Anxiety: Things That ACTUALLY Help

Jul 9, 2017
2 min read

I know, that title's a gamble. But I also know what "things" people assure us will "help." Exercise, healthy eating, getting outside more, seeing your friends. And those things? They really do help. If you're up to it. But... What happens when you can't bring yourself to do those things? What happens when motivation and confidence - you know, the things that actually get you moving and making the best choices for yourself - are in short, or non-existent supply? Luckily, there are some things that can genuinely help pull you out of the darkest of the dark. These things won't fix you, but they can help your breath come a little easier, and for me, that's a good start. The Five Senses: A Thinking Activity I first read about this on Facebook somewhere, and I've used it VERY frequently since. If you're having a panic attack, stop what you're doing. Just...stop, it's only for a moment. Keep away from technology, and really have a look around you. Find and acknowledge five things you can see; pay them a lot of attention, just looking. eg. Look above you, look below, maybe even look at your own hands Find and acknowledge four things you can touch; observe how they feel, rub your hands over them if you can. eg. Actively seek different textures in your clothes and your surroundings; fabric, objects such as books or phones, perhaps a nearby plant Find and acknowledge three things you can hear; listen closely, take it all in. eg. cars going past, the wind in the trees, the rustle of paper. There's always SOMEthing. Find and acknowledge two things you can smell; inhale slowly, searching for aromas. eg. What's in the air? Even your wrists should have a pleasant scent. Find and acknowledge one thing you can taste; become aware of your own mouth. eg. can you still taste the last thing you ate? You could even lick your own teeth.

Click Here for a brilliant article pertaining to this: "Zenning: 5 Senses Meditation Technique..." I really do urge you to check it out - though watch out for spammy ads. Norton said it was OK, but, I still got told I won a prize... (hot tip: I didn't).

Get Grounded

The reason the above activity is so useful is because when we get too anxious, we kind of... end up inside of our minds, trapped in a toxic landscape. By bringing ourselves out of that place, we get to remember that we're part of something much bigger than ourselves. We're in the world, and it has a lot more to offer than the Anxious Person might notice at first glance.