Lower Anxiety by Practicing the Art of Gratitude

March 6th, 2010 | Author: Barry Joe McDonagh

For many people suffering from high levels of anxiety and frequent panic attacks, enjoying a peaceful state of mind seems like an impossible task. The constant mental activity can make it very hard to focus and concentrate. The constant mental activity can also be the root cause of an imbalance that leads to stress, frequent anxious thoughts and even compulsive behavior.

I’ve found that one of the easiest ways to reduce anxiety is to deliberately shift your attention from your head, to your heart. You can do this simply by practicing the “art of gratitude” which I talk about in further detail in my book Panic Away.

Science tells us that regular mental practice of gratitude can change your body’s chemistry and makes it easier to enjoy a peaceful state. Learning how to be grateful is one thing, but making a conscious effort to be in the moment as you express gratitude is what will help to lower stress levels and help you achieve a calmer state of mind.

All it takes is a few minutes to get started. Just close your eyes and take a few deep breathes. Focus on something in your life that you feel a strong sense of appreciation for, whether it’s a person, your friends, your health or your work. Notice how simply thinking about these things or people makes you feel, and start to feel the flow of positive energy throughout your body. You can do this first thing in the morning to start your day off on the right track, practice gratitude when you’re stuck in traffic, or right before you drop off to sleep at night.

The goal is to keep practicing until you get used to feeling gratitude for a positive force in your life.

Practicing the art of gratitude can help to lift that mental fog of anxiety and improve your overall well-being.

Try it!

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Reduce Stress and Anxiety with Morning Pages Exercises

February 22nd, 2010 | Author: Barry Joe McDonagh

Alleviating mental anxiety you experience upon waking isn’t always easy. How often do you get up in an anxious state? Do you feel calm and well-rested when you first wake up, or is your mind just reeling with thoughts and ideas?

If you suffer from frequent anxiety attacks and panic attacks, it’s likely that you experience a high level of stress and anxiety shortly after waking. The good news is, you can use this energy in a positive way and clear out those mental blocks before you tackle the day ahead.

Julie Cameron talks about writing “Morning Pages” in her book, The Artists Way. She encourages people to set aside about 30 minutes in the morning and write down the first thing that comes to mind.

I explain how to do this in my book Panic Away, and it’s one of the most effective ways to clear out anxious thoughts and get your day off on a positive start.

Just start each day by writing down the first thing that comes to mind. You don’t have to worry about grammar, spelling or even the format. Just jot down your thoughts, even if you have no specific thing to think about.

The goal is to continue writing and writing until you’ve filled about three pages. You want your mind to be free, to just ‘spill out’ all those disorganized thoughts so you’re not holding them in your head.

Use a pen and paper – the old-fashioned writing style seems to be more cathartic for most people – and keep the pages in a notebook or folder. These are strictly your Morning Pages , so you don’t have to worry about sharing them with anyone.

This is a really great technique from Julie Cameron. Do this regularly, and you’ll soon realize that you have greater mental clarity and can focus and concentrate better throughout the day.

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Is the Fight or Flight Response Draining You of Energy?

February 15th, 2010 | Author: Barry Joe McDonagh

Are you dealing with exhaustion, fatigue and feelings of malaise on a regular basis? High levels of anxiety and frequent panic attacks could be to blame.

Many people who experience the unusual sensations associated with panic disorder soon learn that the physical effects of the adrenaline boost experienced during a heightened state of anxiety can take their toll on their energy levels.

Anxiety is simply a response to a danger or threat, and we all experience varying levels of anxiety throughout our day based on what our brain and body is sensing is happening to us.

We’re all equipped to experience the ‘fight or flight’ response automatically when faced with some sort of danger. Unfortunately, people who experience anxiety and panic attacks on a regular basis get this rush of adrenaline far too often, leaving their bodies drained of energy.

Does this sound familiar?

When your body is constantly in a ‘crisis’ mode, it can be very difficult to have enough energy to do much else. You might feel emotionally and physically exhausted on a daily basis, or you might become very sensitive to people and situations.

Fortunately, there are ways you can get out of this malicious cycle. Identifying the bodily triggers of your anxiety or a panic attack is the first step. Next, you need to work on processing the bodily sensations so the fear around those sensations is removed.

In my book Panic Away, I share some specific strategies that can help you end the fear of fear and take control of your body. You learn how to process the anxiety so you’re harnessing the energy and won’t feel so exhausted each time you go through the cycle.

There will come a point when you can observe and embrace your panic attacks fully, enabling you to stop the cycle of fear.

Barry Joe McDoangh

PanicAway.com

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Dealing with Intrusive Thoughts

February 8th, 2010 | Author: Barry Joe McDonagh

For many people who experience panic attacks and anxiety on a regular basis, intrusive thoughts become a part of day-to-day life.

What if I get a panic attack in the middle of the grocery store?

Why am I worrying about such strange things?

What if I lose control of mind?

Intrusive thoughts can come and go all day long at the most random moments of the day and take their toll on your stress levels. You might have difficulty concentrating, and react with a jolt every time you think a worrying intrusive thought. Just remember that you are not losing your mind and the thoughts will stop when your anxiety level reduces.

I’ve identified several strategies for overcoming intrusive thoughts in my book Panic Away.

To help remove intrusive thoughts you need to learn how to disarm them by not reacting.

Look at it this way.

When you think some of these thoughts you might feel a bodily reaction like a jolt of fear. What you need to learn is to short circuit the emotional reaction to the thoughts.

Begin by accepting that the thoughts are not the real you, they are the product of an over active imagination mixed with anxiety.

When they arrive, imagine them like clouds passing overhead. Watch them float by but do not react to them emotionally.  Remain detached from the thought. These thoughts are not you and do not represent the real you.

Say to yourself, “I am observing this thought, I’m not going to get upset, anxious or even worry about it. It will pass…”

The more often you do this, the less reactive you will become to the thoughts. These thoughts are powered by your reaction to them, the more you react the more they reappear. If you learn to not react, the intrusive thoughts will simply fade away because you are no longer reacting emotionally to them.

Give it a go!

Barry Joe McDonagh
PanicAway.com

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