I have had anxiety issues for a long number of years. Unfortunately, when I experience
anxiety it shows itself physically. I come over in sweats. At times, I experience sweats such that my shirt will be drench. I can have a shower and 5 minutes later I need to change my shirt due to anxiety. My anxiety comes on in what should be straightforward everyday situations. I feel anxiety when friends visit, when meeting friends socially, when making telephone calls, when leaving home to volunteer, and many other situations.
“My anxiety comes on in what should be
straightforward everyday situations.”
It is the simple things, for example when attending a meeting when everyone has to introduce themselves. I become anxious if I feel I am going to be late, I always have to be early for any appointments and events.
How do I cope with my anxiety?
Depending how much time I have, I will do a three-minute Mindfulness Breathing Exercise, if I am very short of time I will do a Five Finger Mindfulness Practice. If I remember I will spray my wrists with Deep Freeze Spray, (a mental health professional
recommended this spray), this does work for me.
When I become overcome with anxiety, pain, and depression where I can’t find relief, I light a candle. Focus on the flickering light, moderate my breathing, and just be. The flickering flame reminds me of the small flickering inner light that keeps me alive…
Five Finger Breathing Space Exercise
When I feel stress or anxiety creeping in during the day, a mindfulness method I use to ease my anxiety is the five finger breathing exercise. I start with the base of the thumb, as I breathe-in move I move my index finger to the tip of thumb As I breathe-out I move my index finger down the other side of the thumb, repeating with the remaining fingers.
As I do this exercise I raise my awareness of thoughts, moods/feelings, and sensations.
Mindfulness Three Minute Breathing Space Exercise
When I am experiencing anxiety, I turn to a mindfulness 3 minute breathing space practice. This practice allows me time and space to bring my awareness to what is going on in my mind and body, touching base with the breath, and then getting a sense of what is going on in my body as a whole. By doing this exercise brings me a sense of calm, helping me to respond to difficult experiences rather than automatically reacting with aversion.
There are three stages to the 3 Minute Breathing Space:
1 – Awareness (thoughts, moods/feelings, sensations)
2 – Focus on the Breath
3 –Focussed Awareness of the Body
I start the Breathing Space by making a deliberate change of my posture, making my back erect as possible, dropping my shoulders, and opening my chest, and if it is possible, gently closing my eyes.
Step 1 of the breathing space is seeing what is going on in my mind and body right now. What thoughts are around, what feelings are here, any sensations in my body, acknowledging thoughts as mental events, not trying to change anything, being open to what is already here.
Step 2 of the breathing space brings my attention to my breath, narrowing the spotlight onto the sensations of my breath in the abdomen, tuning into the changing physical sensations of the in-breath for its full duration, and the out breath for its full duration.
If my mind wonders, which it does, I acknowledge where it went and bring my attention back to the breath.
Step 3 of the breathing space, expanding my focus of awareness around my breath to take in my whole body, as if my whole body is breathing now. I am aware of my posture, my facial expression, (I always give myself a little smile at this point), sensations on the surface of my skin, and from right inside my body. Where I experience pain within my body, I imagine that I breathe directly in and out of the point of pain or discomfort. Holding this awareness of all sensations, right now, in this moment, just as they are, not trying to fix anything, coming home to this moment. In closing bringing this sensation of a more spacious awareness to the next moments of my day.
Thank you for reading my blog, here I have written about some of the things that I find helpful in easing my anxiety. I am sharing my experiences in the hope that perhaps they could help you or someone you know too
Resources in England
- NHS resources – www.nhs.uk/mentalhealth/conditions/anxiety
- Anxiety UK – www.anxietyuk.org.uk
- Mind – What is Anxiety? – Mind
York Ending Stigma
To find out more about our work and to join us to end mental health stigma in York, please refer to our website https://yorkcvs.org.uk/york-ending-stigma/ or email us on yes@yorkCVS.org.uk