What do you do to reduce anxiety?

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Naturally, I stim by pinching my fingers to release the pressure that builds up in them. Unfortunately, that is just a short term solution and I can't constantly be doing it while working or writing. Due to anxiety becoming so bad as of late I did spend some time thinking about what does calm me and I remembered water and rainfall. Because of this I started listening to those 10 hour rainfall sounds on YouTube pretty much whenever I can. I find it relieves a lot of my anxiety.

Is there anything you do?

Excersize helps, but if I overestimate how much it will help the anxiety factor, I can be disappointed at times when I still end up anxious.

I'm taking up Kung Fu of late, and I hope that some of the flowing movements of the forms will help. I'll have to see how well that works out.

As a reaction that I resort to which probably really doesn't help much -- I would never want to admit this in a "normal" setting but --
I will punch myself in the leg many times in a row, hard enough to hurt but not hard enough to make a bruise.

I listen to music, watch my favorite movies, get on a bus and go somewhere like a shopping center. Stroking Dory or one of my other small plushies helps reduce my anxiety, as well. A lot of the time when I get anxious, I bite or pick at my fingernails until they bleed.

Listening to music relaxes me. I'm into classical, jazz, pop, punk, country, etc.
Watching educational/nature videos on YouTube calms my nerves.
I also stim so me feet rubbing each other, my knees bobbing up and down, my legs shaking is par for the course.
I drink light beer. On holidays I might stretch this out to champagnes.
In the past I went for walks or went jogging but the gout currently in my legs prohibit that now.

I tend to stim lol

But outside of that obvious answer, I walk, I also read things I like reading about, or think about birds, or draw them. Birds are my obsession, so replace that with your obsession. I also think of people who make me happy.

Anxiety reminds me a lot of a stomach virus. I deal with anxiety the same as I do with nausea. Deep breathing, rocking, pacing, listening to soothing music. Stuff like that. And since actual nausea / lack of apatite isn't always involved, maybe a nice bowl of ice cream. My anxiety has no rhyme or reason. It just hits me and I try to weather it the same as I would a bout stomach flu.

Mindfulness--I try to focus on what I am doing and what I am experiencing at all times. I also take anti-anxiety medication. Mindfulness is the best thing I have come across though. It is impossible to get caught up in worrying if you are not thinking at all, just experiencing your body in the present moment.

Other than stimming sometimes I make lists.

If I'm anxious about taking a trip for example I will make lists of all the things I need, what I need to do on which day in which order.

If I'm anxious about needing to do a bunch of things I'll try to break them down into smaller parts and then plan when and how to do them.

If I'm anxious about something I have no control over I'll try to think of all possible outcomes and then plan for those outcomes.

Also usually I'll take antacids. Whenever I get anxious I can tell because I get really bad gnawing stomach aches. If I didn't get those I probably wouldn't know when I'm anxious.

Anyway, I think for people with ASD's a lot of anxiety comes from the unknown. Things that aren't planned for, scripted or routine. I guess it depends on the type and cause of the anxiety though, my answer might not be very helpful.

have nothing, but I really like your display picture.

I don't really get anxious as much as I get flustered and flummoxed and somewhat discombobulated in certain situations, IE crowded supermarket, trying to do too many things at once, my routine being disrupted too many times.

I may get mild anxiety if: I giving a presentation, or going to an interview or meeting someone for a date (bit of social anxiety there) and I may sometimes worry about supporting myself, income and bills (or the dwp and their endless paperwork and medicals etc).

When anxious I can find that the following may help:

Rubbing my tickle (which I will rub even when not anxious..i just really like how it feels). My tickle is a silky piece of material I can tend to carry around with me when in the house (sometimes in a pocket when out unless I rub the lining of my coat which feels similar). I have had a tickle since I could rub silky bits of material.
Ergo, as some inquire, rubbing my tickle is not euphemism for something else, although that something else can be a good stress reliever too.
Rubbing my face with both hands can be soothing
Pressing myself down into my mattress and wriggling (the pressure feels nice)
Dancing
Singing
Swaying from side to side
Indulging my hobbies (knitting, playing piano, reading about all things paleo/playing around with my paleo diet, other arts and crafts)
Going out to the coast and taking photographs
Swimming (being in water is soothing..I swim most days now)
Weight lifting
Watching a favourite movie (love old films and musicals right now)
Rarely chocolate ice cream but resorting to too much sugary food when stressed does not really do much good as they can upset my stomach and cause weight gain if I over do it.

I avoid alcohol and drugs etc as I find that these too can worsen things (never was a fan of drugs and never liked cannabis the two times I tried it. Alcohol use just back fired for me and caused more problems than it solved so I decided it is pointless..I am better off spending the evening knitting. At least I get a scarf out of it instead of a headache).

Walking meditation/mindfulness, I try to avoid extra medication when I can, but if it's too intense I have clonazepam to fall back on, or sometimes cannabis.

I find that a combination of music and aromatherapy in a dimly lit room really does the trick for me- anything that indulges my senses, basically, since mine are fairly sensitive and finely tuned. If I'm at work or somewhere out in public where I don't have access to those things then sometimes I'll resort to stimming to get rid of all that nervous energy- jiggling my leg, rubbing my temples, etc. Subtlety is key with that though since I don't want people staring at me like I have two heads, haha.

One thing that helps me much is sauna and steam baths. Unfortunately they are often expensive, luckily I have a very good deal (through my work) for a club which gives me unlimited spa access and it helps me a lot. Spending even 30min-1h alternating sauna and steam room (with a few dives in the pool too sometimes) relieves my anxiety a lot. It seems my body can't help but relaxing in the heat, and my mind can't help but relaxing in a relaxed body It may or may not last long ; if I have something that makes me anxious it can last only for a few hours, otherwise it can linger for a few days, if I really enjoyed the session. But I know that I will always be relaxed at least during and just after doing that, and knowing that helps, too.

Another benefit is that it makes my muscles relax, and since they can become (and remain) very tense when I am anxious that is very good for my health. The sauna and steam room certainly made me avoid back aches, sleepless nights, physical fatigue, muscle medication and/or physical therapy.


The other things that can help me :
- Listening to music
- Relaxation and mindful meditation
- Incences and essential oils (and more generally pleasant olfactory stimui)
- Writing about my anxiety and what causes it
- Having a good *and* healthy meal (gives me the feeling that I both treat myself and respect my body)
- If the weaher is pleasant, going for a walk
- Alcohol, but really avoid it it is the worst crutch ever

I stim and exercise and do sports and being out in nature helps a lot. But what really helps me is to get really good alone time.