Hands up all those who have had anxiety?
Hands up anyone who HAS anxiety?
What does your anxiety do? Do you get nauseous, shaking, sweating? OR are you like me? I can't sit still, my mind wanders everywhere and sometimes, I can get tongue-tied (which can be funny).
Anxiety can be hard to deal with, it can dictate what you do every day. For some people, anxiety can restrict what they do, or make them rethink how they doing some activities. We all recognise anxiety when we do something new, what goes through your head and how your body reacts to those thoughts.
But what about the every day anxieties? I have anxiety every time I meet new clients, which may not be everyday, but it is regular. I have little things that I do to calm my thoughts and feelings. Normally, I will play a game on my phone, or I'll have a look at what is trending on the internet. Sometimes when I am really anxious, I'll walk (round in circles if I can't get out). Or I'll listen to some music and concentrate on the music.
So, what do you do, or do you struggle with how to handle your anxiety? Do you try to sit and concentrate on your breathing (but it looks weird)? What about talking to your self to calm down, but your very wary of the people around you and how they see you? Maybe you can't do anything because it is just too much, but you get close to an anxiety attack? Or just do your best to deal with it and hope it goes? Or maybe you don't leave your house because of your anxiety? Does any of these sound like you?
You don't need to go through all of these thoughts and actions, each time you have anxiety. There are so many different techniques to try and use to work with and through your anxiety. The most common I use with my clients is the grounding technique.
5: Acknowledge FIVE things you see around you. It could be a cup, a book on a shelf, anything in your surroundings.
4: Acknowledge FOUR things you can touch around you. It could be your hair, a shirt, or the ground under your feet.
3: Acknowledge THREE things you hear. This could be any external sound. If you can hear your belly rumbling that counts! Focus on things you can hear outside of your body.
2: Acknowledge TWO things you can smell. Maybe you are in your office recognise and smell the coffee, or maybe the freshly washed clothes. If you need to take a brief walk to find a scent you could smell soap in your bathroom, or nature outside.
1: Acknowledge ONE thing you can taste. What does the inside of your mouth taste like—a mint, coffee, or something from lunch?
It is amazing what you can do these things and this calms your brain. Ok, it takes away the anxiety for just a while. But enough time for you to realise what you need to be doing or what is happening.
For the long term, talking has always been a good answer to the issue. Just going through what is happening or happened is always a good way to help your self be more mentally stronger.
If this sounds like you, get in touch today.
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