How to Address and Alleviate Anxiety
Anxiety, we have all experienced it in some form or another. We may have had it slip in as gentle waves at first, then escalating into a state of agitation and worry. Anxiety has a way of creeping in, so we don’t see it at first. Sometimes we can have it show up in our sleep as sentences that are repetitive. We may find ourselves rehearsing phrases multiple times or reiterate a list of some sort.
Anxiety sometimes shows itself as busyness in the beginning mixed with a bit of compulsion to keep going when we should have stopped a while ago. Irritation may surface with snappy answers when someone asks us a simple question. Our breathing may become rapid, and it could feel as if we can’t shut off our brain or concentrate. Anxiety doesn’t always follow the same pattern but as we become more self-aware, we may start to recognize it sooner rather than later.
What is Anxiety?
Anxiety is when one perceives fear or concern. At times this may be a normal response to an event taking place in one’s life. It becomes a problem when it occurs without reason or is continuous. We may sense it in ourselves, or we may be unaware. If this has been a pattern in life for us, we may have become used to it and just don’t see it. Other people may recognize it more easily when anxiety is overwhelming us.
Anxiety can manifest as feelings of tension, shortness of breath, dread over the future, incessant worry, difficulty concentrating, and unreasonable fears. This may play out in restless nights with no sleep, dodging people or withdrawing from situations.
There is a difference between anxiety and the everyday stresses we encounter. Stress is usually connected to a deadline or a specific confrontation. Anxiety may show up without a definite reason and can linger and interfere in our day-to-day life.
No one wants to live in a state of dread and restlessness, and yet many people have spent years of their lives with this very challenge surfacing repeatedly.
Here are 3 quick tips to help apprehend the agitation and calm the concerns:
Count Backwards from 100 in Multiples of 6. Do this with your eyes closed. Take a deep breath, exhale through the mouth and begin: 100, 94, 88 etc. It doesn’t matter if we get the math right. If counting in multiples of 6 doesn’t sit right, choose multiples of 7 or a different number, but do not choose an easy number! For example, counting backwards in multiples of 5 would be too simple. The idea is to get your mind engaged in focusing on the numbers and needing to figure them out. This exercise takes the focus off of the person or activity that is causing us the anxiety in the first place! This is not a class, this is an exercise to be done in a quiet place where one is comfortable but feeling overwhelmed with anxious thoughts. There may be times we don’t see ourselves as spiraling into the land of worry and apprehension, perhaps a loved one will notice and prompt us to relax. Take the hint and honor yourself with a few moments to work on this. It could be a game changer!
Breathing Techniques can be super helpful! There are many out there, but one that has helped specifically when facing a daunting task was this: Breathe in from the diaphragm on 4 counts, hold for 7 counts and exhale on 8 counts. When a stressful confrontation needs to take place, these 478 breathing exercises can make a world of difference!
Grounding Practices are a great way to adjust when feeling overwhelmed. Walking barefoot can help us to feel connected and get out of the cycles of annoying thoughts in our head. Strolling through outdoor trails and reconnecting with nature and all it’s beauty tends to bring peace and balance back into play.
The opportunities for anxiety to latch on to us will come and go. It’s what we do with those moments that count! Creating some go to practices can help us establish healthy patterns and pretty soon we will see that addressing anxiety is also how we alleviate it!
