'Boy Meets World' alum Will Friedle reveals unusual method to stop anxiety: 'Get mad'

Boy Meets World alum Will Friedle is opening up about his decades-long battle with anxiety and how he learned to cope with it.

​The 49-year-old actor said that the anxiety never ends, but with age one can learn to live with it while regulating.

​“I never tell people you get over it because you never do, but you learn to cope with it in such a way where it just becomes a nuisance," Friedle told People at the Tribeca Festival premiere of Doc Meets World.

​But, Friedle said, "I think that's really important. It comes with age."

​The Trojan War actor shared that he first experienced anxiety in his early 20s and now has learned to live with it.

​"I was first hit with this stuff when I was 23 and I’m going to be 50 this year, so eventually you just kind of wear it like an itchy blanket," he confessed.

​Later during the post-screening conversation when a fan asked how he manages his anxiety, Friedle replied, "There are little tricks you can pick up that seriously help you. I always thought of it as something that was being done to me when it's not.”

​How to Manage Anxiety according to 'Boy Meets World' alum, Will Friedle:

​Friedle shared he uses breathing techniques to ground himself, he does 5-6 breathing methods. “Breathe in five, hold six, breathe out five," he shared.

​He also shared a counting method, which is to count from 100 to zero by three.

​As Friedle noted, "If you can do that, you're then using the analytical side of your brain and it kind of shuts down the feeling side of your brain. And next thing you know, it’s 30 seconds later and you're good.”

​Last but not the least, Friedle uses an unusual way to manage anxiety: to get "mad" at anxiety.

​He shared, “I know it sounds so stupid, but just be like, ‘No, you're not doing this today. I'm not allowing this right now. We'll deal with this later, but right now we're not letting this happen.’ And then you don't spiral.”