People work really hard to help themselves feel better. But much of the time, their efforts aren't just counterproductive — they're downright harmful. Here are five common mistakes that will make your anxiety worse, even though you may think they're making you feel better:. On the surface, avoidance seems like a helpful response to anxiety. If you feel anxious about your financial situation, you might ignore your bills and avoid looking at your bank account.
Avoiding the reality of your mounting debt and dwindling bank account will keep your anxiety at bay — at least temporarily. As your financial problems mount, however, your anxiety will grow.
Research backs up the fact that the more you avoid anxiety-provoking situations, the more anxiety-provoking they become. And avoidance causes you to lose confidence in your ability to face these fears. So while avoidance might give you a quick moment of relief, the act of dodging problems worsens anxiety over time. Clients who come into my therapy office often say things like, "My mind just won't shut off at night" or, "As soon as I try to go to sleep, my brain just reminds me of all the things I need to start worrying about.
In an effort to drown out the noise in their heads, many of them scroll through their phones before they fall asleep. And while looking at social media for a few minutes might feel like it quiets their brain for a minute, staring at a screen actually interferes with sleep and leads to more anxiety. In fact, just having a smartphone in the same room while you're sleeping can increase your anxiety.
A study published in "Computers in Human Behavior" found that after just one week of not sleeping with a smartphone in the bedroom, individuals reported less anxiety, better quality sleep, and improved well-being.
So you might want to try it as an experiment of your own. For one week, leave your smartphone in the kitchen when you go to sleep. See if you feel better. When you've had a rough day, you might think you need to "get your feelings out. After all, you might erupt like a pressure cooker if you stuff your feelings, right? Well, that's actually a misconception. The more you talk about things that cause you distress, the more you keep yourself in a heightened state of arousal.
A study published in the "Cyberpyschology, Behavior, and Social Networking" volume found that venting backfires — especially in people with perfectionist tendencies which is common in individuals with anxiety disorders. The authors of the study say people are better off focusing on the positive aspects of their day. Recounting what went right, rather than dwelling on what went wrong, can boost mood and decrease anxiety. Under 40? Know Your Risk for Advice from a Breast Cancer Survivor Fighting Back Against Ovarian Cancer 0.
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New Study: Aim for 7,, Steps Quarantine What is it? You can have stress from good challenges and as well as bad ones. Some common sources of stress include:. Call your health care provider if you feel overwhelmed by stress, or if it is affecting your health. Also call your provider if you notice new or unusual symptoms.
Your provider may refer you to a mental health care provider. You can talk to this professional about your feelings, what seems to make your stress better or worse, and why you think you are having this problem.
You may also work on developing ways to reduce stress in your life. Psychosocial influences on health. Textbook of Family Medicine. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; chap 3. National Institute of Mental Health website. Accessed June 25, Vaccarino V, Bremner JD. Psychiatric and behavioral aspects of cardiovascular disease. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; chap Updated by: Fred K. Editorial team.
Stress and your health. Stress is a normal feeling.
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