5 Ways to Manage Your Anxiety and Depression During a Crisis

Whether it’s global or national, a crisis of any size can disrupt your daily routine, as we are all experiencing now. Change is already difficult for a number of reasons, but when you throw in the stress that comes with a state of emergency, shifts in your normal routine can be even harder to weather.

Miami Hypnosis and Therapy is proud to support its community using innovative therapeutic strategies designed to get to the root of the problem. Read about our 5 best ways to manage your anxiety and depression during a crisis. When you’re ready, seek help with a licensed professional who can give you the coping tools you need for periods of acute stress.

1. Learn What Your Triggers Are

Mental health concerns like anxiety and depression can derail your entire week. While there is no “off” switch for negative emotions, preventative tips for managing anxiety can help you avoid triggering situations.

Much like how we attend regular check-ups or keep up with immunizations, one way to manage anxiety starts by knowing what upsets you. If watching the news all day sends you into a downward spiral, try to limit your exposure. Recognizing what stimulus tends to put you in a panic or state of hopelessness and avoiding it can save you a lot of mental anguish.

2. Take Care of Your Body

Taking proper care of your body is a proven way to cope with stress. Learning how to manage depression means understanding proper nutrition and practicing mindful eating and good sleep habits. A healthy foundation is a great way to manage anxiety and maintain your overall health. Exercise also boosts your mental facilities and can strengthen your body against the wear and tear caused by stress—even if it’s just yoga in your bedroom or cardio on the stairs.

3. Confide in a Friend or Family Member

One solution for many of us learning how to manage depression is to reach out to a loved one. Sometimes just talking to the people you care about and having someone there to listen proves to be a simple but effective way to manage anxiety and depression. A compassionate ear and helpful feedback can help you break out of harmful thought spirals and behaviors.

Anyone can feel like life has been turned on its head while dealing with a crisis. Oftentimes, you’re not the only one who’s worried. Reaching out and sharing your concerns reminds you that you’re not alone.

4. Be Kind to Yourself

Finding yourself in a position where you’re unable to attend school or work doesn’t mean you’re going to have the facilities to stay productive or come out of the other side of a bad situation with a new skill. In this great pause we’re all experiencing during COVID-19 especially, removing unreasonable expectations is another important way to manage anxiety.

A crisis is a crisis—not a vacation. Learning how to manage depression during a stressful situation starts with accepting that it’s okay to step back and take a breather. Berating yourself for not mastering a new language or finishing that book you’ve been meaning to write serves no real purpose. Instead, consider practicing self-care. Exercise new breathing techniques, treat yourself with the kind of patience you might use for a struggling loved one, and remember: weathering the storm is accomplishment enough.

5. Speak With a Professional

There’s plenty we can do for ourselves to maintain our mental health, but professional support is one of the best ways to manage anxiety. Certified therapists employ proven methods that teach you how to manage depression by acknowledging damaging thought patterns without acting on them and creating specialized exercises made to correct negative learned behavior over time.

Regardless of whether or not you’re in the middle of a crisis, therapy sessions with a qualified mental health counselor like Anna Marchenko, LMHC, M.A., Ed.M., can improve your overall quality of life. At Miami Hypnosis and Therapy, we employ neuro-linguistics programming, cognitive behavioral therapy, and hypnotherapy in our comprehensive approach.

Discover resources for managing the mental obstacles that might prevent you from reaching your full potential. Start creating positive life-long habits by reaching out to Miami Hypnosis and Therapy today.