27/04/2023
Free counselling sessions.
Anxiety is a common problem and you may be surprised to learn that it is a resource we need. It is there to keep us safe and to alert us to danger however, it can become a problem and when it takes over it can cause us to struggle physically, emotionally and cognitively. We all feel anxiety in different ways; for some it will be tension in the shoulders, some will get headaches, others may feel a tightening in their chest, some people report knots in their stomach and some people will experience panic attacks. Anxiety robs you of control over your own thoughts, feelings and behaviours and people often say “I’m not usually like this”. The good news is these feelings don’t have to last forever, our brains are plastic - patterns can be changed and we can learn new ways of thinking and behaving.
If you find yourself feeling anxious on a regular basis and it’s starting to make daily life difficult try these relaxation tips, they can be done anywhere and can help you to regain some control:
7:11 breathing. Inhale for a count of 7 and then exhale to a count of 11. By breathing out more slowly than breathing in you trigger the parasympathetic nervous system (the body’s relaxation response) which means your relaxation response becomes stronger than the arousal response.
Tense your hands. Make your hands into a tight fist (be careful if you have long nails), be aware of the hardness of your fingernails in the palm of your hands, notice the skin stretched across your muscles, feel how the tension spreads up your arms and into your shoulders. Really concentrate on those feelings then relax your hands and be aware of how the relaxation starts in your fingers then spreads up your arms and into your shoulders. Really focus on how your body reacts.
If you are struggling with anxiety and would like to learn more about how to control it, give me a call or send me a message, I’d love to help.