Anxiety Management

Anxiety can be debilitating it can hold you back and lock you in fear!! Take control with Anxiety Management strategies.

When I had apanic attack at University I then developed generlised anxiety and started to feel anxious in many other situations. I went to see a hypnotherapist and was introduced to soem anxiety management strategies.

Symptoms of anxiety

Some of the most common physical symptoms of anxiety are:

• Increased heart rate
• Increased muscle tension and tightness
• “ wobbly/Jelly legs”
• Tingling sensation in the hands and feet
• Hyperventilation (over breathing)
• Dizziness
• Wanting to use the toilet more often
• Feeling nauseaus
• Tightening across the chest area
• Tension headaches
• Increased perspiration
• Dry mouth
• Shaking
• Choking sensations
• Palpitations

Some of the most common psychological symptoms (the thoughts or altered perceptions we have) of anxiety are:

• Thinking that you may lose control and/or go “mad”
• Thinking that you might die
• Thinking that you may have a heart attack/be sick/faint/have a brain tumour
• Feeling that people are looking at you and observing your anxiety
• Feeling as though things are speeding up/slowing down
• Feeling detached from your environment and the people in it
• Feeling like wanting to run away/escape from the situation
• Feeling on edge and alert to everything around you

If  you experiencing these symptoms?  Read on. Help is here:

1. 7/11 Breathing Technique for anxiety management

If you purposely breathe out longer than you breathe in, your mind and body willl calm  down

So if you start to feel amxious and fearful:

• Stop
• Focus on your breath
• Take a breath in (to the quick count of 7 in your mind)
• Then slowly breathe out (to the quick count of 11 in your mind)

If you do this for a minute or so, you’ll be amazed how quickly you’ve calmed down. This is known as the ‘7/11 breathing’ but the numbers are up to you, just as long as the out-breath is longer than the in-breath

Also I recommend that you use this breathing technique throughout the daay. it could be for a few minutes every hour.  It will  feels good to take deep breaths in and feel your stomach and abdomen expand and rise  and then release the breath slowly.

2. Mindfulness Meditation for anxiety management

Since the concept of mindfulness arrived in the west in the 1970s the claimed benefits have been substantiated by several clinical studies. The aim of mindfulness is to help individuals do the following:

Feel more relaxed and calm

Recognise, slow down or even stop negative, habitual reactions

Gain  clarity

Respond more effectively to situations

Enhance creativity

Feel more balanced at work and at home
According to the Mental Health Foundation, studies looking at the effectiveness of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MSBR) have reported the following benefits:

70% reduction in anxiety

Ongoing reduction in anxiety after taking MBSR course

Fewer visits to the doctors

Increase in disease-fighting antibodies

Better quality of sleep

Fewer negative feelings, including tension, anger and depression

Improvements in physical conditions such as chronic fatigue syndrome and psoriasis
The evidence has been so strong in fact that nearly three-quarters of GPs have said they feel all patients would benefit by learning mindfulness meditation.

3.  Get enough sleep for anxiety management

Inconsistent sleep can have some serious consequesnces. Not only does it affect our physical health, but lack of sleep can also contribute to overall anxiety and stress. And sometimes it turns into a vicious cycle, since anxiety often leads to disruptions in sleep. Especially when feeling anxious, try to schedule a full seven to nine hours of sleep time. Have a wind down routine an hour or so before going to bed where phone/laptop/computer and TV are swithed off. Try to cut back on caffeine and alcohol which will stimulate you.

You can sigh up and download my relxation audio which many of my clients fall asleep to at night.  http://hypnotistbirmingham.co.uk/

4. Gratitude to help relieve anxiety

 Express gratitude. Studies have found expressing gratitude helps reduce anxiety, especially when we’re well-rested . Start a gratitude journal to get in the mindset of appreciation, and out of the mindset of being overwhelmed.

This is a daily practice forr me. There is always something to be gratefu for in each day:

Family and friends

Blue skies and sunshine

Tetley tea  🙂

Please do let me know if these help and feel free to comment with any advice you have too

Please feel free to send me a message via the contact form or call me on 0121 532 0075

You can connect with me on Facebook  here   https://www.facebook.com/birmingham.hypnotherapy/

Best Wishes

Tracy Mason – Clinical Hypnotherapist and Mindfulness Meditation Teacher.

I work from the comfort of my home which my clients love. It is a relaxing space with a lovely energy.

Bearwood is within easy reach from Birmmingham City Centre, Edgbaston, Harborne, Selly Park, Selly Oak, Bournville, Kingsheath, Quinton. Halesowen, Hagley, Stourbidge, West Bromwich and Oldbury,Brierly Hill, Redditch.