5 tips for dealing with anxiety
Anxiety can be paralysing and when we're feeling anxious or having a panic attack, it can feel like everything is out of our control, and to an extent, it is. The chemical reactions in our body take over during an anxiety attack as a way to help us but it really doesn't feel like help when we're in it. Our body is only doing what it knows in those circumstances and what it is doing is getting us ready for fight, flight or freeze. However, normally the threat that we face doesn't require us to have the amount of hormones and chemicals that are flooded through our system. Our body responds as if the worst thing ever has happened when in fact, the actual situation may not be that bad.
The part of the brain that's responsible for fight, flight or freeze is the amygdala. The amygdala is part of the limbic brain meaning it's responsible for making judgments and sometimes unconsciously so. The limbic brain exerts a lot of influence over our system and body's reaction as it's responsible for emotions and memory as well as having control over the endocrine (hormonal) response to emotional stimuli. This is an old part of the human brain having developed in mammals around 150 million years ago.
The amygdala's basic responsibility is to control our fight, flight or freeze response and to help us in situations that require our body to either run fast, for example a lion is chasing you, or to stay and fight said lion. However, let's think about how old this part of the brain is in its response to stressful stimuli versus the stressful stimuli we are exposed to now. Once upon a time, we were running from bears and facing life threatening situations daily. The amygdala was required for these deadly situations. However, we no longer have to fight off animals or run from animals that can kill us yet the wiring in this part of the brain remains the same. Our stressful stimuli are now things like moving home, working overtime, family quarrels etc. Our brain can't differentiate between the response needed to fight an animal that can kill us or the one that's helpful for us to deal with a family feud. It sees everything as the same level of threat. It is triggered by fear. Our body responds to 'small' stressors (a family feud in this example) in the same way as life threatening stressors (the lion chasing us). Our brain and body is trying to help us in the only way it knows how but what actually happens is that our body is flooded with hormones and chemicals to an extreme in comparison to the threat we actually face. This is known as the amygdala hijack. When this happens on a long-term basis, our body ends up constantly in this stress response known as our sympathetic nervous system.
Having suffered with life-stopping anxiety in the past and now (fingers crossed) having been free for years of that level of intense anxiety (of course I get normal anxiety like everyone), I wanted to share with you 5 things you can do to take back control of your body during anxiety.
1. Learn what is happening in your body during anxiety
Get to know what your signs of anxiety are; is it sweaty palms, blurred vision, a bad stomach? The list is long and can be varied for each person. Learn what signs your body gives you in stressful situations as this can help you to avoid a panic attack if you notice these signs early enough.
The other thing you can do is to read up on the chemical and hormonal changes that happen when you're exposed to a stressful situation, that could lead to anxiety. As a brief overview, when we are exposed to a stressful situation that may induce anxiety, our Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal axis (HPA axis) is triggered, releasing cortisol from the adrenal glands. Cortisol is responsible for increasing sugars in your bloodstream and stops other functions of the body that are deemed as non-essential in helping the fight, flight or freeze response.
The way you feel is controlled from the brain through your endocrine system. Do not blame yourself. Do not think you can override this incredibly powerful response easily. But what you can do is recognise it for what it is: a chemical response in your body that will pass. Breathe and see it through. You've got this!
2. Learn to appreciate and love your body for all the wonderful things it does for you
This is linked to the point above. When you can notice the symptoms of your anxiety before it gets beyond your control i.e. a panic attack and when you've learnt what's going on inside your body when you're feeling anxious, you can start to appreciate your body for all its wisdom. It's trying to warn you something is up by showcasing symptoms before it gets too much. When you are in perceived danger, the brain and endocrine system have your back. Your body is a truly marvellous thing and it isn't trying to embarrass you. It's trying to help you.
3. Try yoga and meditation to keep anxiety at bay
On top of the above two points, the endocrine response within the body is very hard to control once we're in a panic attack. The hormones are already pumping around our body so there is little we can do. However, we do still have some control at the point before that happens. Becoming more in tune with your body and breath through practices like yoga and meditation is a great way to learn how to notice when something doesn't feel right. If we can notice that, we can have a coping mechanism in place to help stop us spiralling before it turns into a panic attack.
Hormone Yoga Therapy focuses on rebalancing the endocrine system for a healthier hormone production but it also works on reducing the stress response in the body through breathing exercises and things known as anti-stress techniques. The anti-stress techniques tend to be moving meditations or repetition of mantras that have a calming effect on our nervous system. Hormone Yoga Therapy focuses on helping you to access the parasympathetic nervous system, the rest and digest function. It helps to take you out of the sympathetic nervous system and into this more balanced way of being.
4. Factor some self-care in to your week, no matter how busy you are!
Self-care is not a luxury. It is not selfish. It is necessary. In order to be the best version of yourself in the world for your loved ones and those that are yet to meet you, self-care is essential. We can only give to others when we are full ourselves. Anxiety takes a lot out of you and drains your energy. It's important that you allow yourself time to recover. And even when you haven't been experiencing anxiety, do still make time for one thing that brings you joy every single day. This can help change your mindset and improve your wellbeing tenfold.
5. Talk to others and/or a professional
It can be a very healing process to talk to people who will listen and not pass judgment. This can be a trusted friend or sibling but sometimes it can be really beneficial to seek the help of a professional who can guide you through this part of your journey. Never feel embarrassed to talk to a professional - it's their job to listen and they want to help you get better.