PEOPLE who struggle with anxiety often find ourselves feeling unexplainably keyed up — in a state of agitation, experiencing unexpected nervousness and panic.

In other moments, we experience tension in our neck and shoulders, or other bodily discomfort that have us on the brink of visiting the emergency room. Sometimes we can identify the cause of these sensations, but more often than not, it’s just our anxious brain doing what it does, being anxious.

In those moments it’s easy for us to succumb to the panic and spiral down into an anxiety attack – I’ve been there. But recently, in therapy and from an unexpected source, I’ve been learning about self-soothing and practical ways to relax my anxious brain.

If you find yourself struggling with symptoms of anxiety, or maybe struggling with something that you’re not so sure about, you may find the following helpful:

Cold showers

Cold showers aren’t just for you know what… They also help to increase the production of endorphins, the feel-good hormones which can help reduce anxiety and depression. Plus, a cold shower could help calm your mind, since the moments you spend concentrating on the how cold the water is against your skin will help you to focus on something other than your anxious thoughts.

Get comfy

Pillows, blankets, soft T-shirts. Surrounding yourself with comfortable elements can help reassure your anxious brain that in this moment you are safe. Comfort confirms that you are not in distress and all your needs have been met. When you start feeling uncomfortable, and anxious thoughts start to build, give Mr Snuffles an extra squeeze. He won’t mind.

Do something that brings you joy

Doing something that excites you can also release endorphins and help reduce our anxiety and even depression. You can either read a book, play a game or turn on something fun on the TV (let’s skip pass Zombie Attack, pt 3 please).

Practise self-compassion

I think this may be the most important one yet as how we treat ourselves when we are at our most vulnerable can significantly impact our mental health. The practice of self-compassion is simply being kinder and more patient and understanding with ourselves, much like we would when dealing with a friend. Instead of beating up on and invalidating our thoughts and feelings, let’s be softer and more supportive to ourselves.

Self-soothing techniques such as the ones above and many others have been a big help for me on my journey coping with my mental illnesses. If you feel that self-soothing may not be for you or are finding it difficult to arrest your anxiety, consider speaking to a mental health professional who can help unearth the root cause of your anxiety and help you along your journey. All the Best!

Sereta Thompson is a public relations professional and mental health advocate. She can be contacted at seretaathompson@gmail.com Follow her on Instagram: @ShadesOfSerri