If you suffer from anxiety, you are far from being alone. Anxiety is one of the main reasons people come to therapy. Perhaps you have been anxious your whole life. Maybe a traumatic event increased your anxiety. You may have even thought you were having a heart attack, went to the emergency room and found out that it was a panic attack. Regardless, it is a very uncomfortable feeling. The good news is that there are many tools out there to help you with your anxiety.

Panic attacks explained

As crazy as this may sound, our bodies are wired for anxiety. It is part of our fight or flight instinct, which helps keep us alive. When our life or body is threatened we will either fight off the attacker, or flee. In order to do so we need some extra strength and energy. What happens is our heart rate increases, breathing rate increases, digestion slows down and energy goes to our limbs.

When someone has a panic attack, their fight or flight instinct is activated in the absence of an actual threat, only an imagined one. These symptoms are the same as to those of a panic attack. People also describe feeling light headed, they are going to pass out, or die. Many people also experience tingling in their limbs, or a sense of tunnel vision.

Yerkes-Dodson Law

Another crazy thing about anxiety is that we don’t want to get rid of it totally. When we graph anxiety against performance, we find that a moderate amount of anxiety puts us at peak performance. This is why you study for a test, practice for that interview, presentation or performance. If you weren’t experiencing anxiety, you wouldn’t be motivated to do those things.

Now if we have too little anxiety we don’t put as much effort into the performance, practice, interview etc., and we won’t do our best. Similarly, if we are too anxious we will not be able to perform as well.

Tools for anxiety and panic

Process anxiety and stressors

When did your anxiety start? Was there a traumatic event, or have you always been anxious? What stressors are you experiencing? Have you had any major life changes? Are you in a toxic relationship or have a toxic family system. Do you have conflicted relationships? Have you had a loss of any kind? These are all things that can make us anxious.

Having someone to talk to can ease our burden and stress. It can also help us better understand the situation and we can learn ways to cope.

In addition, some people are just genetically a little more anxious. Also, if you live with someone with anxiety, you are more likely to have it. They say genetics loads the gun and environment pulls the trigger.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for panic disorder

This is one of the most common treatments for both anxiety and depression. When someone experiences either of them, they engage in negative thinking patterns, which we call cognitive distortions. Research shows, that the way we think impacts the way we feel.

There are about 11 cognitive distortions. I like to teach people these and find out which ones they think they engage in. Then we can teach you how to combat that negative thinking.

Relaxation

What do you do to calm down and relax? Do you like quiet, or does talking to a friend or family member help? For some people taking a hot or cold shower gets them in a different frame of mind. Perhaps you like essential oils or lighting candles. Or perhaps some breathing techniques will help.

Square breathing for panic

Breathe in for 4, hold for 4, breathe out for 4.

4-7-8 breathing

Breathe in for 4, hold for 7, breathe out for 8.

Diaphragmatic breathing

Breathe slowly through your nose. While doing so, put your hand on your abdomen so you can see it rising, then slowly breathe out watching the abdomen fall.

Meditation

Being mindful and in the moment prevents you from worry and anxiety. If you are focusing on the here and now, there is no room for worrying about what might happen, or what did happen.

Yoga

Have you tried yoga? It is wonderful for the mind-body connection. Some people experience a spiritual sense of well being after doing a class.

Weighted blanket

Some people find this very comforting. They might go in a quiet room with their blanket. It is like getting a hug.

Grounding

With this technique you focus on your five senses. For example name 5 things you see, 4 things you are touching, 3 things you hear, 2 things you smell and 1 thing you taste. This helps you get into the moment.

Worry time

Instead of worrying all day long, why not set a time to worry. For example lets say you choose 7-7:20 to be your worry time. That means that if you notice you are anxious outside of that time frame, you tell yourself that that it isn’t yet time to worry. Then when 7 rolls around, you concentrate on your worry.

Exercise for panic

This is the gold standard for reducing anxiety and panic. Research shows that exercise is better than medication. When you engage in cardio, endorphins are released. It’s like free drugs.

Remember too, the goal of anxiety management is not to get rid of it totally (as that is impossible), but to get it to a level that doesn’t prevent you from living the life you want. If you struggle with anxiety, therapy can help.

Please give me a call at 713-304-6554.

Take care,

Debbie