How to Meditate for Anxiety

Co-authored by Trudi Griffin, LPC, MS

Last Updated: March 29, 2019 References

Meditation is incredibly helpful for people with anxiety. It helps train the brain to become calmer, reduces stress, and increases feelings of self-acceptance.^{[1]
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Research source} There are many different styles of meditation, so you may want to experiment with several of them to find what works best for you. Regardless of which style you choose, you will learn to focus on the present and dismiss negative thoughts about the past or future.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Getting Started With Meditation Basics

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Find a comfortable, quiet space. You can meditate any time, anywhere, but for most beginners, it's significantly easier to meditate in a quiet place with no distractions. Try to find somewhere where you can be alone for a few minutes.^{[2]
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- You may want to set up a special area in your home for meditation. It should have a comfortable place for sitting and should be inspiring to you. You can create an altar or shrine, or simply decorate the area with items that speak to you.
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Sit up straight. Do your best to have good posture while meditating. Sitting up straight is not only good for your spine, but it may also help you stay focused on your meditation.^{[3]
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- Sitting on a pillow or block may help you keep your spine straight.
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Start small. Beginning a meditation practice does not have to take much time away from your busy schedule. You can start by devoting as little as 10 minutes each day to meditation.^{[4]
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- Scheduling a regular time to meditate each day may help you commit to it.
- As you progress, you may find that you want to meditate for longer periods of time, but if you don't, that's okay too. Never feel like you have to meditate for a specific amount of time if that doesn't feel right for you.
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Consider setting an intention. Some people find it helpful to spend the beginning of their meditation session thinking about a specific intention. This should be something altruistic that will help you stay focused on the good that you are creating with your meditation practice.^{[5]
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- For example, you may think about how your meditation will help you be present in the current moment and not ruminating on the past or worrying about the future.
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Keep a journal. Journaling about the meditation process is very useful to some people, so you may want to consider trying it. This will allow you to keep track of the different meditation techniques you have tried and how they made you feel.^{[6]
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- In addition, journaling can also help you work through your feelings, so you may find that it helps you understand why a specific technique made you feel a specific way.
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Combating Your Anxiety With Meditation

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Replace anxious thoughts. All styles of meditation involve the replacement of racing or intruding thoughts with something more calming. If you suffer from anxiety, you likely have lots of different thoughts that cause you to worry unnecessarily. No matter which style of meditation you choose, your meditation practice should focus on replacing these negative thoughts.^{[7]
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- It may take some time before you understand when it will be most helpful for you to meditate. For example, you may want to meditate when you begin to have anxious thoughts, or you may find it more helpful to meditate when you know you are about to be in a situation that may trigger anxiety.
- Over time, meditating will teach you to pay less attention to your anxious thoughts, so they will become less of a burden.
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Don't be too hard on yourself. You may be tempted to think that you are "bad" at meditating or that you are doing it wrong when you are new to the practice. Many people feel this way, but people with anxiety are especially prone to allow these thoughts to hold them back from really enjoying their meditation practices. Instead of judging yourself for your inadequacies, remind yourself that you are improving with each session and that you do not need to be perfect.^{[8]
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- Judging yourself for your meditation abilities can actually cause stress and anxiety, which is completely counterproductive. If you find yourself doing this acknowledge these thoughts as the same as all of your other anxious thoughts.
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Look for signs that meditation is not right for you. Meditation is very helpful to many people who suffer from anxiety, but it is not right for everyone. For some, meditation can actually make anxiety worse. If this is the case for you, you should either stop your practice or reduce the amount of time you spend meditating.^{[9]
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- Note how you feel before and after meditation sessions. You may not feel noticeably better right away, which is fine, but you should not feel more anxious or noticeably worse.
- People who are prone to relaxation-induced anxiety, are highly introspective, or have repressed memories are more likely to have increased anxiety after meditating.
- Someone with relaxation-induced anxiety may be able to unwind at first, but soon he begins to feel even more anxious or tense as a result. This may because the person is afraid of the thoughts that occur when he stills his mind, or because he fears he is being lazy or not meditating "correctly."^{[10]
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  Research source} If you already have anxiety, you may be more prone to relaxation-induced anxiety.^{[11]
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- If repressed memories or trauma surface while you are meditating — you suddenly re-experience a traumatic emotion or experience while trying to meditate — put meditation on hold. Dealing with trauma is not something you should attempt to handle on your own. Seek counseling with an experienced therapist or mental health professional who specializes in trauma.^{[12]
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If you decide that meditation is in fact right for you, don't expect it to change your life overnight. It may be a while before your brain begins to change in a noticeable way, but it will happen. If you are working to reduce your anxiety, be patient and commit to meditating regularly.^{[13]
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Part 3

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Practicing Different Styles of Meditation

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Practice mindfulness meditation. Mindfulness meditation is one of the most popular styles of meditation for reducing anxiety. To practice it, you must simply focus all of your attention on the present moment, which helps retrain the brain not to fixate on the past or on the future.^{[14]
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- It's natural for your thoughts to wander, so don't get discouraged. If thoughts or emotions come up, acknowledge them, but do not judge yourself for them. Then do your best to replace them with thoughts about the present.
- Keeping your eyes open will help you stay focused on the present.^{[15]
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- Many people like to consciously focus on their breathing while meditating, which helps keep breaths deep, while also preventing other thoughts from taking over the mind. If you are having trouble staying focused on your breath, you can try counting your breaths or repeating the words "inhale" and "exhale" to yourself silently.^{[16]
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Consider loving-kindness meditation. Loving-kindness meditation is similar to mindfulness meditation in that you replace unwanted thoughts with other thoughts. Instead of focusing your thoughts on the present moment, however, you can focus them on anything that involves love and kindness.^{[17]
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- Your thoughts should express love and kindness towards yourself, as well as towards others.
- You can practice mindfulness meditation and loving-kindness meditation together, as they complement each other nicely.
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Try guided meditation. Guided meditation is sometimes called visualization. This meditation style involves thinking deeply about a place or situation that you find relaxing. When practicing this type of meditation, you should try to engage all of your senses by imagining the sights, smells, sounds, tastes, and feelings that you would experience if you were really there.^{[18]
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- Guided meditation can be done alone, but it is often done in a class under the instruction of a teacher.
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Experiment with transcendental meditation. If you choose to practice transcendental meditation, you will repeat a mantra to yourself to help achieve relaxation. This mantra can be any word, phrase, or sound that you find comforting.^{[19]
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- The way you say the mantra is also important. You should be focusing deeply on every aspect of the mantra.
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Incorporate movement into your meditation. Meditation does not always have to be done sitting down. In fact, there are a variety of practices that combine exercise and meditation. If you don't like sitting still, this may be the perfect option for you.^{[20]
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- Tai chi, qi gong, and yoga are all practices that involve movement, as well as meditation. If you are interested in learning one of these practices, they are offered at many fitness clubs and community centers. You can also try watching an instructional video.
- If you want to add a less structured physical component to your meditation practice, you can also consider walking while you meditate. As long as you are able to stay focused, this movement should not inhibit your meditation at all.
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You can incorporate aspects of any faith into meditation, but it can also be completely secular.

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Meditation is very personal and is different for everyone. Try to avoid comparing yourself to others or judging yourself for the way you meditate.

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Try using an app, such as Headspace. This app is very helpful for beginners, and for people who don't want to get spiritual about meditation. I use it myself, and it's very relaxing. First ten days are free. Your guide will be Andy Puddicombe, he has a wonderful voice and seems to know what he's doing.

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