Tips for Dealing with Anxiety
1. Anxiety happens when our head and body are not in the same place, our head tells us lies and our body believes them.
2. Breathing is a good way to our head and body back together. Breathe all the way out and bring your attention to your belly.
3. Pick a word like peace or calm and use the repitition of that word as a way to slow your brain down and give yourself focus.
4. Exercise is a great way to keep your head and your body in the same place. It increases our breath and helps us live in the moment. We get anxious when we focus on the future and create worse case scenarios.
5. Anxiety is like an addiction. The more you avoid the situation the more you want to avoid it. Do the next steps, breathe and use your focus word(s) to get you through your triggers, you will see strength grow. Don't let anxiety rob you of your life!
6. Get help... there are a lot of experts in anxiety that can teach you skills to last a lifetime.
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Tips for Helping a Friend with an Eating Disorder
1. If you have a friend with an eating disorder get someone to talk to them about it. It's a heavy problem and you don't want to be carrying too much on your own shoulders.
Who can you talk to? A teacher, school counselor, or a parent are good options to seek help from.
2. You didn't cause it. Eating disorders, such as anorexia, are coping strategies gone wrong. It can be a distraction from the person's real problems and emotional discomfort.
3. Eating disorders are classified as an addiction. The more you do the behavior the more you want to do it. The worst think you can say to someone battling an eating disorder is "just eat".
4. Your friend will need to hit bottom to be willing to get help. You should tell them how much their addiction is hurting you but do not change the htopic to make it their fault you are feeling that way.
5. Learning to nourish themselves emotionally and physically will require the help of a professional such as a nutritionist and/or a therapist. People with eating disorders have a hard time accepting help, they believe that only food is there for them.
6. Stay positive in your eating, attitude, and speech.
