3 Ways to Break Free of Anxiety... TODAY
Confession: I cried every morning of sixth grade. I always stopped when I got to school, but, unfortunately for me, I got red, puffy eyes from crying. Which means…. I showed up every morning of sixth grade with red, puffy eyes. I actually had my friends convinced that I was just extremely allergic to something at home. (Perhaps this post should have been titled confessions from a sixth grader…) Every morning that year, I imagined all of the bad things that *might* happen to me that day… and played them all the way out in my head. And even on the days that I couldn’t exactly come up with an exact scenario, I had this heavy feeling that something was going to go terribly wrong that day, or that I would do something incredibly embarrassing, or that something irreparable was DEFINITELY going to happen. I could convince myself pretty well of these things back then.
I learned much later that what I really struggled with every morning of sixth grade was, not allergies, but extreme anxiety. Over the years, since the sixth grade, I have carried anxiety with me, but have found ways in which we can co-exist—where the anxiety doesn’t take over. I have learned effective coping strategies which have allowed me to live a meaningful, joyful life!
I don’t know about you, but with all of the unknowns going down at the moment in the world with the COVID-19 pandemic, I can feel some anxiety creeping in… or, kinda trying to take over. I want to offer some specific coping tools that you can use TODAY, if you need them, to combat any anxiety you might be feeling.
I want to first talk about how anxiety shows up in our physical bodies. This is different for every human. I want to introduce the concept of doing a “body scan”. This might seem awkward at first if you have never done anything like it, but it will be a great indicator for you as to where, in your body, you feel anxiety. I want you to start at the very top of your head, and slowly, mentally, travel down your body as you consider places in your body that might be out of whack or feel differently than they do when you are sitting around relaxed, doing something like watching Netflix. Some common ways people physically feel anxiety are: heart palpitations, sweaty palms, tension headache, tight shoulders/neck, butterflies in in the stomach, and a tapping foot. Now that you are better able to identify when you might be feeling anxiety, let’s move on to some coping strategies.
There are many, many coping strategies for anxiety, but here are my top 3 go-to resources for moments of acute anxiety.
1. Breathing
This is, hands down, the number one antidote to anxiety… and it’s completely free and can be done anywhere! There are many different breathing techniques that can be effective. The one I would recommend beginning with is simply taking a long inhale through your nose, and long exhale through your mouth, making sure to get as much air OUT of your lungs as possible before allowing new air to rush back in through your nose. This causes additional oxygenation of the blood, which evokes a calming response when it reaches your brain. There are many more specific breathing techniques that can be useful that I can detail in the future, so let me know if that interests you!
2. Distraction
This technique is best used when you find yourself ruminating, or not able to get your mind off of the intrusive thought. This can look different for everyone, but for me, I will typically turn on a podcast or audio book that will force my brain in a different direction. I might also jam out to some favorite music!
3. Repeated Scripture or mantras
Directing our thoughts in the direction that we want to feel is the goal of getting out of a state of acute anxiety. Using muscle memory, such as either memorized or repeated phrases, allows our brain to recover to our desired state of calm. As we repeat something that we believe to be true—either Scripture or positive mantras—our brains can transition from a state of fear to a more neutral state. My favorite Scripture to focus on during a time like this is Philippians 4:6-7.
I have many more coping strategies up my sleeve—be looking for a FREE mini-course in the near future! What do you do when you are in a state of acute anxiety? Or feel like that fear is creeping in?