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Mental and Behavioral Health

Anxiety in Adults: How to Manage

Anxiety in Adults: How to Manage

Anxiety is when you feel worried or scared. It's normal to have anxiety now and then. But for some people, anxiety gets so strong that they have trouble coping with daily life.

Learning ways to manage anxiety and its causes, like stress, can help make your daily life better.

How does anxiety affect me?

Anxiety can cause health problems. These may include:

  • Headaches.

  • Body pain.

  • High blood pressure.

  • Sleep problems.

  • Mental health symptoms, like mood changes and panic attacks.

How to recognize anxiety and stress

Anxiety and stress are linked in many ways. For instance, having stress for a long time can lead to anxiety. But there are some differences.

  • Stress:

    • Is caused by something hard happening around you.

    • Goes away after the hard thing is over.

  • Anxiety:

    • Can happen for no clear reason.

    • Can stay after a stressful event is over.

How to manage lifestyle changes

To help manage your anxiety and stress, you could:

  • Do things that help you feel calm, such as:

    • Meditating.

    • Relaxing your muscles.

    • Deep breathing.

    • Coloring or drawing.

  • Move your body. You could:

    • Take a short walk each day.

    • Do yoga.

  • Do things you like or that are fun for you, such as:

    • Reading.

    • Listening to music.

  • Spend time in nature or watch nature videos.

  • Try to change negative thoughts to positive ones.

  • Spend time with friends and family who support you.

Follow these instructions at home:

Lifestyle

  • Get enough good sleep. Try to go to bed and get up at the same time each day.

  • Eat healthy.

  • Drink enough water.

General instructions

  • Take your medicines only as told.

  • Ask your health care provider about treatments that may help. You may need:

    • Medicine.

    • Talk therapy with a counselor.

    • Help learning coping skills, such as:* Meditation.* Deep breathing.

Follow these instructions at home:

Where to find support

For support, you can reach out to:

  • Your provider.

  • A mental health expert, such as a therapist or counselor.

Even though anxiety is a normal part of life, it doesn't have to control your life. Talk to your provider or counselor if you have questions or concerns about anxiety, treatment, or coping, or if you need help finding support.

Where to find more information

To learn more, go to:

Contact a health care provider if:

  • You have stress you can't handle.

  • Your anxiety stops you from doing daily tasks.

  • You avoid things out of fear, worry, or stress.

  • Your symptoms don't get better with treatment or they get worse.

  • You have new symptoms.

Get help right away if:

  • You feel like you may hurt yourself or others.

  • You have thoughts about taking your own life.

  • You have other thoughts or feelings that worry you.

These symptoms may be an emergency. Take one of these steps right away:

This information is not intended to replace advice given to you by your health care provider. Make sure you discuss any questions you have with your health care provider.

Document Revised: 05/12/2026 Document Reviewed: 03/24/2026

Elsevier Patient Education © 2026 Elsevier Inc.