Most of us have felt anxious at some point in our lives. When we have an important meeting coming up, or an interview or exam, we might start to feel worried about how we might perform or what the outcome might be. It’s perfectly normal to feel that way, and then, when it’s over, we can start to feel calmer and less worried.
But when we feel anxious over more than one event, due to a broad range of different situations we might be facing or issues in life in general, it can be all consuming. Anxiety is a common mental health condition that is characterised by feelings of unease, worry and fear, that can be hard to control and can affect our daily lives. This kind of anxiety is known as Generalised Anxiety Disorder, or GAD.
Anxiety is also the main symptom of many mental health conditions including:
- Phobias including agoraphobia and claustrophobia
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Panic disorder
- Social anxiety disorder (social phobia)
Coronavirus Related Anxiety
It’s thought that at the moment, whilst the world is adjusting to life during the global coronavirus pandemic, that many more of us are struggling with anxiety.
The fear and uncertainty surrounding what the virus means now and for our future lives can feel overwhelming. Plus, the loneliness associated with self isolating and social distancing rules meaning we can’t seek support and comfort from our normal peer groups can be extremely upsetting. Together, this means that existing anxiety can feel worse, and new, unfamiliar feelings of anxiety and worry can bubble up unexpectedly.
Many of us are also dealing with financial worry at the moment, with an uncertain future concerning our jobs and businesses, leading to fear over paying our bills, keeping a roof over our heads and feeding ourselves and our families.
It’s important to care for our mental health, but when we’re feeling anxious, our feelings can spiral and we can end up in a vicious cycle. However, there are things we can do to help manage our anxiety and support our mental wellbeing.
Dealing with Anxiety
It can feel at times like our anxiety will be with us forever, with no let up in the feelings of fear and worry going about our busy minds. But we can help to manage our anxious feelings by adopting some or all of the following tips:
- Keeping in touch with friends and family is difficult at the moment whilst lockdown measures are in place, so making use of video calling can help us feel more connected. Try to organise weekly chats with your best friend, faraway lover or family member – someone that truly understands you, fills your cup and leaves you feeling fulfilled.
- Spending time outside in nature helps to lift spirits, improve mood, reduce stress and promote relaxation, all of which can help turn your attention away from your anxiety. Aim to get fresh air and daylight for at least an hour every day, or as much as you can manage, even if that means sitting contemplatively in the garden.
- Staying active also helps to boost the mood – exercise releases feel good endorphins and promotes confidence, helping to reduce anxiety. Try walking outside, dancing wildly at home to music that you love or taking part in an online exercise class.
- Practicing mindfulness and controlled breathing techniques is great for focussing the mind and feeling more connected to the present. Anxiety can often make us fret about the past or the future, so being mindful and present by focussing on the breath can help to calm our racing thoughts.
- Finding things that stimulate the mind, such as learning a new hobby or rekindling a passion for an old craft that used to give you pleasure is immensely calming and grounding.
- Avoiding rolling news channels and social media as much as possible will help you avoid being exposed to an overload of bad news stories and those to appear to have a ‘perfect’ life.
The Power of Rapid Transformational Therapy
Sometimes, taking these self help steps aren’t enough, and now especially, more people are turning to therapy as a way of managing their anxiety.
Rapid Transformational Therapy (RTT) is a pioneering type of therapy, different from any other, that utilises a unique blend of hypnosis, regression and neuroplasticity (a relatively newly understood science involving the brains ability to change, adjust and reorganise) to create new pathways within the brain.
Developed by one of the world’s most respected therapists, Marisa Peer, RTT helps us replace the beliefs and behaviours that don’t serve us well, with those that do. This then leads to profound, lifelong behaviour patterns that transform the way we think and how we live our lives, free from the constraints our minds were previously putting on us.
RTT helps to treat the core reasons behind our anxiety, rather than just treating the symptoms, by identifying and fixing the blockages causing our anxious thoughts and patterns of behaviour.
Taking Your First Steps to Managing Your Anxiety
I’m a certified RTT practitioner and here at Developing the Inner You it’s our aim to manage and treat anxiety and other life limiting thought patterns.
I have a unique understanding in how individuals work and how they can unlock their own potential for success.
Looking after our mental health is often overlooked in favour of our physical health, but it’s equally, if not more, important. A healthy, calm mind supports good overall health and wellbeing, which in turn helps to support a healthier outlook on life. It helps to inspire better connections with others, better productivity, performance and cognitive function, a more fulfilling life and happiness.
JOIN OUR VIRTUAL MASTERCLASS ON
19 AUGUST 2020 18:00 BST to 20:00
Unleash The Leader In You Masterclass taking place on 19th August, 18:00pm (BST) will help you to take control of anxieties, allowing you to go forward in life with renewed confidence and positivity.
Together we can tackle anxiety to inspire a better society for us all.
Let’s stay connected, https://www.masterclass.developingtheinneryou.co.uk/