What can I do to calm down and relax in public situations?
24 Answers
Last Updated: 11/26/2018 at 11:48pm
Moderated by
Lisa Groesz, PhD
Psychologist
With evidenced based therapies, we find the root of the problem together to implement solutions. We all face crises, transitions, or disorders at some time.
Top Rated Answers
I do what's called the "grounding technique." As one who has suffered through anxiety and panic attacks before, I have personally used it and it worked for me. I've been told by several drs and therapists that anxiety/worry is a condition of the past/future respective and bringing oneself into the present helps eliminate those symptoms. Find something you can touch and identify it to yourself. Find something you can see and ID it. Same with a sound, a scent, and a taste.
Breathe. Breathe, breathe and breathe. Take a look at your surroundings, maintain your focus and breathe. In and out. Just breathe. It will take some time for this technique to work but it does. Breathe
Whenever I get anxious in public I find it helpful to just step away for a few seconds, try to find a place less crowded, away from the situation making you nervous. I usually keep a pair of headphones in my pocket, so being able to step into a different place and listen to a song or two is very helpful.
In public situations, turn your focus towards others and focus on some inanimate object like a shoe or a chair when you feel the anxiety starts building up.
count your breaths and you can also do grounding exercises, 5 things you see, 5 you can touch, 5 you can hear, 5 you can smell
Anonymous
December 29th, 2015 2:14am
Excuse yourself, go to the bathroom. Inhale to the count of 4 and exhale to the count of 6 which oxygenates your brain and keeps you relaxed
breath slowly in and out. Try to think of something happy and sit down or walk slowly. This helps me alot
There is a method you can use called 'grounding'. First look around and acknowledge 5 things you can see around you, and then 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell and one thing you can taste. This can help you to stop feeling overwhelmed and begin to calm down. It is always important to remember to just breathe! Continue this pattern until you feel calm, and try taking deep breaths in and out and focusing on your breathing. Hopefully this coping technique can help you relax and find relief and stay healthy :)
Anonymous
July 31st, 2018 9:30pm
Take deep breaths and close your eyes. Roll your shoulders. If you can, slip into the bathroom and dab your face with cold water.
For me, it helps to remember that everyone else is too concerned about themselves and how they come off to worry about me and how I'm coming off! Can you remember all the times someone minorly embarrassed themselves in your presence? Probably not!
Mindfulness strategies really helped me when I was in the thick of my anxiety and OCD. What you do is you name the things you can hear, taste, smell, feel, see etc. It really helps you to relax and helps you stay in the moment. I'm sure if you do a quick google search, you will find an article that explains it a lot better than I just did :)
Anonymous
March 26th, 2018 12:06pm
I use my meditation a lot when I am out of my comfort zone. I find if I breathe in my exercise while out in the public, it ease my scared and troubling thoughts, and helps me get through thsoe moments
Anonymous
September 13th, 2016 2:33am
The thing that helps me calm down and relax in a stressful public situation is deep breathing. It is a type of yoga technique. You inhale a large breath and exhale very slowly, making the exhale last much longer than the inhale.
Take deep breathes and picture yourself very calm, tell yourself it will pass. Try to have a one on one conversation with someone.
Anonymous
July 26th, 2016 3:45am
Step away for a few minutes from the situation. Try counting to ten and slowly breathing in and out.
You have to breath in and breath out slowly. Just count 1, 2, 3, in a slow way and breath in, then count again and breath out. It helped me a lot and I know that's kinds difficult to do, but that's the only way.
Something that helps me is feeling grounded, when i'm anxious my mind races, and it can be scary when you can't get away from the situation. I count things around me... so count 5 things you can see, then 5 things you can hear, and then make up your own little categories... it helps take my mind off worrying.
I find it helpful to do a sensory exercise: 5,4,3,2,1 with my senses. Example:
5 things you see
4 things you hear
3 things you feel
2 things you smell
1 thing you taste
but you can mix it up any way you would like!
Take some deep breaths. You may find it difficult to breathe when you’re stressed and in a public situation, but it’s important to focus on taking long breaths. This will restore oxygen to your body, making you feel more calm and relaxed.
Learn methods to ground your energy down. Often this can be by wearing a hat and covering the head. There are many other means and methods. Do researching on grounding.
#1 Most people feel and think the way you do and are nervous, caring about how others might feels takes your focus away from your own anxiety #2 focus on your breathing for 15-30 seconds, taking deep breaths in and out, this will bring you into the moment
he five steps to overcoming panic attacks are:
Acknowledge & Accept
Wait & Watch (and maybe, Work)
Actions (to make myself more comfortable)
Repeat
End
Anonymous
June 17th, 2015 1:43am
Breathe. Just breathe. Breathe in and out 10 times with your eyes closed. It helps me when I have to take a test.
Anonymous
May 3rd, 2015 10:46pm
I practice yoga breathing exercices, sophrology and acupressure point relative to stress to help me get through!
Related Questions: What can I do to calm down and relax in public situations?
How do I get over feeling that everyone is going to leave me?Everything in my life is messed up. Motivation works temporarily and I'm not suicidal but feel it's pointless to live like this. What should I do to feel hopeful? How can I get what I need from my doctor? I feel extremely sick whenever I leave my house, what can I do? I have trouble with my school work due to procrastinating. And my anxiety always gets in the way. How do I get things done?A family member thinks I am lying about where I am going but I'm not, what should I do?How do I know if I did the right thing?Is it hard to think critically about something you love?How do I overcome the fear of cashiers?How can I convince myself that my friends don't hate me? I have this irrational fear that they actually hate me.