Coping with Anxiety: Looking for Non-Medication Solutions

When I'm at home I draw, sing, cook/bake, color, if I'm alone I know this is gonna sound really dumb but while im doing stuff I need to do I screech and make weird noises while im doing it because it's silly and im pretty much entertaining myself and getting my mind off of things, when I'm in public, I play a game with my self, i pick a color and count how many cars are the same color, I sniff the air and think of five things I smell, i keep my arms to my sides and while I'm walking or pacing I tap my legs subtly to get my brain to focus on what im physically feeling, I listen and think of 4 things I can hear and that's all I can really think of right now but I'm sure I can think of more haha

For me, its either reading, video games, or sudoku. I have all of them on an app on my phone and I use it whenever I get too overwhelmed in public

I crochet and do my breathing techniques my therapist taught me. Close your eyes, take 3 deep breaths and exhale slowly. Open your eyes and say aloud 3 things you can see, 3 things you can taste, 3 things you can touch, and 3 things you can hear. This helps bring you back into the here and now and settle your mind

Finding other hobbies, some of mine include photography, bird watching, reading, and coloring. They're all calming and help ground me for when my anxiety is really bad.

Reading is my escape. It's a book every 2 days or so for the last 5 years. Any amount of free time, 10 seconds to hours past when I should have gone to sleep,all other time is spent as homemaker/wife/mom to a 4 year old boy and caregiver to our 2 year old family doggo. But I dont recommend it. The anxiety is better but it's like I'm addicted now so that my family won't go without their needs, but I put mine to the furtherst back burner. Im getting better at using some of my free time for self care rather than a book now but it's been oddly difficult for me

I find that listening to music helps. I put my head phones on and jam away.

I also do a lot of drawing to help with my anxiety exercising is a good way to help with anxiety and meditation 🙂