How I (Personally) Deal with Anxiety

Writing is definitely my favored way to deal with anxiety. I don't have to just write about my anxiety, and most of the time I don't, but just putting words on a page (or screen, in most cases) helps me get my thoughts and feelings in some organized shape. But I don't always have access to writing supplies so I have some other things I do.

I will read. Reading has always been calming to me, since I can fall into someone else's life and story and forget about mine for a while.

I will play video games. While not always the most happy of games (Fallout 3 ending, anyone? Mass Effect 3 ending?), I am in absolute control. Something goes wrong? I'll just reload a save. No big deal (why can't real life do that, huh?).

I will stay inside and to myself. Though, I'm not sure this is the best way to handle anxiety, by keeping it bottled up and to myself, sometimes I do just need the time alone. 

I will keep quiet. I do tend to get anxious in groups and as a result, I'll be fairly quiet. My anxiety tends to make me hyper-aware during interactions, especially in groups (and I always feel like what I have to say isn't important, or relevant, or that no one will listen anyway so why open my mouth). 

I will absolutely follow people around. I do not like to be in a new place (or any place generally) on my own. So I will stay fairly close to someone I am comfortable with (and then spend the whole time worrying that I'm bothering them, of course). 

Lately, however? I've been forcing myself to kind of....ignore my anxiety. Maybe ignore isn't the right word. I recognize that I'm anxious and force myself to do what I wouldn't normally do. I'm putting myself out there more, I'm hanging out with people I didn't used to, and I'm trying to get to where I'm more comfortable with myself around people.