Do you suffer from excessive shyness and unease around strangers and peers that becomes so extreme that it interferes with normal social development?
Do you avoid or dread situations like public speaking, eating or writing in public?
Do you suffer from anxiety/panic attacks; palpitations or accelerated heart rate; chest pains or discomfort; choking or smothering sensations; dizziness; unsteady feelings or faintness?
Do you spend more than an hour a day being involved in obsessions and compulsions; recurrent and persistent thoughts, impulses or images that are experienced as intrusive and inappropriate and cause marked anxiety and distress?
Is anxiety disturbing your sleeping patterns?
Anxiety is a condition affecting many people, especially in today’s hectic pressure filled society filled with responsibilities and expectations. Very few of us have escaped its debilitating clutches. Anxiety is a natural response to particular situations which in the short term, keeps us vigilant and alert. In the long term it works against us by quickly reducing the quality of our attention and performance, eroding our self-esteem and confidence.
Anxiety is a complex condition which is unique to the individual and often made up of a combination of emotions such as: anger, shame, guilt or sadness all mixed in with their fear. Anxiety and feelings of stress are symptoms, a response to pressure – the more intolerable or persistent the pressure, the worse the anxiety. And this does not necessarily mean a single, overwhelming difficulty. More often it is an accumulation of things.
A healthy release of all of that negative energy is essential. Exercise is fantastic for this, and meditation will help to calm you, if you struggle with meditating find an activity such as Yoga or Tai Chi which will do both. Spending time in nature will ground you and strengthen you as well as encouraging you to release negative energy in a healthy way.
Be mindful of your diet, junk food, caffeine, recreational drugs, alcohol, sugar will aggravate your anxiety attacks so cut down as much as you can. If you are high in any of these cut down gradually or the withdrawal will also cause problems. Try to detox your body as much as possible.
Points to meditate on for deeper reflection
Stay in the present: if you feel yourself drawn back to what has happened, re-running it in your mind you will stay trapped in the past. Likewise if you are constantly worrying about the future you are programming yourself to fail.
Stay in control: recognise that it is a panic attack, in fact, name it. Know that it cannot harm you no matter how frightening and overwhelming it feels.
Go with the flow: when you feel a panic attack approaching, don’t fight it, allow the feelings to wash over you, but do not hold onto them or allow them to build. Be aware of them as you would clouds scudding across the sky on a windy day. Dissociate yourself from them and begin the 4-fold breath technique.
Reality check: ask yourself if what is happening is a true reflection of how you are feeling. Are you in danger, do you need to take immediate action? If not, step back from what you are feeling and tune into the actual situation.
The 3-3-3 rule: Look around you and name three things you see. Then, name three sounds you hear. Finally, move three parts of your body — your ankle, fingers, or arm. Whenever you feel your mind is racing, this can help to interrupt your negative programming, calm your mind and centre you in the present moment.
Get moving: do something that will interrupt your train of thought, go for a walk, put on some music and sing and dance, sort out your junk drawer. Anything that will interrupt that thought process.
Check your posture: when we are anxious our shoulders end up around our ears, or sometimes we hunch over into protective mode. Straighten up and with your next exhalation allow each part of your body to relax.
Feel good: do something which makes you feel good, a long soak in the bath, chat with friends, watching a funny movie, listening to music that makes you feel good. This is your time to nurture yourself, to listen to what your body needs.
Raine Hilton | Spiritual Wellbeing Consultant
Website: Good Vibes Holistic Therapies Email: goodvibesgirl@live.com