How to Cope When Fear Turns Irrational

Living with anxiety can be difficult, especially when you feel like your anxiety symptoms are too far out of your control. Anxiety and irrational fear go hand in hand sometimes, as people with anxiety may dwell on a few distressing thoughts that could never have the possibility of happening. Irrational fears are commonly known as phobias, which persist as a fear of something specific without cause. Even though you might feel anxiety regarding specific situations, the most important thing to remember is that your fear could be irrational. You might have anxiety over a situation that will never happen. While you may not know where your stress came from, you can learn how to overcome irrational fears pretty easily. All it takes is some dedication. 1. Try Breathwork If your body is in a panic, you must do what you can to calm yourself down before dealing with the cause of your fear. By breathing deeply, you can force your heart to slow down to a rhythm you feel you can control better. Take deep, slow breaths that you can feel in your whole body. Over time, you should calm down enough to start dealing with other anxiety symptoms. 2. Make a Plan The next time this situation happens, you want to feel prepared. Creating a contingency plan is one way to get ahead of your anxiety. If you ever feel intense anxiety symptoms, what will you do next? You could make a plan for how to deal with it, such as finding ways to ground yourself or affirmations to tell yourself. When you have a plan, even if the situation seems unmanageable, you'll feel more confident in yourself. 3. Stay Mindful The best way to keep your anxiety at bay is to stay in the present. If you're afraid of something happening in the future, remind yourself that you'll deal with it when the time comes. For now, stay aware of the things in your present so you don't miss out on life. Taking a walk on one of your breaks can help you decrease your anxiety symptoms. Focus on yourself when you're moving and you'll start to feel more present in the world around you. 4. Reward Yourself for Progress When you notice yourself starting to make some progress, reward yourself. You deserve to recognize that you’re doing exceptionally well in teaching yourself how to overcome irrational fears. Rational fears are plausible fears that might happen, but irrational fears have no place in your headspace. It's best to kick them to the curb when you can. And when you've been managing your symptoms well enough, it’s time to treat yourself to some good food or a purchase you've been eyeing. 5. Remember the Evidence Often, irrational fears don't have any evidence behind them. It might seem silly to be afraid of something that has no chance of happening, but that's what irrational fears are. Just try to go over the evidence for something you're scared of happening in the future. If you can't come up with anything, you'll know it's an implausible scenario. Knowing whether your fear has evidence to support it is a great way to separate rational fears from irrational ones. When you feel your anxiety symptoms start to rear their ugly heads, ask yourself what evidence you have for the thing making you feel this way. If you can’t pinpoint which fear is causing you anxiety, focus on calming yourself down first. 6. Consider Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a type of therapy that relies on behavior change. You pinpoint the negative thoughts and actions and change them into positive ones. The practice has helped people defeat several things, such as reducing their depression or anxiety symptoms and eliminating anger issues. CBT might be vital for you as you learn how to overcome irrational fears. 7. Talk to Others When in doubt, talk to someone about your fears. Even if your loved one doesn't understand where you're coming from, they'll understand that it's putting you through a lot of pain. Your loved ones will reassure you that you have nothing to worry about. While it can be nice having a friend or family member in your corner, you should strive to learn how to overcome irrational fears on your own – just in case that loved one isn't always around to help. Learn How to Overcome Irrational Fears Knowing how to overcome irrational fears can vary by the individual and it can be trickier for some than others. You just have to focus on when your anxiety symptoms arise and what you might be thinking about whenever you start to feel worried. Over time, you may realize that you have nothing to worry about at all. By taking active measures to combat your anxiety, you'll likely feel its effects on you less as time goes on. Remember to prioritize yourself and your health through this process. You'll feel brand-new before you know it.

Anxiety presents itself in several ways. Severe anxiety symptoms can sometimes include restlessness as worrisome thoughts consume you. It's important to look at the cause of these feelings to handle your condition better. What Does Restlessness Entail? You probably want to move around if you're feeling restless. It feels like being in a constant state of "can't sit still." You'll get up and down, potentially bouncing your leg against the floor or tapping your fingers. Restlessness might come about due to your routine being disrupted or something else changing in your life. You might feel jumpy and have racing thoughts. Sometimes, restlessness might be a side effect of a new medication. It might also be a symptom of a mental or physical health issue. Restlessness is one of the most common anxiety symptoms — but just because you're restless doesn't mean you have anxiety. You should take note of other severe anxiety symptoms you display so you know whether to look into getting a diagnosis. 3 Severe Anxiety Symptoms You Should Know Generalized anxiety disorder is a mental health issue that could stem from anything, including future events, past mistakes or current physical appearance. Severe anxiety symptoms don't always manifest the same way in everyone. You should note them over time and see if they match up with some of the most common indicators. 1. Difficulty Concentrating If you experience a lot of anxiety, you might find it difficult to concentrate on anything besides the worrying thoughts in your head. Anxiety plagues your brain and keeps bringing you back to certain "what if" scenarios that may not even have a chance of happening in the real world. If your mind often wanders to things that might not have a chance of happening and the thought of them worries you, you may have anxiety. 2. Mood Changes You might experience a lot of fatigue. You could also feel on edge, as if something bad is about to happen at any moment. Feeling this way constantly can make you irritable and likely snap at others if they start questioning you. Changes in your mood aren't a surefire sign of anxiety but should be considered when paired with other symptoms. 3. Restlessness Restlessness is one of the key indicators that a person could have anxiety. Most everyone experiences it, but not necessarily while having other severe symptoms of anxiety. Dig to find the root of your restlessness and try channeling it productively until you can calm yourself down. How to Deal With Anxiety Effectively Dealing with anxiety symptoms isn't fun. You must convince your brain and body that they aren't experiencing a threat or attack, so it's OK to calm down. Focus on tangible things to keep yourself rooted in the present during an attack. Try these methods to help lessen some of the symptoms. 1. See a Doctor You should always see a doctor first if you have concerns. They can help you get a diagnosis and medication that can help lessen some of your severe anxiety symptoms. You can also focus on other ways to take care of yourself. When paired together, you may find that you have little to no anxiety at all. 2. Meditate Meditation can bring you back to the present and center your mind and body, so it's an excellent option to deal with the mental and physical symptoms of anxiety. You might find it difficult to sit still if you have severe restlessness, but forcing yourself to meditate for even five minutes a day could be enough to see a difference. 3. Check in With Yourself You should regularly check in with yourself. It goes beyond jotting down your current mood. You should sit quietly and take an honest inventory of your feelings. You should prioritize taking care of yourself once you notice your mood slipping or anxiety symptoms appearing. You might have to take a break from whatever is giving you the anxiety to give yourself time to recover. 4. Sleep Well You often hear that adults need around eight hours of sleep, but you may not know how to practice good sleep hygiene. Getting enough shuteye means nothing if you aren't gaining quality rest. You'll want to keep your bedroom at a cool temperature and use it only for sleep so you fall asleep faster. Blackout curtains can help prevent city lights from leaking in during the night and disturbing your slumber. Deal With Severe Anxiety Symptoms as Best You Can What works for some people may not work for you.  It might take trial and error before you learn which activities can relieve your anxiety symptoms. Dealing with anxiety is never fun, but practice can make it manageable. Push back against restlessness by taking better care of yourself and potentially seeing a doctor. Your symptoms may fade over time. Remember to take care of yourself daily to keep your severe anxiety symptoms at bay.