Read Online Free Yourself from Anxiety by Emma Fletcher - Free Book Online
Authors: Emma Fletcher
Ads: Link
creatures. Isolation isn’t good for us, and yet Anxiety can be a very isolating experience. If it is at all possible for you to socialise with other people, then do so. Seek out those people who you feel most comfortable with and enjoy their company.
If your Anxiety causes you social difficulties then don’t torture yourself by attempting this one – it’s meant to be a pleasure, not a pain.
Getting out into the fresh air
Most of us live in crowded urban environments, and yet we evolved in the wide open spaces of Africa. It’s no wonder that we find cities stressful, and that we benefit from being outside where there is grass and sky.
If you have a garden, spend as much time in it as possible. If you can, go for a walk in a park, or in the open countryside.
When you look at the horizon, your eye muscles are fully relaxed and this helps you to relax your head and neck – this is one reason why most of us enjoy being by the sea. So if you can get somewhere where there is a good view into the distance, go for it.
Animals
There is evidence that stroking and interacting with a pet has a similar effect to laughing. If you have a pet, spend quality time with it every day. If there are no animals in your household, have any of your friends and family got an obliging cat or dog? Could you offer to help out at your local animal rescue centre?
If your anxiety is in anyway focused on animals, don’t undertake this, although you might want to set goals around it during your recovery.
GROUP MEMBERS TALK ABOUT POSITIVE EXPERIENCES
‘I like to see humour in everyday situations and I love to laugh and smile.’ A NDREW
‘Because I know I can listen to music, or go for a run, I won’t sit around letting the anxious thoughts take hold. If I didn’t already have these things in place, I wouldn’t be motivated to do them when I’m feeling anxious. I take part in charity events, and did the Race for Life. Training for these events provides a focus to keep up my fitness. And a great sense of achievement once I had completed them.’
S ARAH
15
Achieving Life Balance and Managing Your Time
Anxiety disorders often develop after a period of stress in your life, and if your score in Chapter 7 was higher than 150 then this is likely to be the case for you.
On the other hand, there are some people who don’t have enough stress in their lives, and their Anxiety can get out of control because they have too much time to brood about things. (If this seems like a strange concept, try changing the word ‘stress’ to ‘challenge’. A life without any challenges is a life without stimulus, which leads to boredom.)
Whatever your situation, you will need to look at the overall balance of your life and make sure that it is healthy, and that you are getting what you need.
At times of stress we all tend to ignore our own needs and focus on the things that need to be done. If someone is ill and needs our help, if there is a rush on at work, after a death or during any other stressful event, our instincts take over and get us through it.
When the crisis is over, we breathe a sigh of relief and assume that things will soon get back to normal. This is the very time when someone is likely to have their first panic attack, or some other symptom of Anxiety. It can seem so unfair to find yourself having to deal with this when you’ve already had so much on your plate, and specially when you were looking forward to a bit of peace and quiet.
Why anxiety strikes after a stressful event
There are two reasons why this tends to happen.
1. During the crisis, the chemicals that are circulating in your body are designed to get you through. They include adrenalin, but you need that adrenalin. It gives you the energy to manage the extra load caused by the crisis. As well as physical energy, you need mental energy, and if you are focusing on coping with the here and now you won’t have any time for brooding and worrying.
2. When the crisis is over,
If your Anxiety causes you social difficulties then don’t torture yourself by attempting this one – it’s meant to be a pleasure, not a pain.
Getting out into the fresh air
Most of us live in crowded urban environments, and yet we evolved in the wide open spaces of Africa. It’s no wonder that we find cities stressful, and that we benefit from being outside where there is grass and sky.
If you have a garden, spend as much time in it as possible. If you can, go for a walk in a park, or in the open countryside.
When you look at the horizon, your eye muscles are fully relaxed and this helps you to relax your head and neck – this is one reason why most of us enjoy being by the sea. So if you can get somewhere where there is a good view into the distance, go for it.
Animals
There is evidence that stroking and interacting with a pet has a similar effect to laughing. If you have a pet, spend quality time with it every day. If there are no animals in your household, have any of your friends and family got an obliging cat or dog? Could you offer to help out at your local animal rescue centre?
If your anxiety is in anyway focused on animals, don’t undertake this, although you might want to set goals around it during your recovery.
GROUP MEMBERS TALK ABOUT POSITIVE EXPERIENCES
‘I like to see humour in everyday situations and I love to laugh and smile.’ A NDREW
‘Because I know I can listen to music, or go for a run, I won’t sit around letting the anxious thoughts take hold. If I didn’t already have these things in place, I wouldn’t be motivated to do them when I’m feeling anxious. I take part in charity events, and did the Race for Life. Training for these events provides a focus to keep up my fitness. And a great sense of achievement once I had completed them.’
S ARAH
15
Achieving Life Balance and Managing Your Time
Anxiety disorders often develop after a period of stress in your life, and if your score in Chapter 7 was higher than 150 then this is likely to be the case for you.
On the other hand, there are some people who don’t have enough stress in their lives, and their Anxiety can get out of control because they have too much time to brood about things. (If this seems like a strange concept, try changing the word ‘stress’ to ‘challenge’. A life without any challenges is a life without stimulus, which leads to boredom.)
Whatever your situation, you will need to look at the overall balance of your life and make sure that it is healthy, and that you are getting what you need.
At times of stress we all tend to ignore our own needs and focus on the things that need to be done. If someone is ill and needs our help, if there is a rush on at work, after a death or during any other stressful event, our instincts take over and get us through it.
When the crisis is over, we breathe a sigh of relief and assume that things will soon get back to normal. This is the very time when someone is likely to have their first panic attack, or some other symptom of Anxiety. It can seem so unfair to find yourself having to deal with this when you’ve already had so much on your plate, and specially when you were looking forward to a bit of peace and quiet.
Why anxiety strikes after a stressful event
There are two reasons why this tends to happen.
1. During the crisis, the chemicals that are circulating in your body are designed to get you through. They include adrenalin, but you need that adrenalin. It gives you the energy to manage the extra load caused by the crisis. As well as physical energy, you need mental energy, and if you are focusing on coping with the here and now you won’t have any time for brooding and worrying.
2. When the crisis is over,
Similar Books
