Coping with Anxiety - Top 5 Techniques from a Worrier!
Most of us by now will be experiencing some form of stress or tension caused by the latest COVID-19 news. Even the most laid back among us have been jolted into attention by the constant reel of news, warnings, and negative images the virus has caused. So I wanted to write a piece about ways you can cope with these feelings, if you’re feeling overwhelmed and want some practical advice.
Top Tip: Do the things you can do, Let go of what you can’t
You don’t have control over the virus - but you do have control over your own activities and cleanliness. If you feel unwell - self isolate. If you don’t feel unwell but you’re anxious, maybe start to make preparations to self isolate, just in case. By this I do NOT mean stock piling!!! You’ll probably find you feel much better once you have a plan in place. If you are well, check in with elderly and vulnerable family and neighbours to ensure they have the help that they need - even if they just want to have a regular call if they are isolating. By taking back small pockets of control, and helping the vulnerable around you, you will combat some of your worry - and being nice to others makes us feel good! By accepting that we don’t have control over everything, and taking ownership over what we do, you can let go of the worries that don’t serve you and help to settle your mind. So here are my Top 5 Tips:
Technique #1 Have a Worry Hour, Make a Worry Tree
I love a list. And I love getting things down on paper. Physically placing your thoughts onto paper is a great way to get them out of your head. You can look at your worry without judgement or emotion, and start assessing whether or not you can do something about it. Ask yourself: is there something that you can do? What are the things you have control over? Is this a rational worry? The worry hour and worry tree were probably the most helpful tools I got from CBT when I first starting managing my anxiety, so I’d like to share them with you.
A worry hour is simple - during the day / night, when a worry plagues you, make a note of it and organise an hour to yourself later that day / night when you would sit down and think it through. Think of it like an annoying work colleague who won’t stop bothering you while you’re busy - arrange a meeting to cover everything they need at a later time! This should free you to release the worry for the present, and get some sleep!
The worry tree gives you a process by which to assess the worry in the form of a flow chart. The first steps are to notice the worry and ask yourself if you can do anything about it. If not, let it go. If yes, make a plan, decide when to take action etc. (You can find examples online if you’d like to try this!). So in this instance you can say ‘I can wash my hands more thoroughly - I’ll start now! Or, ‘I can help my elderly relative, I’ll call them tomorrow’.
Technique #2 Breathing Techniques
Anxiety can have some quite nasty physical effects, and for me these tend to creep in when I don’t deal with my worries, or when things get overwhelming. One thing I’ve learnt which has served me very well over the years, is a lovely breathing technique that my first Yoga teacher taught me. It’s quite a common one so you’ll probably recognise it, but it’s a wonderful way to bring your heart rate down and to balance you out.
‘Nadi Shodhana
Nadi = Psychic passage. The nadis are channels, which are said to conduct vital energy throughout the body
Shodhana = Purification, cleansing.
Sit in a position you can hold comfortably, with the spine erect. Practise breath awareness until the breath is steady, then start Nadi shodhana Stage 1.
Stage 1: First Practice
Hold the right hand in front of the face and place the index finger and middle fingers on the forehead between the eyebrows. Rest the thumb on the right nostril and the ring finger on the left nostril. The little finger is left free. This is known as the nasagra mudra.
Exhale through both nostrils.
Gently close the right nostril with the thumb.
Inhale and exhale through the left nostril five times.
Release the pressure of the thumb and gently close the left nostril with the ring finger.
Inhale and exhale through the right nostril five times.
Release the nasagra mudras and breathe through both nostrils five times. ‘
Taken from The House of Wisdom by Swami Dharmananda and Santoshan. Further stages involve progression to inhaling and exhaling to a count of five through each nostril. It’s a lovely technique to clear your head, give it a go!
Technique #3 Progressive Muscle Relation (PMR)
This technique was recommended to me by a CBT therapist, and it serves me well when my worries have gone past the ‘breathing through it’ phase. I carry a lot of tension in my body when I’m stressed, so this technique is great at incorporating those tense areas of the body and allows you to physically let it go. This technique can also be done pretty much anywhere and involves working with each muscle group in the body in turn starting at the feet, tensing the muscle as hard as you can for a few seconds, and then letting it go. And repeating this 2 or 3 times before moving up the legs. Continue this all over the body, including the face (you might want to be on your own for this part). Eventually the body feels a lot softer, and your head much more relaxed. You can find some great guided versions of PMR on YouTube.
Technique #4 Reiki
Whether you’ve been attuned to Level 1, 2 or Masters, Reiki is a wonderful help when it comes to dealing with anxiety. Make sure (if you’ve been attuned) that you regularly self treat, as I know it can be easy to forget to do, or to think you don’t have time - you absolutely do, and you know you’ll feel better from it! If you don’t have time for a full self treatment, listen to your body and your intuition. Where are you holding tension in your body? How are you wearing your worry? Just in your head or somewhere else? For anxiety, I find all head positions, heart, and across my shoulders to be the most effective - and my root Chakra. Offer Reiki to those in your household, and if you aren’t attuned but live with someone who is, get them to treat you!
Going out to see a Practioner if you are healthy and well is entirely up to your own discretion - if you aren’t comfortable due to the current situation, remember that we can also offer Distance Healing! I’m still available for both currently - so do feel free to pop me a message.
If, like me, you like to use Crystals with your Reiki, Lepidolite is great for helping with feelings of anxiety and or depression. Get a little chunk, and keep it cleansed and charged, you’ll soon feel the difference.
Technique #5 Acupressure
The more I learn about Acupressure the more I love - I’ve found some great pressure points just recently, and I can’t wait to be able to offer this as a treatment to my clients in the coming months.
Acupressure is a form of traditional Chinese medicine, based on the principle that when the flow of energy (Chi) in the body is disrupted, illness or pain will result. Acupressure seeks to unblock the meridians (channels of energy) in the body, to bring it back to full working order and to reduce the symptoms of pain. Here are 3 simple acupressure points to combat stress and anxiety. You can try these stress-busting acupressure points yourself, at home!
Use either your forefinger and middle finger, or thumb, to apply pressure to the point. Try not to jab - apply pressure slowly and firmly. Keep thumb / fingers aligned with the rest of the arm.
Union Valley Point (Large Intestine 4) (do NOT do this if pregnant)
This can be found on the hand. Pull your thumb in line with your fingers, and follow the crease it creates. At the end of the crease, in the webbing between thumb and finger is where you will find this point. Using the thumb or two fingers of the alternate hand, slowly but firmly apply pressure to this point as you breathe out. Hold for a few seconds, release, then repeat.
Great Surge Point (Liver 3)
This can be found on the feet. I had a crack at this yesterday, and my goodness! I felt fresher and lighter on my feet almost immediately. This point is between the big toe and the second toe, about 1-2 inches down the foot from where they join. Go for the flesh, not the bone! Give it a good bit of pressure from the thumb / fingers, and repeat.
Heavenly Gate Point
I’ve actually been using this pressure point for years without realising it was even a thing! This point is situated in your ear, at the dip in the ‘triangle’ (the more cartilage-y part of the ear). Pressing this point is just lovely - repeat the steps described above and enjoy!
And that brings me to the end of my Top 5 Hints and Tips for Coping with Anxiety. This list is by no means an exhaustive one - there’s so much more! Yoga, Positive Affirmations, Exercise, to name but a few! Remember that nothing beats a nice chat with friends and family over the phone or video call. Turn the TV off, have a break from Social Media, stretch your legs however possible, create something wonderful, cook, read, get out in the garden, enjoy the down time.
And if you do find that you are struggling, there are some fantastic online therapy resources and numbers you can call - don’t be afraid to ask for help:
Keep safe,
Namaste,
Faith