Anxiety is a pain in the butt. At some point, everyone feels anxious in their lives. For people with clinical anxiety, however, there are times where the anxiety does not match the situation. They feel anxious to the point where it is exhausting, and the anxiety does not serve them. There are ways, though, that you can learn to cope with your anxiety. There are 4 R’s, created by psychologist Jeffrey Schwartz, that help to deal with anxiety. Continue reading below to learn more information about how you can battle your anxiety.

Relabel

Whether it’s a negative thought or an unhelpful urge, labeling what you’re struggling with is an essential step toward dealing with your anxiety in a healthy way. Labeling helps you recognize what you’re dealing with to give you a deeper understanding of what is happening within you. Awareness is key to relabeling. 

Reattribute

One way to reattribute your anxiety is to remind yourself that you are not your anxiety. You are your own person. You may deal with anxiety, but your anxiety is not who you are. Reattribution helps to give less power to the thoughts and urges you are dealing with. Remind yourself that your anxiety is due to a chemical imbalance in your brain, not due to a personal failure within you. 

Refocus

Try to put these thoughts aside and move on with your daily life. Refocusing can be grounding techniques, meditation, journaling, or physically removing yourself from the situation. This gives you a chance to separate yourself from your thoughts and cope in a healthy way. 

Revalue

Ask yourself some questions, such as:

  • Was there any truth to my thoughts and urges?
  • What would have happened if I gave into my thoughts and urges?
  • What should I do instead of giving into my thoughts and urges?

Revaluing what is happening within you can help you dispel some of the negative thoughts and urges that you are dealing with. You can do this by giving yourself 15 minutes of peace and quiet. This can be just the right amount of time to revalue your thoughts. 

Pinnacle Recovery has anxiety programs that can be helpful for you. Reach out to our trained and experienced staff today at 1-866-301-0573. We want to hear from you.