Anxiety. Simple solutions for when the sensation arises.

The healing power of breath and grounding

Working with people in the clinical setting has shown me that anxiety, fear, and worry is a common problem.

When you feel that energy rise up from the belly to the chest and thoughts start whirling in the head........

Stop that energy rising by feeling your feet on the ground.  Feeling the feet planted on the ground and exhaling will help to bring that energy down. Continue to take calm and clearing breathes.

This can be helpful when other peoples anxious energy permeates a room.

Visualization

I like to imagine that excess energy leaving my body through the feet, allowing it to go back into the earth to be transformed into something positive. Such as fuel for plants to grow.  I then like to imagine light coming in from my head to feet.  We all have wonderful imaginations and there are many things that we can think of to get our self back into a more tranquil state.  For instance, in the retreats that I attended to learn more about the value of ceremony, we did different journeys in our mind.  One that I find helpful is sitting or laying down and visualizing myself in a safe tranquil space.

Spider Meadow, Washington[/caption]

My mind takes me to the first meadow that I hiked in Washington with a path and stream running through it.  It can be nice to return to these places in our mind to calm in times of stress.  For you, it may be a beautiful beach/ocean or river that you have experienced.  The other thing that can be helpful is starting the day visualizing what needs to get done, and seeing it go well, while trying to stay flexible if things don't go as planned.

Power stance

Another way to let that excess energy drop is by raising your arms into the air.  Take clearing breathes, letting tension dissipate, and vitality enter.  This is a good one to do in a public restroom or on a beautiful day in front of the sun ;)

Here is a great 20 minute talk about the power of the way we position our bodies.

http://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_shapes_who_you_are?language=en

Walking

I learned the power of this one when I would wake in the middle of the night filled with anxiety about having to perform all of the different components of physical exams.  I got myself out of bed and burned that nervous energy off by going for a walk.  Exhaling tension and visualizing the routine that needed to be performed helped me to feel more at ease by the end of the walk.

Blood sugar balance

We can't forget that blood sugar rules whether we feel well or not.  If allowed to drop, adrenaline kicks in.  The hormone adrenaline releases more sugar in the system to fight or fly.  Curb those anxiety promoting spikes by have small amounts of protein throughout the day.  Keeping raw nuts handy proves to be an anxiety buster. Start the day with a little protein, and every few hours have a small handful of nuts or meat.  Cheese is ok but not to be used for every snack.  And of course berries or apples are a great way to keep that blood sugar balanced, even though they are not a significant source of protein.  Rather than reaching for drugs or alcohol, go for a little protein to provide the amino acids/building blocks for neurotransmitters to keep the brain calm and happy instead of perpetuating this uncomfortable feeling.

Rituals

Gratitude- Each day reminding one self of what we are grateful for helps to keep our thoughts positive.

Silence- Whether it has to be on the toilet or while sitting in the car, allowing oneself to let thoughts flow from one ear out the other and appreciating simple things can help relieve nervousness.

Water- Washing our hands after a stressful situation can be a way to let our concerns be carried away.

Fire- Lighting a candle in the evening can be a symbolic for burning the days troubles away.

Emotional Freedom Technique- Some use this tapping method to help ease the mind.

Here is a link if you are interested: http://www.wikihow.com/Use-the-Emotional-Freedom-Technique-%28EFT%29

Fear- Identifying it and the rational, feeling it, accepting, and allowing it to transmute.  Some may symbolically let go of the fear by blowing it onto a shell or stone and throwing it into the water.  Other ways can be writing it down, lighting it on fire, or burying it. This is a large topic maybe for a later blog.

Botanicals:

Plants such as chamomile, passionflower, kava kava, and cannabinoids derived from cannabis (CBD) are considered 'nervines' that calm the system.

For quality CBD products, visit:

https://cbdcanvas.com/shop-products/

Our mind is powerful and there are many ways to get back to a calm state before reaching for pharmaceutical sedatives, or excessive consumption of food/alcohol.

May peace be with you,

Dr Jones