Tips for dealing with anxiety this Mental Health Awareness month

• q Breathe properly: When we are stressed or anxious, we can learn to breathe differently. Psychologists suggest inhaling slowly through your nose to a count of four, hold your breath for four counts and then slowly exhale through your mouth until there is no air left. Repeat.

• q Avoid caffeine: Substances like caffeine and some weight loss medications can cause acute anxiety. Even a dentist’s numbing injection and some anti-malaria medication contain stimulants and can trigger an anxiety attack, so always check with your pharmacist before you take anything.

• q Get educated: Learn about what anxiety really is and the coping skills of dealing with it, as well as what can trigger it, what treatments are available, and how you can access help to become anxiety-free.

• q Stay connected to others: “Social support is vital to managing stress,” Zane Wilson, founder of Sadag said. “Talking with others can do a world of good.” So, call a loved one, schedule tea or lunch, or join a Support Group. Call Sadag on 0800 21 22 23.

• q Write it down: Make a simple list of the things that are causing you stress. Prioritise them and write down some solution options. Simply writing down the things that you are feeling stressed or anxious about can put life in perspective.

• q Accept your anxiety: “If you really want to effectively manage your anxiety, the key is to accept it,” Wilson said. Admitting that anxiety is part of life, that you have your own limits and triggers, is a giant step in coping with it.

If you need help, visit www.sadag.org and www.thoughtsfirst.comfrom,or 0800 21 22 23.