how do you let go jemma doley

3 Must Read Tips to Beat Anxiety

by in Psychology 0

Throughout my life, anxiety has often got the better of me….capturing my attention and hooking it in with thoughts and worries about the past or the future….things I couldn’t control.  At times worries have prevented me from doing things I enjoyed and held me back from challenges.

When anxiety comes, it’s like a weight on your shoulders….instead of engaging in life and enjoying the moment, thoughts simply weigh you down.  However, it’s important to know that anxiety can be treated and managed.

Here are three of my favourite tips for reducing worry.  Try these simple tips and see how they work for you.  I suggest practicing them when you’re feeling good, so that you can learn them and then apply them during times of increased stress.

  1.  Slow your breath.  Breathe in for 3 seconds, then out for 3 seconds.  Repeat 10 times, and notice how you feel.  Slowing your breath is key for controlling anxiety symptoms – slowing the breath will signals to your body to relax, and will help you to start to breathe more deeply (diaphragmatic breathing).  You can do this technique anywhere!!
  2. Try worry time. Spend 5 minutes each morning actively worrying (yes, that’s right!).  By giving your worries the time of day they’re looking for, often they don’t distract us so much throughout the day.  If you start to worry later in the day, put that thought aside for worry time tomorrow!!  For full instructions on this techniques, see this detailed post on Worry Time
  3. Practice mindfulness.  Regular mindfulness practice can help us to unhook from our thoughts when they’re distracting us.  Rather than trying to challenge our thoughts, mindfulness can help you to let go of your thoughts and maintain a focus on the present.  Mindfulness is also relaxing and can be a fantastic way to unwind after a stressful day.  Download a free app, such as Smiling Mind, and try practicing mindfulness for 10 minutes each day for a week, and notice how you feel!  For more details on mindfulness, see this post.

Taking time out for self care is essential for managing anxiety.  Would you try these tips?  What else works for you when you’re feeling worried?

If you find that worry is interfering with day to day life, call Lifeline (Australia only) on 13 11 14 for free telephone counselling on a 24/7 basis, and see your GP for further help.

Reduce your Worry

Worried? Try this simple technique to reduce your worries

by in Psychology 0

Do you find yourself caught up in your worries?  When my stress levels increase, I find that it’s easy to become distracted from the present and find myself caught up thinking about things outside of my control.

Whilst it’s normal for everyone to have worries, if you’re finding anxiety is getting the better of you, or you can’t seem to stop thinking about everything that’s going wrong, it might be time to schedule in some worry time!!  “What!?  Why you you want to worry even more!?” you ask.

Worry time is one of my favourite CBT techniques to help reduce ruminative worries.  It’s worked well when I’ve taught it to clients, and I also found that it worked really well for me personally (particularly when going through stressful events or major life changes).

The reason worry time seems to work so well, is that by giving your worries the time of day they’re asking for, they become less scary, less over whelming and less daunting.. and they stop capturing your attention throughout the day, because you’ve made room for them.

So here’s how you do it!

  1.  Schedule in a time each day that you will devote purely to worrying!!  Yes, you heard me!!  It might seem crazy and paradoxical, but the point is that by allowing your worries some time of day, you may find that they aren’t so distressing any more….or that you even start to tire of thinking about them!! You might allocate 5 to 10 minutes per day – I strongly suggest doing this in the morning, not at night or before bed. During your worry time, set a timer or alarm to signal the end of your worry time.
  2. During your worry time,  think about all the worries that have been causing you stress.  Give them time of day – if you run out of worries, repeat the ones you’ve already covered!  You can say them silently in your mind, or you may find it easier to say them out aloud.
  3. The first few days you try worry time, you may find this quite upsetting, but the more you practice, the easier it will become, and the less distressing the thoughts will feel.  If you feel worked up after worry time, try taking some deep breaths, or having a hot shower to help you refocus.
  4. The more you do this technique, you may even find that you find it difficult to fill your 5 – 10 minutes time slot, which means it’s beginning to work – you;re giving your thoughts the time of day they’ve been asking for, and they’re becoming not so scary and overwhelming anymore!!
  5. Over the course of the day, if you find your worries popping into your mind, tell yourself that you will address these during your next worry time – you can even write yourself a reminder note if this helps. You may find that over the course of the day, you’re not as distracted by your worries, and better able to switch off from them.  This will in turn help you to feel more in control of your thoughts and feelings.

If you like using apps, you can also download the Reach Out WorryTime App, which can help you structure your Worry Time and allow you to enter your worries as they pop up.

Would you try this technique?  If you’re finding your worries are stopping you from doing the things you care about, or if you are feeling distressed, speak to your GP, or contact Lifeline, on 13 11 14.