18 EXPERT-BACKED AFFIRMATIONS FOR ANXIETY

If you tend to prioritize meditation, journaling, and therapy for your mental health, let's talk about why you may want to add anxiety affirmations to that list, too. Not only does science say that affirmations can significantly reduce feelings of anxiety and worry after just a month of use, but they're also just a really great way to keep you grounded. If you've never tried affirmations for anxiety before, here's where to start, according to therapists.

In essence, affirmations are brief phrases designed to boost positive thoughts and self-talk. Rebecca Phillips, MS, LPC, describes affirmations as a "powerful tool used to challenge negative thought patterns" - the kind of thought patterns that contribute to anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. Phillips says that since anxiety is the result of the brain's natural inclination to focus on negative aspects of ourselves and our lives, positive affirmations can counteract these feelings to help us gain a more realistic perspective. In other words, "positive affirmations are the antidote to negative self-talk," Phillips tells PS.

Because people with anxiety usually "try to avoid feeling anxious," positive anxiety affirmations can "help the person acknowledge and feel their feelings rather than avoid them," according to Kristin Miyoko Papa, LCSW. They can also ground you in the present moment instead of the future or past, says psychologist Lori L. Cangilla, PhD. "This kind of mindfulness reduces anxiety, depression, and other kinds of emotional distress," she explains.

All that to say, if you are wanting to manage your anxiety more efficiently or just want to add another tool to your anxiety-fighting arsenal, you'll want to keep reading for some helpful anxiety affirmations to try.

Experts Featured in This Article:

Rebecca Phillips, MS, LPC, is a therapist at Mend Modern Therapy.

Kristin Miyoko Papa, LCSW is a licensed psychotherapist at Living Open Hearted.

Lori L. Cangilla, PhD, is a licensed psychologist and author of "Wander and Delve: A Journal for Bright, Creative, Highly Sensitive People Forging Their Way."

Roslyn Guzman, LCSW, is a therapist at Be Morr counseling.

Jennifer Grant Schliessman, LCSW, is a holistic and trauma informed psychotherapist.

Yara Heary, is an AHPRA-certified psychotherapist in Australia, and the owner and principal psychologist at Life After Birth.

Positive Affirmations For Anxiety

If you want to start saying affirmations for your anxiety, know that the most successful affirmations are the ones that resonate the most with you, says Roslyn Guzman, LCSW. This means you should select some positive affirmations that seem relevant and specific to your particular life. After all, you have to "believe in [your] core the truth of these words" in order for them to be most effective, says Jennifer Grant Schliessman, LCSW.

To get the most out of your affirmations, experts recommend repeating them out loud three times a day (morning, midday, and evening) for five minutes at a time. If this frequency isn't feasible, try starting with once or twice a day for three minutes at a time. You can also write your affirmations down in a journal instead of saying them out loud, if that feels more comfortable than speaking.

Read on for some expert-recommended affirmations (but feel free to customize as you see fit).

Thank you, anxiety, for trying to protect me, but today, I think I can handle the challenge.

I can live comfortably and well, even while I feel anxious.

I am learning to accept life exactly as it is at this moment.

I have self-compassion for my anxiety, but I choose not to let my anxiety limit my actions.

Feel the fear [or anxiety, self-doubt, etc.] and do it anyways.

I will focus my energy on what I am able to control.

This is my body's response. I am not in danger.

These thoughts too shall pass.

I am safe.

I am strong and capable of handling whatever comes my way.

I trust myself to navigate difficult or stressful situations because I have already overcome so much.

It's OK to feel the way I'm feeling right now.

I recognize that I am feeling anxious, and I am working to improve it.

Even if I notice I am feeling anxious, I can still [fill in the blank for whatever task you're trying to do].

I recognize I am feeling anxious, but today I am choosing to embrace my values of [courage, patience, perseverance, etc.] so I can do what I need to do.

If you're someone who has a hard time believing positive things about yourself, AHPRA-certified therapist Yara Heary, recommends trying affirmations that are framed as a "what if" question. Framing affirmations as questions makes it harder for your critical self-talk to shut the affirmation down, Heary says. Instead of a concrete statement of fact, "it's a gentle suggestion of an alternative positive scenario," she explains. "It's sowing the seed of a positive mindset."

Here are some examples of the "what if" format, but note that you can also try these affirmations as statements by dropping the "what if."

What if I am capable of handling whatever the future holds?

What if I am safe and no harm will come to me?

What if I feel less afraid and more in control when I slow down my breathing?

- Additional reporting by Chandler Plante

Maggie Ryan was an assistant editor at PS. A longtime runner and athlete, Maggie has nearly four years of experience covering topics in the wellness space, specializing in fitness, sports, nutrition, and mental health.

Chandler Plante is an assistant editor for PS Health & Fitness. Previously, she worked as an editorial assistant for People magazine and contributed to Ladygunn, Millie, and Bustle Digital Group. In her free time, she overshares on the internet, creating content about chronic illness, beauty, and disability.

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