Anxiety is a very common Mental Health condition and can happen to absolutely anyone.
It has many forms, the most common being General Anxiety, Specific Situational Anxiety, Panic Attacks, Severe Stress and OCD.
Global statistics show that about 1 in 4 people are diagnosed and medicated for an Anxiety issue.
💢Many people don’t seek help because they feel afraid of the stigma. They prefer to hide it and bottle it up. This is self-sabotaging and will not help you overcome it. With an appropriate programme of recovery it is absolutely possible to reduce the symptoms and stop the triggers from disrupting your life and your potential to thrive.
✅Here is some professional advice from Dr Chloe Paidoussis-Mitchell (HCPC Counselling Psychologist, Associate BPS Fellow and expert in Mental Health) to help you cope with your Anxiety today.
MAKE A FULL COMMITTMENT TO YOUR RECOVERY
Your Commitment to recover and overcome starts and ends with you. You need a whole person approach and it is vital you don't just focus on this for one day and when you feel better you drop it.
PLAN YOUR RECOVERY INTO YOUR EVERY DAY
We are talking about sustained effort and commitment to practice Good Self Care. Devote a bit of every day to you and your Wellbeing!
NOTICE YOUR SYMPTOMS
Here we go:
✨ Notice your symptoms and don’t judge yourself for experiencing them. You would not be surprised to have pain if you had a broken leg. Same thing here. You are coping with overwhelming stress and the symptoms are letting you know that you need help. Give help to yourself and start to mood journal for 5 mins everyday. Write down what you feel, think and recognise what would give you relief. Prioritise that and be kind to you. Mood journaling help you gain mastery and agency over your feelings and you will start to moderate what you feel simply by noticing it.
✨Remember it is happening to you not by you.✨
UNDERSTAND YOUR SYMPTOMS
📓Typical symptoms are sweating, feeling sick, shaking, not being able to sleep, lack of focus, dizziness, not feeling like you can cope, difficulty getting out of the house, withdrawing from your significant others, loss of appetite, loss of libido, self medicating, shortness of breath, crying, anger, hopelessnes and fatigue.
✨ This is all because of your cortisol levels and your focus is to reduce the production of this.
✨ Cortisol is released because your triggers are perceived threats to you
✨ You feel threatened at an unconscious level and you can change the unconscious fears you have.
NOURISH YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU
✨ Ask yourself - What is my fear related to? Being abandoned, rejected, judged, hurt? Think about what it has been like to be you and accept this. Write about it. Then think about what this means for you today.
✨ You can’t control outside events but you can practice telling yourself that you will not abandon you, or judge you or hurt you.
✨ Your relationship with you is your number 1 priority. You are aiming for those feelings of value, connection and safety. These are your compass to help you thrive. You deserve to feel loved, valued, connected and safe!
LOOK AFTER YOUR BODY
✨ Exercise and eat well everyday to produce happy hormones. ✨
✨ Go for a 15 minute walk everyday ✨
✨ Ensure you have 6-8hr sleep everyday ✨
✨ Do mindful exercise for 30mins everyday. Yoga, Pilates, Swimming, Dancing have all been shown to be absolutely brilliant for Mental Health ✨
GROUND YOURSELF THROUGH THE BREATH
✨ Start to meditate for self love for 3-5 mins at the start of each day to slow down the release of the stress hormone ✨
✨ Practice deep and focused breathing for 4 mins everyday and slow your heart rate ✨
PRIORITISE SAFETY AND COMFORT EVERY DAY
✨Use aromatherapy, have a treat like a lovely warm bath and invite in comfort ✨
✨ Spend time unplugged from social media ✨
✨Accept that anxious feelings are your body’s way of coping with stress and perceived threats.
✨The threat is perceived not necessarily real
✨ Just because you think it, doesn’t mean you have to believe it.
CONNECT WITH NATURE EVERY WEEK
✨ Spend time outdoors noticing the natural world ✨
✨ Enjoy a sunset, a sunrise, the moonlight ✨
✨ Go forrest bathing ✨
✨ Get a vegetable patch ✨
✨ Do some planting ✨
If the symptoms get in the way of you living your life, there is no shame in getting help. Speak to your GP, or look at local therapist. Many options available. The Counsellors Cafe, The Counselling Directory, BACP, UKCP, & BPS all have professional registers with psychotherapists, counsellors, psychologists who can help you.
Getting help is a good thing!
Dr Chloe is currenty authoring a 21 day digital "Overcoming Anxiety" program. Please feel free to email her at cpaidoussis@me.com to add your name to the recipient list.
