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Finding Natural Anxiety Relief

April 23rd, 2010 | Author: Barry Joe McDonagh

Even when you’ve made significant changes to your lifestyle and have accepted the fact that you experience panic and anxiety attacks, a panic attack can happen at any time and throw you for a loop.

Many people that experience panic attacks on a regular basis find it difficult to undertake new activities, maintain a healthy social life, and participate in activities that will improve their lifestyle because they are afraid of having another panic attack and being unable to cope with its effects.

The good news is, there are several ways to re-balance or “ground” yourself after a panic attack naturally, and you can practice these strategies so that having a panic attack is no longer something you fear – this is natural anxiety relief at its best.

One of the best ways to cope after a panic attack is to allow yourself to feel anxious. Do not beat yourself up for having a panic attack. Tell yourself that you are perfectly safe and that it is normal to feel anxious for a few hours after an attack. We want to stimulate natural anxiety relief and to achieve that you need to process the anxiety by moving with it, not against it.

Take several deep breathes and find yourself a quiet and calm place to sit down and relax for a few minutes. After a panic attack you must not focus on the feelings of fear but move your attention to the present moment. Focusing on the fear only makes you feel anxious longer so try your best to move your awareness elsewhere.

Tell yourself that your body is perfectly capable of handling this anxiety and that you have nothing to fear. The next time it happens you are going to move with the experience by not resisting it. Moving with the fear dramatically reduces its impact and is the most effective way to end anxiety naturally.

You want to do everything possible to calm your nervous system and stimulate natural anxiety relief. Pay attention to what you are eating for the rest of the day, so that you can ward off high levels of anxiety. It is important to avoid consuming alcohol, coffee, or sugary foods and drinks after a panic attack.

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How to Cure Social Anxiety When Starting a New Job

April 13th, 2010 | Author: Barry Joe McDonagh

Starting a new job can be a nerve-wracking experience, and it will take a few weeks to adjust to the new environment and get acquainted with the people you work with. Many people experience a great deal of social anxiety when starting a new job, and if you’re already predisposed to anxiety or panic attacks, you may experience a higher degree of social anxiety during this stressful time.

Fortunately, there are several ways to cure social anxiety and find some relief from the extreme levels of anxiety you experience when meeting your new colleagues and associates. I discuss some effective strategies for lowering anxiety in my book Panic Away, and you can use the following techniques and strategies to help cure social anxiety at the new job:

1. Limit caffeine intake. If you’re used to loading up on coffee and energy drinks to get through your day, you may be triggering anxiety symptoms and making it even more difficult to handle the stresses of the day. Reduce your caffeine intake so you’re less aggravated by minor stressors throughout your busy day.

2. Get a good night’s rest. Sleep deprivation can make you vulnerable to anxiety attacks and make it difficult to handle stress. Make sure you’re getting enough sleep so you’re not setting yourself up for extreme levels of social anxiety.

3. Use positive visualization techniques. Undertake some meditation exercises before the work day starts and envision a positive outcome with all your personal interactions. This can significantly reduce the amount of anxiety you experience as you start to meet new people.

4. Practice positive thinking. Avoid unhealthy thinking styles, including catastrophizing, mind reading and personalizing. Focus instead on your surroundings and really listen to what people are saying – not the negative thoughts in your head.

5. Allow yourself to feel anxious. Acceptance changes the way you feel anxiety. It is fine to feel anxious when in a new work situation. Don’t beat yourself up for feeling anxious. The more you accept the anxiety the less frustrated you will feel.

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Simple Ways to Overcome a Fear of Driving

April 3rd, 2010 | Author: Barry Joe McDonagh

Many people who have generalized anxiety disorder, and those that experience high levels of anxiety or panic attacks on a regular basis, struggle with sustaining a productive and balanced lifestyle. Simple activities such as driving a car or going shopping can create very strong feelings of anxiety, and may even lead to a panic attack. A fear of driving or driving phobia is a common side effect of anxiety disorders for many people, but there are some ways to overcome it so that day-to-day living doesn’t become so overwhelming.

Driving phobia is defined as an intense fear of driving a motorized vehicle. Some people develop driving phobia after they have been in an accident, but others develop this intense fear of driving a motor vehicle for no specific reason at all.

It doesn’t really matter what causes driving phobia in your particular situation. The best way to overcome it is to address that you have it, and use some specific anxiety reduction techniques that will help you reduce or eliminate your fear of the activity, naturally.

I talk more about effective anxiety reduction strategies and techniques in my book, Panic Away. You can use some of these techniques to overcome a driving phobia. Here are some tips for overcoming driving phobia:

1. Allow yourself to feel anxious. Do not beat yourself up if you start to feel anxious. Expect it and then when it arrives do not fight against it. Allowing the anxiety to be present with you on your journey stops the internal conflict.

2. Practice deep breathing before you get in the car. Undertake some deep breathing exercises to clear your mind and increase oxygen to the brain. When you’re feeling fearful, your breathing may be shallow and this can trigger more anxiety.

3. Avoid caffeine or sugary foods before driving. Stimulants may keep you awake, but they can also trigger a panic attack and increase anxiety.

4. Practice in a comfortable and safe setting. If you’re fearful about driving on the freeway for an extended period of time, practice driving on an open stretch during non-peak driving hours like a sunday so you become more familiar and comfortable with the territory.

5. Remember you can always pull over. If you start to feel overwhelmed, remember that you can always pull to the side of the road to take a break. This can help you overcome driving phobia and the extreme level of anxiety you feel about the situation.

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Best Strategies for Handling Morning Anxiety

March 19th, 2010 | Author: Barry Joe McDonagh
morning anxiety Best Strategies for Handling Morning Anxiety

Photo by: Vince Alongi

For many people who suffer from panic attacks and experience high levels of anxiety, mornings can be a particularly stressful time of day. Some people find themselves always getting up in a frantic state, while others feel very depressed and experience a heightened state of worry upon waking.

If mornings are particularly difficult for you, you need a strategy for getting your day off to a healthy start. I talk more about starting the day right in my book, Panic Away, and you can start implementing these strategies right away:

1. Start with a light stretch. Stretching will help increase circulation to all your major muscle groups and help you reduce some stress and tension. Stretch your arms and legs lightly before you get out of bed so you become more mindful of your body and can increase oxygen flow.

2. Think about things you’re grateful for. Take a deep few deep breaths and focus on a few elements of your life that you are truly grateful for. This can be a person, place or thing, and all it takes to change your state of mind from anxious one to a positive one is spending a few minutes being grateful. You’ll notice your mood state changes pretty quickly once you develop this habit.

3. Journal for at least 30 minutes. Writing a journal is a great way to relieve stress and anxiety and get in touch with your feelings. Writing your thoughts can help release some of the negative thoughts and make you stronger to face the day ahead. It is a mental release as you do not feel the same pressure to obsess about what is on your mind. Once it is on paper you will have a better perspective.

These are just three simple strategies you can use to handle bouts of morning anxiety and get through your day on a more positive note.

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