How to deal with anxiety and, importantly, how to defeat it: says psychologist, trainer, expert in the psychology of communication.
Good news
Physiologically, anxiety releases adrenaline, norepinephrine, and cortisol. They trigger a reaction: fight danger or run away. Signals of readiness for decisive action enter the body: breathing quickens, the heart begins to beat faster, directing more blood to the muscles. Stress hormones help turn everything off and focus only on the threat, recognize where the danger is coming from, and instantly decide what to do. For better concentration, the brain at this moment turns off complex analytical processes, sleep and hunger in order to increase the chances of survival while the danger is present. And this is good news, because in the course of evolution, anxiety and fear have always saved our lives.
Not so good news
The brain doesn’t care if there is a real immediate danger, or if we just imagined a past or future threat in all colors: the reaction to anxiety will be the same. A huge release of energy is designed to actively fight or run from danger, but if there is no physical threat, then the released energy can cause unpleasant symptoms – heart palpitations, sweating and shortness of breath.
In the short term, these symptoms are not dangerous, and after the release of energy, fatigue and a desire to rest quite naturally set in. But when the threat does not have a clear end point, all anxious feelings can persist for quite a long time, depleting the energy reserves in the body. Over time, the feeling of fatigue is replaced by a depressed mood, helplessness, irritability and insomnia.
How to deal with anxiety?
Situational anxiety about the past or future goes away when you consciously shift your attention to how your body feels in the present moment. Breathing practices work ideally: take 10 – 20 slow deep breaths, inhaling as deeply as possible, holding the air for a few seconds, and exhaling slowly.
In addition to breathing, sensations in the body from all sense organs help to return to the “here and now” according to the 5-4-3-2-1 scheme:
Vision. Find 5 beautiful objects that catch your eye: for example, the sky, a flower on the windowsill, a ring on your hand.
Touch. Find 4 things that are nice to touch: a hot cup, a soft scarf.
Hearing.
Pay attention to 3 sounds that are heard right now (breathing, the sound of a printer, laughter in a neighboring office).
Smell. Inhale two bright aromas. You can open the window and let in fresh air or listen to your favorite perfume smell.
Taste. Try something with a pronounced taste – a lemon, a spoonful of honey, a mint leaf.
Long-term Strategies to Avoid Getting into a Long-Term Anxiety
Dose access to stressful information. It is important to be aware of the situation, but does the nervous system need a constant stream of news? Absolutely – no. It is better to set aside half an hour a day for the news, reading factual information from reliable sources that helps to better understand the situation or solve the problem. And exclude resources with sensational, dramatic information that provokes emotional involvement and great anxiety.
Focus on things you can control. Why is it impossible to tear yourself away from a disaster movie? Anxiety and excitement grab attention and excite the nervous system so much that you want more. Every day, new connections are formed between neurons, and by allowing yourself to constantly worry about something insoluble, for example, about the global problems of mankind, you can relatively easily train your brain to worry as a new behavior and introduce anxiety into a daily habit. It is much more constructive to replace the excitement with real steps at your level. Becoming a blood donor, sorting garbage, participating in social projects, writing a book – these are specific actions that allow the brain to remain at the maximum level of psychological well-being and get a little closer to solving the global problems of mankind.
Make a choice in favor of your comfort and happiness. In times of stress for the nervous system and for the whole body, the basic things are needed more than ever – eat well, exercise, get enough sleep and find time to relax. It is important to fill the day with things that add calmness to life and stimulate the production of serotonin, oxytocin, dopamine and endorphins – “happiness hormones”: pleasant rituals, usual plans for the day, many precious moments with loved ones, hugs, kisses, words of support, time spent together . Happiness hormones reverse the negative effects of stress and anxiety on the body and support physical and psychological well-being.
