which is linked to the emotions, our memory, and attentional systems<\/span><\/a>, our hormone and immune systems, and [it can also] lower cortisol and stress levels. Using essential oils throughout the day is an easy way to keep stress levels low.\u201d <\/span>Several essential oils<\/span><\/a> including lavender and bergamot are used specifically for stress relief.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nIt might sound counterintuitive, but letting your mind imagine all the worst-case scenarios it\u2019s afraid of can actually help you see how unlikely they are.\u00a0Katie Lear<\/span><\/a>, a licensed therapist specializing in anxiety, recommends trying the \u201cdownward arrow\u201d technique.<\/span><\/p>\n
\n\u201cWhen we feel overwhelmed, it is so easy to lose our sense of routine and forget the things that make us feel good, but having the schedule already planned is a way to avoid the sense of uncertainty,\u201d says Ali Hamroff<\/span><\/a>, a psychotherapist in New York City.<\/span><\/p>\n