The uncertainty you face when dealing with criminal charges is relentless. You don’t know how things are going to turn out, which is scary and intimidating. And you’re navigating a legal system that most people have no experience with. The stakes feel impossibly high, to put it mildly. Even if you’re confident in your innocence, the process itself is exhausting in ways that are hard to fully describe to anyone who hasn’t experienced it before.
While the stress is valid, how you manage it matters a lot. If you don’t deal with it, it can affect your overall mental and physical health in dangerous ways. Which begs the question, how do you fight off the stress and find a good, healthy balance?
Hire a Good Attorney and Let Them Work
The best thing you can do to reduce your stress levels during a criminal case is hire an experienced attorney. Then you need to let them do their job! This sounds obvious, but a lot of people hire a lawyer and then spend every waking hour second-guessing and doing their own research. That approach doesn’t help your case, and it keeps your anxiety high.
A good criminal defense attorney handles the legal complexity for you. They understand the system and know what outcomes are realistic given the specifics of your situation.
As the attorneys at Ryan Beasley Law explain, “Second- and third-degree assault charges are misdemeanors, while aggravated assaults (first degree and above) are felony offenses. Reducing the charges, even one level, can take serious penalties off the table. Of course, the ideal outcome is for the charges to go away entirely.” That kind of strategic thinking is exactly what a skilled defense attorney brings to the table, and it’s work you cannot effectively do on your own.
Once you’ve hired someone you trust, your job is to be honest with them and follow their guidance. Beyond that, let them carry the legal weight. That’s what they’re there for.
Get Serious About Sleep
Sleep deprivation and anxiety feed each other. It’s a cycle that’s hard to break once it gets going.
- You’re stressed, so you can’t sleep.
- You can’t sleep, so you’re less equipped to manage stress.
That cycle goes on and on – getting more intense the longer it lasts. During a period of extreme anxiety, protecting your sleep is a super important step for your overall health and well-being. Do some research on proper sleep hygiene and begin to implement those tips as soon as possible.
Move Your Body Every Day
Exercise is one of the most well-documented stress management tools out there. And thankfully, it doesn’t require a gym membership. You just need to set aside a little bit of time.
A 30-minute walk does things for your mental state that are hard to replicate when you’re sitting still. It burns off the physical tension that stress creates in the body, while also improving your mood through the release of endorphins. Being active gives you something concrete and positive to do with your energy.
If you already have an exercise habit, keep it up. It’s common to let health routines slide when life gets difficult, but this is exactly when they matter most. If you don’t have an established routine, start small and build from there.
Eat in a Way That Supports You
Stress can impact your eating habits in a couple of different ways. Some people lose their appetite entirely. Others reach for comfort food, alcohol, and caffeine. Neither pattern serves you well during a period when you need your body and mind operating at peak levels.
The best thing you can do here is follow the basics:
- Limit caffeine intake
- Avoid alcohol
- Get enough protein
- Drink plenty of water
- Opt for fresh, whole foods over processed foods
Making these small choices on a daily basis will compound into something positive for your mind and body. You might not feel it immediately, but your health will thank you.
Don’t Isolate
The instinct to withdraw during a difficult period is pretty normal. After all, you don’t want to burden the people around you. You also might feel embarrassed about your situation. But isolation makes anxiety and depression worse. As a human, you’re wired for connection. Cutting yourself off will just compound your underlying problems.
Do your best to stay connected in whatever way is feasible (given your current situation). If you’re not able to leave the house – or find yourself in custody – phone calls, video calls, or even letters can be great options for staying connected with people.
Moving Forward With Your Case
When something stressful is happening in your life, the brain wants to think about it constantly in an attempt to solve or control it. With a criminal case, that impulse leads people to spend hours reading about legal outcomes or obsessing over details they can’t change. That doesn’t help.
The best thing you can do is hire a good attorney and let them handle the legal side. Then you can work on implementing the tips above and focus on your own health and well-being.