Anxiety is something that plagues most of us to some degree or another.
While it may be just a temporary thing for some, for many, anxiety is a diagnosed condition that ruins their lives. surely, UK mental health It is estimated that more than one in 10 people in the UK have an anxiety disorder, or more than 8 million people.
And October’s World Mental Health Month is an opportunity to tackle the topic, agrees clinical psychologist Dr. Kiren Schnack, author of the new book. 10 times more calm: Overcome anxiety and change your life.
“This is a reminder that mental health is just as important as physical health,” she says, adding that anxiety disorders are among the most prevalent mental health problems worldwide. He pointed out that there is.
“Clinically, we have seen more and more people coming to us with anxiety issues. The pandemic has played a key role in this surge, bringing unprecedented levels of uncertainty, fear and social At the same time, global economic instability and employment are worsening.”For many, the losses have increased stress and anxiety,” Schnack added.
“The proliferation of digital technology and social media exposes people to a constant stream of alarming news and comparison-based content, which also fuels anxiety.”
Schnack explains that anxiety disorders include generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), which causes chronic anxiety and interferes with decision-making. Health anxiety, a state of being overly preoccupied with illness or disease. Panic disorder characterized by sudden and overwhelming panic attacks. And social anxiety leads to avoidance, isolation, and low self-confidence.
“It can disrupt daily life through physical symptoms, cognitive impairment, social isolation, disruption of daily routines, and psychological distress,” she says.
Schnack suggests five ways to combat anxiety issues and calm your mind.
Calms a tense nervous system
Anxiety puts a huge strain on your nervous system, but there are simple daily habits that can help reduce this stress, Schnack explains. One is to focus on your breathing and make your exhale longer than your inhale.
To do this, Schnack says, you need to breathe in slowly through your nose, pause for a few seconds, exhale slowly and deeply, and exhale for a long time. “Long exhalations increase activation of the body’s parasympathetic nervous system, which counteracts stress hormones, lowers heart rate, and reduces overall physiological stress,” she says.
She suggests that approximately three to five breaths are repeated multiple times throughout the day, and emphasizes that consistency is key. “If your anxiety has been going on for a long time, recognize that it will take time and patience to regain a sense of security and stability in your nervous system.”
deal with anxious thoughts
Schnack explains that anxiety often creates anxious thoughts, which seem like undeniable facts, and we dwell on them or react to them, making the anxiety even worse. “To break out of this cycle, it’s important to consciously confront and process these anxious thoughts,” she says.
To do this, note the date you made your anxious prediction, write a brief record explaining what it was, and after a specified amount of time, such as a day or two, return to what you wrote. Check if your prediction was correct. Mark as “Yes” or “No”.
If your predictions do not come true, note the actual results. In particularly anxious moments, review your records and count the yes or no items to reflect on your progress. “This practice trains the mind to accept a broader, less anxious perspective,” explains Schnack.
Stop hyper-focusing on anxiety
“People who suffer from anxiety often have difficulty drawing their attention away from their anxiety symptoms, which can lead to persistent obsessions that can make the problem worse,” Dr. Schnack said, adding that this obsession can lead to excessive He explains that this can lead to self-analysis and obsession with physical sensations. Or have repetitive thoughts or become hypervigilant.
Schnack suggests trying the following exercises to distract yourself from overwhelming anxiety. Choose a color like blue and actively look for blue objects around you.
Name the item aloud, count as you walk around, and maybe even describe the item.
“Try to maintain this concentration for a few minutes, switching to a different color as needed.Again, consistency is key, so when anxiety takes over your attention, use regular “Try to practice this consistently,” she advises.
learn to tolerate uncertainty
Schnack emphasizes the importance of recognizing and managing uncertainty when dealing with anxiety. “You can’t solve all the uncertainties in life. The key is to develop your ability to tolerate uncertainty so that you feel less anxious,” she explains. “Being more accepting of the fact that things don’t always go as planned and that the future is uncertain can be incredibly freeing.”
To build resilience to uncertainty, Schnack asks people to avoid taking the reactive actions that uncertainty requires, such as checking, Googling, and avoiding things right away. , advises you to slow down a bit.
Instead, she says to pay attention to your emotions, notice how uncertainty is affecting your mind and body, and write down affirmations like:
- I’m worried because I don’t understand the content…
- My typical response to uncertainty is to…take action.
- I realize this only makes my anxiety worse.
- My goal is to distance myself from anxiety instead of being drawn to it.
- You can sit with anxiety for as long as you can and accumulate this time until you get better and better.
Gradually face your fears
Facing your fears is an effective way to overcome them, but this can often feel overwhelming, Schnack says. “When you confront your fears, you are essentially acting against what your anxious thoughts and insecurities are telling you.
“This process reduces the grip of anxiety and allows the mind to naturally adjust its thoughts even when the actual outcome does not match anxious predictions.”
She suggests starting with small steps and working your way up.
So if you have social anxiety, start by saying simple sentences or asking basic closed-ended questions and gradually build up from there.
If you have health concerns, start short and gradually reduce and eliminate excessive online searches for illnesses and illnesses.
If you have panic disorder, gradually increase the amount of time you spend in places you normally avoid. At first he should start with short periods, such as 30 seconds, then a few minutes, and gradually increase the time.
“Remember to face your fears repeatedly to make meaningful progress; it’s not a one-time thing,” adds Schnack.
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