How can you put an end to anxiety?

We are all aware of the signs and symptoms of anxiety – sweating, shaking, knotted stomach... And most of us know that some anxiety is a normal and necessary part of everyday life which we have all experienced at some time in our lives. Common triggers for anxiety include interviews, doing something that pushes us outside of our comfort zone and exams and tests.

But how do we know when anxiety is becoming a problem?

Clients will often tell me that they didn’t know that they were suffering from anxiety as they didn’t recognise the signs along the way, especially those who didn’t experience the more common symptoms of anxiety such as those mentioned above. Other signs of anxiety to look out for are:

• feeling restless or fidgety
• a churning sensation in your stomach (often described as butterflies)
• feeling irritable, tense or on edge
• light-headedness or dizziness
• pins and needles in areas of your body
• stomach issues or IBS
• headaches or aches and pains
• having a feeling that something bad will happen
• excessive worrying
• feeling tired or lethargic
• difficulty sleeping
• trouble focusing or concentrating
• changes in appetite
• dry mouth

We know that anxiety can quickly spiral and can lead to more serious mental and physical health problems if it is not addressed. Most people who are struggling with anxiety find that they need support in moving past their difficulties, though we know that this is sometimes difficult to access, especially with long NHS waiting lists.

Whilst it is important to seek advice from a medical practitioner such as your GP initially, many sufferers also choose to seek help from a private therapist such as a hypnotherapist. These techniques can be used whilst you are waiting to start your therapy. They can also be used whilst you are seeing a therapist, just check with them first.

How to manage anxiety 

Manage your worries

For many people living with anxiety, life can feel like a constant barrage of worry and “what if’s.” We tend to try to push worries away or bury them, either so that we don’t have to deal with them or in an attempt to soothe the anxious feelings they bring.

Learning to manage your worries can be very helpful in dealing with anxiety. One of the ways you can do this is to keep a notebook in your pocket, or have a note app open on your phone and briefly note down any worries that arise during the day, telling yourself that you will deal with them later. Designate a time later in the day, but not too close to bedtime, for 'worry time.' You can then look at your list and deal with the worries on it. Most people find that some of them are no longer relevant so they can cross them off their list straight away!

For the others you can ask yourself “Is this important to me now?” “How important will this be to me in two days’ time, or in a week?” “Is this something I need to deal with right now?” “Do I have control over this issue?" Can I find a solution? Or is this something that I need to accept I can’t control and therefore worrying about it is a waste of my time and energy?”

When you have addressed each worry, you can tear the paper up or erase it on your phone app, knowing that you have dealt with your worries for the day. This can be very helpful if you have difficulty sleeping as you can write down any worries you may have during the night, reminding yourself that you have it written down and can deal with it later.

Talk it over

Talking to someone you trust, such as a close friend, family member or partner can be very helpful, especially if they have good listening skills. When we speak to people about our anxieties or problems, some people feel that they need to find solutions for us! This can be difficult if all we want is a listening ear so that we can get things off our chest and into the open.

Don’t be afraid to let your trusted person know what you need from them. If you want them to help you to find solutions to your challenges, then tell them. Or if you just want them to allow you to vent without interruption, let them know. Most people are glad to be able to offer help in the way that it is needed.

Journaling 

Writing down your thoughts and emotions can help you to process them differently. You don’t need an expensive journal, you can just use a simple notebook if you want to. The idea of journaling is to simply write down the thoughts you notice and the emotions you feel. Most people are surprised by how such a simple action can be so useful.

Looking after your physical health

As humans, our mental and physical well-being go hand in hand which is why it is important to look after your physical health, not only for the physical health benefits but also because this can improve mental health too.

Many people notice appetite changes when they are suffering from anxiety, eating less or more than usual. It is important to eat regular meals in order to keep blood sugar levels stable as this can help to regulate your mood. Eating foods which release energy slowly can help to maintain blood sugar levels, these include, natural nuts and seeds, wholegrain bread and cereals and brown rice and pasta.

Sleep is also important when dealing with anxiety so ensuring you have a regular bedtime routine can be helpful and many of the strategies mentioned in this article can aid good sleep. Sleep issues can actually be a cause of anxiety so if you are regularly having trouble sleeping, seek advice from a healthcare professional.

The great outdoors

You don’t need to go on a 10-mile hike to make use of the great outdoors! Just making a conscious effort to spend some time outside every day, especially in nature, can work wonders for your mental health in general. Whether it’s walking the dog, or just sitting in a garden or on a balcony, it is all helpful.

Even better, while you’re out there, try some simple mindfulness such as noticing the sounds you can hear, looking around you to see what you can see, trees, colours, patterns etc. Also reaching out to touch plants, wood or other natural materials and taking a deep breath, noticing anything you can smell.

Breathe

One of the aspects of anxiety to be aware of is breathing and it is important to understand that some breathing types can actually create feelings of anxiety. Many people baulk at the mention of breathing techniques! And whilst I am not telling you that if you breathe differently your anxiety will disappear, breathing in the wrong way can trigger anxiety and prolong feelings of anxiety and panic, so it stands to reason that breathing well can help us to feel more calm and relaxed.

Most of us know that we are supposed to take deep breaths if we feel anxious, but there is much more to it than this. In times of danger, (when we are supposed to feel anxious!) our fight/flight system is activated and our breathing speeds up in order to pump more oxygen to the parts of our body that we need to either run away from the danger or fight it off.

However, for most of us, we aren’t facing a real, physical threat when we feel anxious. Because we don’t need the extra oxygen, we end up with too much of it in our body, which can lead to feeling faint, light-headedness, tingling or pins and needles, rapid heartbeat and dizziness.

As soon as you notice that you are breathing more quickly than usual or shallow breathing, you can quickly start to reverse this by breathing out for as long as possible and holding your breath for a few seconds, or for as long as you can without feeling uncomfortable. Then make a conscious effort to breathe in slowly through your nose, and then out slowly through your mouth. This will immediately start to re-balance the level of oxygen and other gasses in your body. You can then continue to breathe in this way until you feel calmer again or you can try one of these breathing techniques instead.

Box breathing

To use box breathing, simply breathe out as above and hold, then slowly breathe in for a count of four, hold your breath for a count of four, breathe out slowly through your mouth for a count of four then hold your breath for a count of four and repeat.

7/11 Breathing

The idea of 7/11 breathing is that your outbreath or exhale, needs to be longer than your in-breath. So to start, breathe out and hold as above, then breathe in slowly through your nose for a count of seven, then slowly out through your mouth for a count of eleven then repeat. However, the numbers aren’t really important here as most people find it difficult to use the 7/11 numbers, to begin with. Therefore many people feel more comfortable using the numbers 4/7 to start with, so breathing in for a count of four and breathing out for a count of seven, or finding the numbers which are right for you. With more practice, you can gradually build this up to using 7/11 if you wish.

I hope that you are able to find some relief from the techniques in this article. As mentioned previously, to move past anxiety for good, the majority of people need the help of a professional such as a qualified hypnotherapist. As an advanced-level hypnotherapist specialising in stress and anxiety, I am here for you so visit my profile or get in touch to book a free, no-obligation informal telephone consultation.