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Like getting your teeth cleaned at the dentist or forgetting your umbrella on the one day it downpours, occasional anxiety is a typical part of life. And while worrying is a completely natural reaction to stressful situations, anxiety disorders can amplify these feelings for some people.
Coping skills for anxiety can help.
Anxiety disorders come in all shapes and sizes, but even in the most severe cases, there are effective strategies for dealing with anxious thoughts and feelings.
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First off, no matter how overwhelmed you get, it’s important to know that you’re not alone. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), roughly 31.1 percent of U.S. adults experience an anxiety disorder at some point in their lives.
If anxiety makes you feel out of control, focusing on what you can control might help.
How do you do this? There are simple coping skills you can learn to keep anxiety from taking the wheel.
Here are 11 science-backed skills for coping with anxiety:
First things first: If you think your anxiety (or any mental health disorder like depression, which shares similar symptoms with anxiety) is getting in the way of everyday life, the most crucial step is speaking to a healthcare provider.
This may not sound like a quick-fix coping skill for anxiety, but it’s a move that can help you manage your anxiety long term.
A healthcare professional can go over your symptoms, give you a diagnosis (if you don’t have one already), and recommend the best anxiety treatments for your unique situation.
For example, if suitable, they may recommend anxiety medication, which can help keep your symptoms under control.
Anxiety medications include:
Antidepressants, like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs)
Benzodiazepines
Consider talking with your primary care provider for a therapy referral or reaching out directly to a therapist in your area.
We can also help connect you with a mental health provider online.
Some supplements may help reduce feelings of anxiety, including:
L-theanine
Passionflower
Valerian root
Chamomile
Lemon balm
Lavender
You can find these in gummy, powder, or pill form — or even as a supplement blend.
Hers Balance Blend contains an SSRI ingredient, L-theanine, and vitamin B6 in one pill. Ingredients like these can help reduce stress and anxiety, improve sleep, and promote overall well-being.
Deep breathing is one method you can do any time, any place to calm your anxiety.
More specifically, the 4-7-8 breathing technique is a controlled breathing pattern that you can use to slow your mind, relax your body, and improve your sleep.
One study found that using 4‐7‐8 breathing improved sleep, heart rate variability (HRV), and blood pressure in healthy young adults.
Diaphragmatic breathing, a relaxation technique that involves breathing into your stomach — not just your chest — also has the potential to help anxiety. Research indicates this type of breathing exercise can trigger a relaxation response in your body, which can lower stress hormones such as cortisol.
Practicing mindfulness is about focusing on the present moment, allowing feelings and thoughts to pass through your mind without judgment.
Here’s why it’s worth trying: Studies suggest this technique can help decrease the intensity of anxiety, depression, and severe stress.
Learning mindfulness can be tricky, but like any muscle in your body, you have to exercise it. We’ve got a guide on how to meditate to get you started.
Yoga therapy is another tool for practicing mindfulness. This type of therapy combines the physical components of yoga with various breathing techniques, like alternate nostril breathing, to help regulate your emotions.
You can also practice regular yoga, which is another grounding exercise and useful coping strategy for anxiety.
Sometimes, the best way to shake off anxious thoughts is to get your body moving. Whether it’s a spin class, a virtual yoga session, or a stroll around your neighborhood, breaking a sweat is great for your physical health and stress relief.
Even better news: It doesn’t take much to get mental health benefits from exercise. According to the NIMH, just 30 minutes of walking a day can significantly boost your mood.
Bonus points if you’re able to get outdoors. Research shows surrounding yourself with green spaces can lower stress levels, too.
In the meantime, check out our guide on exercise and mental health for more information on how staying active can help with other aspects of your life, like sleep and self-esteem.
A big part of managing mental health issues is knowing when you need to reframe harmful, scary, and uncomfortable emotions and thought patterns.
When you have feelings of anxiety, it can be easy to let negative emotions spiral out of control and convince you of a narrative that simply isn’t true.
To prevent this, it’s important to be able to look at situations –– including the ones that cause stress and frustration –– from another angle.
For example, if you get bad feedback at work, you might have the instinct to (mentally) beat yourself up, making your anxiety symptoms even worse. Try reframing these by reminding yourself that you tried your best.
You can also stop yourself from falling into a negativity trap by finding a mantra for anxiety that works for you. It might feel strange the first time you do it, but saying to yourself, “I’ve been through this kind of experience before and I will be okay” — or another similar phrase that speaks to you — can be a powerful reframing exercise. By doing this, you’re building resiliency for similar situations in the future.
“Self-care” may seem like a buzzword these days, but it’s truly one of the most important coping strategies for anxiety you can have in your toolkit. It involves actively taking steps to take care of your well-being.
Self-care can include:
Making sure your head hits the pillow by 10 p.m. every night
Preparing balanced meals that nourish and satisfy
Punching it out at a boxing class
Socializing with friends at happy hour
Integrating relaxation techniques, like progressive muscle relaxation, into your routine
If you’re looking to build more self-care habits to help with anxiety, journaling for mental health can be a powerful place to start. Journaling is a great outlet for expressing your thoughts and emotions (anxious or otherwise), and it may even help reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Despite the fact that millions of Americans deal with anxiety on a daily basis, there’s still some shame and stigma associated with this condition. This can make it hard to open up to others.
It can also be difficult to maintain friendships when you’re dealing with anxiety.
But opening up to your friends, loved ones, and other people who care about your well-being, can help you get the support you need.
If you don’t feel comfortable talking to someone who knows you personally, that’s totally understandable. Anonymous support groups can provide the support you need while adding a layer of privacy.
And even if you don’t want to talk about your anxiety, spending time with friends and family can be a mood-boosting distraction to help you manage your symptoms.
Here’s a coping skill that shouldn’t be in your toolkit.
Occasionally engaging with alcohol and drugs might seem harmless, but if you have a mental health condition, there’s a chance you could be making things worse.
Research tells us that people with mental disorders, like anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), may use alcohol and drugs to self-medicate.
It’s important to take stock of the substances you’re consuming and whether they’re affecting your mental health in a negative way. If you feel like you have a problem, consider reaching out to someone for help — whether that’s a friend, medical professional, or anonymous support group.
It’s a cruel twist of fate that anxiety can cause sleep loss, since sleep loss can also cause anxiety.
If you can, try taking the following steps to improve your sleep and better manage your anxiety:
Keep a regular sleep schedule
Limit your caffeine (this can also reduce those anxious jitters during the day)
Take time to wind down before bed with relaxing activities like reading or meditating
Try supplements like L-theanine, chamomile, and lavender (bonus: these may help with anxiety too)
For more tips, read our guide on how to fall asleep with anxiety.
Symptoms of anxiety can feel all-consuming –– but that doesn’t mean those feelings have to consume you. Luckily, there are coping mechanisms for anxiety you can add to your routine to make your day-to-day a bit easier.
Here are some takeaways to keep in mind as you get started:
Anxiety is super common. From occasional anxiety about stressful situations to full-blown anxiety disorders, remember that you are not alone, no matter how isolated you may feel.
Talk to a healthcare provider. Whether an online crisis counselor or an in-person psychiatrist, a healthcare professional can give you medical advice and work with you to develop a personalized treatment plan. You can even start with an online mental health consultation right here, if you’d like.
It may feel overwhelming, but it’s very treatable. Therapy, medication, and day-to-day coping skills (like mindfulness and exercise) can help with anxiety symptoms.
You’ve got this. As you take your next steps toward managing your anxiety, consider checking out our online mental health services for more information.
Hims & Hers has strict sourcing guidelines to ensure our content is accurate and current. We rely on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We strive to use primary sources and refrain from using tertiary references. See a mistake? Let us know at [email protected]!
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information contained herein is not a substitute for and should never be relied upon for professional medical advice. Always talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of any treatment. Learn more about our editorial standards here.
Doctor of Medicine - New York University Grossman School of Medicine, 1992
Bachelor of Arts - St. John’s College, 1985
Internship & Residency - New York University Grossman School of Medicine, 1996
District of Columbia, 1996
Maryland, 2022
Virginia, 2022
American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Psychiatry, 1997
American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Addiction Psychiatry, 1998
Stanford Online, AI in Healthcare Specialization Certificate, 2025
Stanford Online, Machine Learning Specialization Certificate, 2024
Mental Health
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Professor and Vice Chair - Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, George Washington University, 1996–2022
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I practice medicine because I believe that mental health is the foundation of a meaningful life. When people suffer psychologically, it touches every part of their existence—from relationships to work to the simple ability to feel joy. Because it can be so difficult for people who are suffering to find good mental health care, my mission has been to expand access through technology, so that no one is left behind.
I like to write in my spare time. I’ve written two nonfiction titles, Spellbound: Modern Science, Ancient Magic, and the Hidden Potential of the Unconscious Mind and the international bestseller, The Molecule of More: How a Single Chemical in Your Brain Drives Love, Sex, and Creativity--and Will Determine the Fate of the Human Race
danielzlieberman.com