#ToHelpMyAnxiety | Discovering Hope

TW: Mentions of self hurt and Trichotillomania. 

So the theme set by the Psychological Well being Basis for Psychological Well being Consciousness Week this 12 months was nervousness. They pushed the hashtag #ToHelpMyAnxiety to boost consciousness however I didn’t see it as soon as on social media so I made a decision to jot down a complete weblog put up on the subject, on what helps my nervousness in addition to what I’ve heard from others about what helps them. I ranted not too long ago about how folks have interaction with Psychological Well being Consciousness Week, and consciousness days generally, however I do assume that sharing coping mechanisms for nervousness is a helpful factor to do and an excellent use of these days.

I dwell with very extreme nervousness, so dangerous that nothing I do truly banishes it, however I’ve discovered sure issues that assist to handle or scale back it. And I’ve spent quite a lot of time speaking with pals and acquaintances about nervousness, discussing how all of us strive to deal with it. So I’ve quite a lot of tried and examined strategies which have all labored for at the least one individual and due to this fact will hopefully be helpful to at the least considered one of you. If any of those concepts assist only one individual, then it’s well worth the work to compile them. (A few of these have been pulled from my expertise as an autistic individual however a lot of them are helpful for nervousness so I figured it was price together with them.)

I do assume it’s price mentioning that not all of my coping mechanisms are good, wholesome ones. I’m focussing on the wholesome ones as a result of these are those we must always all be aspiring to follow however I felt it could be remiss to not even point out them.

Common Suggestions:

• Sustaining a wholesome way of life – Getting sufficient sleep, consuming healthily, shifting your physique, and, in some circumstances, taking further dietary supplements (I’m not educated about this, nor certified, to provide recommendation however I do personally take dietary supplements on the recommendation of a nutritionist, one who has expertise with my well being issues) are all vital in managing nervousness. Not getting sufficient sleep or not consuming sufficient can drastically enhance nervousness, as you’ll know if you happen to’ve struggled with nervousness up to now (and current).
• Ensure I’m respiratory correctly – I do know individuals who swear by deep respiratory workouts however I don’t often have to go that far; I typically discover myself respiratory very shallowly and have to reset, take a deep breath and remind myself what regular respiratory is. At dwelling, singing is actually helpful for this, I feel as a result of it forces me to regulate my respiratory, plus it’s one thing I like to do.
• Consciously loosen up my physique – Once I’m actually anxious, I’ll immediately discover my physique so tense that I’m like a coiled spring. I’ve to focus and bodily loosen up my muscular tissues – drop my shoulders, unclench my fists, uncurl my toes, and many others – generally a number of instances a day. I often discover the stress creeping in once more however making the hassle to loosen up again and again does appear to assist.
• Keep away from loud noises – Loud noises are a critical set off for my nervousness so I attempt to keep away from them as a lot as doable, though some environments appear to be exceptions, like concert events for instance. More often than not noise cancelling headphones do the trick so I’m very grateful to have such an excellent pair.

• Keep away from sure materials – That is most likely extra Autism nervousness than basic nervousness however I assumed it is perhaps helpful to somebody. The sensory irritation of some materials (I notably battle with acrylic and polyester) slowly overload my mind till my nervousness makes it not possible to pay attention. So sticking to secure textures, like cotton, is an efficient technique, even when it does imply I miss out on cool garments often.
• Fidget toys or fidget jewelry – All of us stim (shortened from self-stimulatory behaviour) to a point, each neurodivergent and neurotypical folks, and probably the most frequent causes for stimming is nervousness. Many stimming behaviours aren’t dangerous (and plenty of autistic people take pleasure in their stims) however generally they’re and generally they will draw undesirable consideration. That is the place fidget toys and fidget jewelry may be actually useful as a result of it fulfils the identical want as stimming however permits that behaviour to remain underneath the radar, if that’s what you need. I’m not ashamed of being autistic or of my stimming behaviours however a few of them are dangerous and want redirecting and a few of them are such that I don’t at all times need them to be folks’s first impression of me; I favor to decide on after I reveal that type of data however nonetheless have to stim within the meantime.

• Creating one thing along with your palms – I’m not very creative, not within the making of bodily artwork anyway, however I do discover it soothing to make issues with my palms, whether or not that’s doing origami or making friendship bracelets. That is apparently a quite common factor, because it permits our brains to primarily change off and take a break from the relentless noise pouring in.
• Bullet journalling – Organising and updating my bullet journal (or my model of it that’s unintentionally developed over time) and to-do record assist me to maintain observe of what’s taking place so I don’t have to fret that I’m forgetting one thing.
• Studying a language – That is one thing I’ve discovered over the past 12 months. I began utilizing Duolingo and located it to be a extremely good option to distract myself after I was anxious, plus I used to be studying one thing new on the identical time. I want to use the language and, in principle, I’ll however even when I don’t, I did handle to cut back my nervousness, be taught a brand new language, and really feel higher about myself.
• Socialising (to one of the best of my potential) – Relying on what’s finest for you, a sure stage of socialising may be actually good for managing nervousness (particularly when you’ve got somebody to speak to who understands what you’re going via). It’s a little bit of a balancing act as a result of it could actually assist up to some extent after which develop into overwhelming, however if you happen to can stroll that line, you’ll find reduction from nervousness in each socialising and alone time (as many people know from expertise, an excessive amount of of both can simply make the nervousness worse).
• Remedy – In case your nervousness is ongoing or severely impacting your life, remedy is perhaps one thing to think about. I discuss my nervousness in remedy lots: what I’m anxious about, what I can do to mitigate it, brief time period and long run methods, what else it is perhaps linked to. I’ve discovered lots about myself and my nervousness and though some anxieties are not possible to keep away from, I’ve discovered the way to handle a few of them.

At Dwelling:

• Blanket – Until it’s completely sweltering, I often have a blanket draped over my legs and lap. It’s not a weighted blanket as a result of these are simply an excessive amount of for me however a lightweight blanket supplies simply sufficient weight to be calming, to be grounding.
• Controlling the temperature – I’m extra capable of deal with my nervousness after I’m snug, regulating my temperature included. In order that I don’t have to regulate the entire home, I’ve just a little electrical blanket that I can sit on if I’m chilly (additionally nice for my persistent ache) and an incredible fan (noiseless as a result of the noisy ones can set off my nervousness) and that means I can modify the temperature actually simply as I have to.
• Burning my favorite candle – Once I’m feeling anxious, burning my favorite candle (my private alternative is the pink pepper grapefruit candle from The Candle Bar, however actually any pink grapefruit candle will do) helps to loosen up me; I really feel safer and calmer and like I can breathe extra simply.
• Stroking my cats – It’s been scientifically confirmed that spending time with animals lowers our stress ranges and I completely comprehend it to be true from my private expertise. Being round my cats relaxes me and it’s solely after I’m away from them – even for only some days – that I realise simply how a lot they scale back my nervousness. So being with animals, if doable, is certainly an excellent tactic and fortuitously, today, there are various methods to do this if it’s not doable to personal a pet your self.
  

  

• Favorite motion pictures and TV reveals – Once I’m having a foul day, returning to my favorite motion pictures and TV reveals (even when I’ve to work on stuff whereas I watch them) could be very calming. The familiarity and nostalgia of these tales and characters makes me really feel secure, pushing the surface world and all its stresses away for some time. As psychologist Pamela Rutledge says, “It will possibly develop into actually therapeutic, particularly in case you are feeling anxious. Watching the identical piece a number of instances reaffirms that there’s order on the earth and that it could actually create a way of security and luxury on a primal stage.”
• Diary writing – I really feel like, with every single day that passes, I’m carrying round increasingly reminiscences and the longer I’m going with out writing them down and placing them someplace secure, the extra anxious I get. That is the place my OCD chimes in. Complying with that want to jot down every thing down could feed my OCD nevertheless it additionally brings me big reduction, each in that it relieves the load that I really feel like I’m carrying – and the nervousness that I may overlook these reminiscences and that they’d due to this fact be misplaced eternally – but additionally in that it helps me course of what I’ve been going via; the act of writing out my ideas and emotions helps me untangle and make sense of them. I couldn’t cope with out it.

Out and About:

• Have a properly packed bag – It typically finally ends up being just a little over extreme (and heavy) however by ensuring I’ve every thing I do know I’ll want (or would possibly want), I can keep away from quite a lot of nervousness and uncertainty; it’s my security internet. The contents rely just a little on the place I’m going however I often have my telephone (and moveable charger in order that I’m at all times capable of attain somebody if I have to), my noise cancelling headphones, my ID, my pockets (and travelcard), my keys, my sunflower lanyard, a bottle of water, a face masks (and a spare), hand sanitiser, medicine (for nervousness and ache), my bullet journal, a fidget toy, and one thing to distract myself with if essential, like a guide. I feel that’s every thing. But when I’m ready for every thing, I’m much less prone to find yourself in a state of affairs that triggers my nervousness as a result of I have already got an answer.
• Train – I feel there’s a bit extra nuance to this one than is commonly made clear. Due to my mobility and persistent ache issues, train is tough for me and swimming is the one factor I can moderately do at this level, which isn’t one thing I can simply stand up and do. However I do adore it and I do discover that it makes me really feel higher. I do agree that shifting your physique is useful however I feel that you simply get extra out of it when it’s a type of train you take pleasure in, fairly than train for the sake of train. A few of my pals love operating and discover that actually centering and yoga is commonly really useful as a sensible choice of workouts, notably due to the connection you develop along with your respiratory, one other well-known coping mechanism for nervousness.

Different Individuals’s Suggestions:

• A change of surroundings – Generally we will simply get caught within the spiral of anxious ideas and one option to break that spiral is to actually transfer to a distinct place. Our brains are tremendous delicate to modifications in our environment and new experiences are carefully linked to reward and optimistic emotions.
• Gardening – Whereas gardening isn’t one thing that helps me, it’s one thing that many individuals discover actually useful, whether or not that’s tending a full backyard or taking care of crops and window containers. My Mum likes to backyard and after I requested her why she finds it enjoyable, she mentioned that a part of it’s that she’s exterior and away from work, but additionally that it requires all of her consideration and that there’s at all times progress to be made. I can positively perceive that even when crops particularly aren’t my factor.

• Scale back caffeine – I don’t perceive the science, it has been scientifically confirmed that decreasing caffeine reduces stress. So far as I can inform, caffeine has no impact on me in any respect – energy-wise, at the least – so I don’t know if it impacts my stress ranges. However if you happen to’re ingesting quite a lot of caffeine, it is perhaps price chopping down your consumption and seeing how you are feeling.
• Listening to music – Some folks discover listening to music deeply enjoyable and it’s true that, as an exercise, it lowers your coronary heart price and cortisol ranges. Personally, it would bodily loosen up me however since music is my job, it’s not very enjoyable for my mind. I feel they name it ‘a busman’s vacation.’
• Studying – Studying can also be confirmed to decrease your coronary heart price and ease stress in your muscular tissues so it’s a way price attempting however, after all, studying isn’t all people’s cup of tea.
• Puzzles – My pal loves doing puzzles and, because it seems, puzzles truly assist launch dopamine in your mind, which is why we really feel good once we do puzzles. I favor doing puzzles with folks fairly than doing them alone and I’m certain that that has its personal advantages too.
• Self care – The thought of doing one thing that helps you are feeling good, mentally and bodily, appears apparent nevertheless it’s really easy for all of us to get caught up in every thing we have to do and every thing we’re fearful about, that we frequently overlook. For some folks, that is taking an extended bathtub, for others it’s portray their nails, or catching up with a pal, sleeping in, or protecting a gratitude journal. The record of potential choices might be longer than The Lord of the Rings books so I’m certain there’s one thing helpful there for all of us; it simply would possibly take some time to search out the appropriate factor.
• Meditation – I don’t know a complete lot about meditation (and the entire differing types) however I do know that some folks swear by it. Not solely does it scale back signs of hysteria, despair, and PTSD, it could actually additionally enhance your sleep, blood stress, and coronary heart price. Common meditation also can bodily change the construction of your mind, bettering your senses, your focus, and talent to course of feelings. Realizing it could actually do all of that, it positively appears price researching.
• The 333 rule – I’ve seen many variations of this system so that you don’t have to stay to those guidelines, simply those you set for your self, those that work finest for you. On this instance, whenever you’re anxious, you attempt to redirect your focus to a few issues you’ll be able to see, three issues you’ll be able to hear, and three issues you’ll be able to contact. I’ve heard some folks say that that is too simple and doesn’t distract them sufficient, resulting in all kinds of imaginative variations of this concept: my favourites, I feel, are three issues you’ll be able to slot in your pocket, three issues you’ll be able to stability on prime of one another, and many others. No matter works for you, if it really works for you.

Different notes:

• I’ve been taking medicine for my nervousness for a very long time now, Diazepam as and after I want it (though it does must be monitored, which it’s). It has been extremely useful though I’m cautious about by no means getting dependent. There are ebbs and flows in my nervousness the place I take it extra and I’ll take it if I do know I’m about to do one thing traumatic, like have a traumatic assembly or take a flight, nevertheless it’s very a lot a stability of taking them and utilizing different methods like those I’ve listed.
• As I mentioned, I do assume it’s additionally price noting that I’ve some dangerous, self-destructive strategies of dealing with my nervousness. I’ve been self harming on and off since I used to be twelve as a result of I simply wanted to provide the entire intense emotions an escape route out of my physique, like a stress valve (it’s at all times been sporadic although – I’ve by no means been a extremely critical self-harmer, not compared to how a lot some folks battle with it). My hair pulling is worse although. I’m undecided if it’s Trichotillomania or if I’m stimming however both means, it’s not good: I’ve at all times been capable of keep away from it being seen however I’ve so many patches of hair at totally different lengths and my scalp will get so sore. I’ve additionally developed issues in my hand, wrist, elbow, and shoulder from the repetition of pulling. But it surely’s so arduous to cease and attempting to withstand the urge to drag causes me unbelievable stress and nervousness so I simply find yourself pulling to flee it. I’m speaking about it in remedy although so possibly we’ll make some progress with that.

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So I hope this has been useful. Hopefully there are sufficient concepts right here that there’s one thing for everybody, to strive at the least. When you’re studying this and battle with nervousness, I really feel for you and I’m on this with you and I hope that you simply discover one thing that will help you handle it. Extreme nervousness isn’t one thing that we simply have to just accept, simply must dwell with. There are methods to make it simpler – possibly there are even methods to shed it – and I hope you discover them since you should take pleasure in your life. You should really feel every thing, not simply nervousness.