5 Things to Do When your Anxiety Goes Through the Roof
We live in a society that tends to put us under chronic states of pressure, stress and anxiety. 2020 has amplified that pressure to the Nth degree. We have had to deal with sudden and drastic change in how we run our day-to-day lives and many people have had to deal with health issues and financial issues on top of that.
I’m sure most of us have learned some coping mechanisms along the way, but sometimes even the best of us can spiral down from a seemingly innocuous event or piece of news. It’s as though our systems just couldn’t bear that one more bit of stress no matter how small or large it is.
Unfortunately, being under stress can cause us to not be able to see the potential solutions that might be in front of us. And the effect it has on our bodies only make some of these issues even worse. Therefore, I am always looking for tools to help me remain calm should the need arise.
Step away from the headlines – The constant bombardment of terrifying news comes at us from all sides through television, radio, social media, etc. I tend to keep my news watching to a minimum, preferring to actually go to websites to read topics I am specifically interested in and maybe only a few times a week. This way I am controlling what is coming in to my mind on a regular basis. During a time of great anxiety, I will back away completely to help down-regulate my limbic system.
Ground Yourself – We have a very real connection with the earth and being in nature can be extremely helpful in bringing us down from our minds and into our bodies. My favorite way of doing this is finding a patch of earth or grass and taking off my shoes and standing or sitting there for 10 – 15 minutes. More is better, but even 5 minutes can help.
Get in Water – Taking a nice warm bath with some Epsom salt and essential oils such as lavender can have a soothing effect on our nervous systems. In lieu of a bath a hot shower will do as well. The water and warmth have a calming effect on us.
Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) – or “tapping” as it is sometimes called is a technique of tapping various points on your face and body. These points are associated with various meridian lines that have a known effect on the central nervous system. Here is a video that can help you walk through this increasingly popular technique.
Breathe/Meditate – I put this one last on purpose because often when we are in the thick of things, the thought of medication seems impossible. Sometimes for some people, meditation seems difficult to reach at the best of times! So, in this post, I am going to simply refer to the act of sitting quietly and focusing on your breathing. On the inhale. think to yourself “Breath in Joy” (or peace or whatever positive word feels right to you). On the exhale you can think to yourself “Breathe out anxiety” (or worry or whatever it is you want to release). When thoughts come up, just notice them – this is part of meditation, it doesn’t mean you’ve failed if thoughts continue to come up. It is still having an effect even if your mind never becomes completely still.
The deal is…these are called practices for a reason. Yes, they are “tools” we can pull out of our anti-anxiety “toolbox” so to speak. However, if we haven’t been honing them during times that we don’t need them, it is harder to remember that we even have them when we are in the thick of something that calls for them. So, pick one or two of these methods and try them out for a few weeks to see how they make you feel. The more you work with them the easier it will be to call them up when you absolutely need them.
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Blessings,
Patricia