Nora Kirrane

23/05/2017

Anxiety is controlling my life

Many people when they recognise the signs and symptoms of anxiety realise they have had this all their lives. Others have spoken to me about experiencing anxiety following a major life event e.g. pregnancy, an accident, bereavement or a trauma. Prior to this event anxiety was not something that had a big impact on their lives.
Following this event the anxiety didn't go away and many people now find themselves living with it everyday. They read a magazine or see events on the news and believe that the same thing is going to happen to them e.g. that their children will become seriously ill & die or that they may be knocked down by a car if they go outside. They already know that this thinking is irrational but they don't know how to switch their thoughts off. A new mother described her ongoing anxiety about not being a good mother because her baby wasn't developing as her friends babies were and she worried constantly about the long-term future for her baby. She didn't want to talk to her friends or family as she thought they would see her as a failure as they all seemed to be able to manage to juggle everything.
Every day working hard to show to the outside world that they are managing but in actual fact, their anxiety is holding them captive impacting on all areas of their lives. They often feel that no one can help them and life will always be like it is now.
Admitting to ourselves or to others that we are struggling isn't easy but it breaks the isolation and offers the possibility that by talking to someone or by practising a particular technique that they can begin to take control of their lives again. Maybe today you might pick up the phone and talk to your friends or family, make an appointment to see your GP or talk to a counsellor. Letting someone else know how you are feeling may make a big difference.

If you have any questions please contact me on 087 6776406
Nora Kirrane Counsellor & Psychotherapist

“ If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change” Wayne Dyer

18/04/2017

3 Tips to manage anxiety

1. Deep breathing
Taking a deep breath helps to slow down the breathing and often reduce the feeling of anxiety. If you have time now, place one hand on the tummy and one on the chest and notice the breath in and out. On the next breath out pull the tummy in (like a balloon emptying of air) and on the breath in gently push out your tummy to allow the tummy to fill with air and then into the chest, then as you breath out slowly pull your tummy in again and so on. Try this 2 or 3 times and notice how that feels.

2. Grounding yourself
Many people find that by bringing awareness to their bodies it can slow down their thoughts. If you have time now you might become aware of your feet and pay attention to the souls of your feet making contact with your shoes or the ground. Taking a moment to be aware if your feet feel warm or cold, you might notice the fabric of your shoes or socks making contact with your feet. Your thoughts will want to jump in to distract you, notice them and bring your attention again to your feel. Try this for a few minutes and notice how you are afterwards.

3. Mindfulness
Staying in the here and now is often a struggle when our heads are distracted with so many thoughts concerning the past or the future. Bringing attention to the present moment and what we are doing right now distracts us from these constant thoughts. You might do this right now by noticing where you are sitting e.g. I am sitting on a chair, it feels comfortable, I can feel my arms on the arms of the chair, my feet are touching the ground, I notice what I am wearing, what can see around me? If your thoughts distract you then notice them and come back to noticing what you can see or maybe smell to bring you into the present moment. Try it and see if this helps in anyway.

Perhaps you might choose one of these tips that appeal to you and give yourself time during the day to practice it. Maybe set your phone to vibrate or ring at times throughout the day to remind you. Be patient with yourself as we are all slow to change.
Please contact me if you would like to understand more about these tips. Nora Kirrane Counsellor & Psychotherapist 087 6776406

“When you change the way you look at things the things you look at change” Wayne Dyer

11/04/2017

“I just want a good nights sleep but I can't switch my thoughts off! ”

Falling asleep or sleeping through the night is often difficult when thoughts are buzzing around our heads. Thoughts about what went wrong during the day, thoughts about tomorrow or the week ahead, worries and concerns all going around on a constant loop. Then a new day dawns and another night has gone with little or maybe no sleep at all. Many people find the thoughts, usually negative, continue throughout the day making it difficult, if not impossible to concentrate on the tasks of the day. Jobs in the home get started but it can be a struggle to complete and there can be a sense that nothings gets done. Work deadlines get missed, decisions unmade and some people describe feeling a failure.
In this cycle of anxiety it may feel like anxiety is in control of each day. Sometimes when we understand the science of anxiety it feels more empowering; knowledge is power. When the brain perceives a threat e.g. “I feel overwhelmed” it sends out messages around the body to prepare for what you may know as the fight, flight or freeze response. Some parts of the body get a message from the brain to slow down and others to increase to e.g. hearts beating faster & breathing becoming more shallow. Something else that occurs is that the thinking part of our brain become disconnected or less connected to the rest of our brain and people sometimes describe finding it difficult to think, to make a decision or to concentrate. Does this sound familiar?
I know this may sound very simple but one of the most effective ways to change this cycle is to take a deep breathe! When we breathe shallow and fast it increases our anxiety and when we slow its down it interrupts the anxiety cycle. Just now take a deep breathe in, hold for the count of 2 and then breathe out slowly. Try this a couple of more times and notice any changes. In the next post I will offer some tips to help with anxiety.

You can contact me on 087 6776406 if you would like to discuss this further.

04/04/2017

“ That feeling of dread when the alarm clock rings and the week begins”

Does this sound familiar.. waking with that knot or heaviness inside without even knowing why and realising the week end is over and a whole week looms ahead. For others, their heads are so busy that they can't fall asleep at night or they waken early and can't go back to sleep again with a list of worries or negative thoughts going around and around. Irritability with self or others is something else people experience and they find themselves snapping at their loved ones, colleagues or friend and guilt often follows. Many people ask why it is that others can juggle everything without letting the balls drop and how do my colleagues or friends all manage their busy schedules without struggling and often leading to a feeling of failure or feeling not good enough.
Research tells us that a level of anxiety is something we all experience however when this anxiety become prolonged and stretches on for days or weeks then we need to do something about it.
Seeking help is often a struggle for many people as they are usually the person that others go to for advice. Being there for others without any self care can lead to an emptiness within and maybe feeling exhausted. Self care means may mean doing something nice for yourself that often doesn't have to cost anything e.g. a walk in a park, listening to music, talking to a friend, taking up a hobby, having some time out… for everyone it will be different.
Sometimes finding a therapist is the best option, finding someone who understands and has the skills & experience to respond, offering the possibility that life can be better. It is possible to make small changes that will lead to a life where anxiety is not in control.

If any of this posting fits with your experience you can contact me on 087 6776406 and we can set up a time to discuss this further.

30/03/2017