Anxiety

In this third and final post around the subject of what may lie behind the experience of anxiety, we share some valuable information about the different neural pathways involved in anxiety.

Two Neural Pathways to Anxiety

There are two primary neural pathways for anxiety; the cortex and the amygdala. Each pathway can initiate the emotion of anxiety in different ways. Understanding which pathway is behind the experience of anxiety can help in choosing the best way to address symptoms. [Read more…]

In this second post on what may cause us to experience anxiety, we explore ‘self-concept’; how it is formed and why, if incomplete, it can cause stress and unhelpful thinking styles, that can lead to anxiety.

Self-Concept

Our self-concept can be simply defined as a fairly comprehensive, general idea of who we are – what we know about ourselves from a physical world perspective. Our interests, what we do and don’t like, what we’re good at, where we might need to improve and our strengths and weaknesses. When it’s complete and accurate, it guides us to make decisions that work best for us. [Read more…]

In a series of three posts, we share knowledge of some of the underlying reasons for anxiety. Taken from different schools of psychology as well as her own anecdotal experience, we introduce some fundamental perspectives on where anxiety may originate, so that those who endure can add a ‘because’ to their experience, opening up the opportunity to heal the cause and so reduce anxiety.

Drivers

In the school of psychotherapy called Transactional Analysis (or TA for short) it is suggested that for most of us, our autonomy is under the influence of a concept known as ‘Drivers’. Drivers are said to develop during childhood and are the internalized messages of our parents or caregivers that we learned in order to stay feeling ok. Because these messages were absorbed very early on, they tend to be quite deeply rooted and often outside of our conscious awareness, but it is possible to notice them through our behaviours. There are five Drivers in total. Here’s what they look like: [Read more…]

In this post, we explore research that links diet to mental health and how dietary changes may have positive outcomes for those who experience the symptoms of anxiety.

Over the last ten years or so, scientists have been uncovering more and more links between what we eat and our mental health, with most studies focusing on the link between depression and the gut. In more recent years, however, expert attention has been given to expanding this concept and how more mental health conditions, including anxiety, could be in some way linked to what we eat and therefore treated through dietary changes. [Read more…]

Here are five tips to help reduce anxiety.

Unlike fear, anxiety is all about perceived future based threats – the ‘what-ifs’ that we all experience from time to time. Anxiety tells us to fight or run (which, if we are under threat, would be the right thing to do!) however, paradoxically, if the anxiety alarm rings when it doesn’t need to and we respond, we actually reinforce it. [Read more…]

Does anyone in the room right now feel a little stressed? Stress is the key factor that leads to the development of nerves, overload, or anxiety. A short guest author post for your consideration.

As the majority of the world remains quarantined today, I am writing this while confined to my home. I don’t know what else to call it if this isn’t a period of increased tension and anxiety. I keep my family in my house without knowing what the future holds because I care about the wellbeing of my neighbourhood. Being unable to control my movements and daily activities, as well as being inundated with sickness and uncertainties. So, here are some helpful tips to reduce anxiety:

1. Self-Awareness

Realizing oneself as a unique personality or entity is what is meant by self-awareness. I like to see self-awareness as a goddess or ghost that is sort of floating outside of my body and is able to view my existence from a different angle. You can maintain a more level-headed view of our circumstances when you can distance yourself from the irrational notions that constantly race through your mind. Watching oneself, so to speak, “jump into the trenches” as opposed to actually jumping into the trenches with your thoughts, is very different.

I have a fresh sense of objectivity when I visualize myself as a goddess hovering outside of my body and observing my existence. Here, objectivity is crucial. Being more objective enables us to think more clearly and extricate ourselves from a flood of unproductive feelings like anxiety, tension, and sadness.

The capacity to examine oneself and evaluate one’s ideas, emotions, and behaviour is known as self-awareness. There may or may not be alignment in these three areas of your life. We go out of harmony when we dive deeply into our worries and concerns.

The capacity to control your emotions and make decisions that are consistent with your ideals comes with self-awareness.

2. Breathe

Breathing quickly and shallowly is a common symptom of anxiety and anger. According to Dehorty, this communicates with your brain and creates a positive feedback loop that reinforces your fight-or-flight reaction. Because of this, taking several slow, deep breaths can break the cycle and promote relaxation.

To calm down, try one of the many breathing exercises available. Three-part breathing is one. You must inhale deeply and then fully exhale while paying close attention to your body when practicing three-part breathing.

3. Acknowledge Your Anxiety

Embrace the ability to express your anger or anxiety. The worry and anger you’re feeling might lessen after you give them names and give yourself permission to express them.

4. Meditate

Although I’m not an expert at meditation, I have given it a shot and have found it to be a potent stress-relieving method. Personally, I find the Headspace app to be a great tool for meditation. I enjoy having some direction from the mobile app as I’m just starting out with meditation. Though there are many free materials available as well, I’m now focusing on the commercial services that the app offers.

Additionally, there is a vast universe of meditation to explore. In the more conventional sense, I imagine meditation to involve finding a peaceful, comfortable place to sit, relaxing my body, closing my eyes, and attempting to quiet my mind of its constant chatter.

The goal of meditation is to calm the mind and bring your thoughts and awareness of the current moment. Being mindful of your thoughts as they go through your brain is more important than trying to stop them from occurring.

I’m starting to see that there are many different ways we can do this. I now make an effort to see various daily routines as chances to practice mindfulness and express gratitude. For example, I might go gardening, follow a morning or evening routine, stroll around the block, water my houseplants, stretch, paint, make crafts, or perform some yoga positions.

Try meditation to help you relax during stressful moments; there are so many other approaches besides the standard one!

5. Shift your attention

Move away from the scenario, turn your head in another direction, leave the room, or go outside.

To give you time to make smarter decisions, Dehorty advises doing this practice. “When we are stressed or angry, we focus primarily on how to survive. This is acceptable if our lives are truly in danger, but if not, we want to use our best judgment rather than our natural instincts for survival,” he continues.

6. Relax

Your entire body may seem tense when you’re anxious or irritated. Progressive muscle relaxation exercises might assist you in calming down and finding your core.

Lay on the ground and spread your arms at your sides to perform this. Make sure your hands are not fisted and your feet are not crossed. Begin by telling yourself to release your toes. As you slowly ascend your body, tell yourself to let go of each body part until you reach your head.

Conclusion

Even though dealing with anxiety can seem like an uphill struggle on some days, developing effective coping mechanisms requires learning what to avoid.

Breaking the cycle that anxiety can cause by avoiding triggers, withdrawing from people, hiding your discomfort, and abstaining from vices will be helpful.

Healthy coping techniques can be taught to you by a counsellor so that anxiety will no longer dominate your life but will instead become a symptom you deal with.

Remember that many people are experience nervousness, which is entirely normal. Gaining control over your anxiety or letting it have a detrimental impact on your life depends on learning appropriate coping mechanisms.

Do you know how to describe your emotions? Can you put words to the way you feel when you’re angry, sad, or happy? If not, don’t worry – you’re not alone. Many people find it difficult to articulate their feelings.

In this article, we will explore the different ways that people describe emotions. We will also discuss the benefits of understanding your own emotions and the emotions of others. At the foot of this post are some invaluable links to resources that can further inform all who wish to feel better, and who want to navigate life with greater peace. [Read more…]

We welcome guest author Gabie Lazareff, a certified health coach, yoga teacher and freelance nutrition & wellness writer. After years of navigating the messy waters of mental health, her mission is to share her experiences and advice with others.

Through breathing, the simple practice of breathing, with intent on a regular basis can help to decrease anxiety. But how does breathing decrease anxiety? And what does breathing have to do with yoga?

[Read more…]

An interesting piece by Tim, our resident guest writer taking a look at NLP.

I seem to be tripping over folk in Psychology Today at the moment. I blame Bob, because he’s highlighting articles that are worthy of our attention through his Twitter account. He showed me this piece, How To Deal With Nerves Before A Presentation and I almost like it.

“Will you never stop criticising?” I hear you yell at me!

And the answer is that I will, but in my own time. It’s just like your decision to read this piece. I’m just a smidgen critical this time, though, not angry. [Read more…]

The world we inhabit today is very different from that of our ancestors from hundreds of thousands of years ago. Much of the human brain has also evolved – and some has not evolved enough!

Because we have the same (or similar) primal emotions, we have a mismatch in terms of our beliefs and perceptions arising out of societal conditioning and modern living, resulting for so many of us in chronic stress and anxiety. [Read more…]