Anxiety can have many different causes or indeed no apparent cause at all. The anxiety state can be experienced as a mild concern through to ongoing chronic worry and panic, and it generally presents with you feeling highly emotional when you think about the future or events in the past.
You may recognise some of the feelings listed below as these are typical with anxiety based conditions.
- A feeling of sickness in the abdomen
- A sense of dread
- Nervousness
- Inability to concentrate
- Distracted
- Self absorbed
As you are aware, anxiety is not fun, but it is an entirely natural process which the mind usually initiates when we are in danger. This actually means that you are not alone, because we all have the capacity to feel anxious in certain situations.
The main thing to realise is that you can relax
There is treatment available through appropriate solution focused and brief psychotherapy.
We can help to reduce those feelings of anxiety in a relatively short space of time. Then once you start to notice that you are feeling more relaxed, you can begin to feel more confident that the feelings of anxiety can be shifted, and you can take control of you life again.
One of the main skills that hypnotherapy can teach you is the ability to relax and this alone can allow you to notice real changes for the better.
I have listed below some of the techniques which you can employ to help reduce any feeling of anxiety.
1. This technique is very helpful for you to distance yourself from the feeling of anxiety. This will reduce it and will also stop the feelings of anxiety in its tracks. Write it on a postcard and keep it with you in your purse or wallet.
The A.W.A.R.E Technique For Anxiety
A accept the anxiety, Decide to be with the experience, don’t fight it
W watch the anxiety observe it as an onlooker.
A act within the anxiety, keep behaving normally, breath normally. The 7-11 method is good
R repeat the steps and continue just accepting, watching and acting
E expect the best, what you fear most may never happen surprise yourself by how calm you can feel
2. Take control of your breathing:
This breathing technique stimulates the part of your nervous system which reduces the anxiety response. You will find that actively practicing this breathing technique will help you take control and reduce any feelings of anxiety.
Take a breath in for about a count of 7. This can vary depending upon your own breath capacity. Then breath our for a count of 11. Make sure that the breath is not forced and that you can sustain the pattern comfortably. The breath will find its own rhythm and before long you will find that you no longer need to even concentrate on the counting.
This breathing technique stimulates that part of your nervous system that calms everythnig down after an attack of anxiety, so it is particularly effective.
