Climbing the Mountain of Anxiety
“It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves.” –Sir Edmund Hillary
Anxiety can feel like a sharp pang in your chest, a tidal wave of tension or an all-consuming, debilitating panic. We are biologically built to experience anxiety and fear as warning signs of possible danger or threat. At times however anxiety can be more harmful than helpful, in particular when we are struggling to manage our emotional state or when the intensity of the anxiety is out of proportion to the source of our fear. Below are coping skills that will reduce the physical symptoms of anxiety, help challenge anxious thought processes and regulate feelings of worry and dread.
Diaphragmatic Breathing: Shortness of breath, chest tightness and muscle pain are physical manifestations of anxiety. Learning to breathe from your diaphragm cues your parasympathetic nervous system to slow down the cardiovascular system and ease muscle tension by allowing oxygen to flow through the body.
1. Find a comfortable position. Straighten your spine by sitting upright or lying down on your back.
2. Begin by placing one hand over your stomach area below the rib cage and the other hand on your upper chest.
3. Inhale through your nostrils and notice your abdomen rising and your rib cage expanding as your lungs fill with air. Your chest should not be moving.
4. Exhale through your mouth and allow your abdominal area to relax.
5. Continue to breathe, counting your inhale for 3-6 seconds and exhale for 5-8 seconds.
6. Repeat the breathing cycle until you can recreate the rise and fall of your center without placing your hands on your abdomen and chest. You may choose to continue counting your breath if counting promotes further relaxation and focus.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation: This stress-reduction technique involves slowly tensing and relaxing each muscle group in the body. The progressive tension and release promotes relaxation, decreases cortisol levels and lowers blood pressure. Regular practice of the skill has been shown to help treat insomnia and anxiety.
1. Sit or lie comfortably and begin by taking deep, slow breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth.
2. Focus your attention on your right foot, slowly tense up the muscles in your right foot and hold for a count of 10. Relax your right foot, easing the tension. Notice how your foot now feels heavy, relaxed.
3. Repeat with every muscle group in the body.
4. After you have tensed and relaxed each muscle group, tense up your entire body and hold for ten seconds before relaxing and allowing your body to feel calm and loose.
Sensory Grounding: Your senses can provide a great resource for grounding, staying present and orienting to your surroundings. Connecting to your senses in the moment or creating immediate sensory experiences can refocus your attention when you are struggling with racing, anxious thoughts.
1. While taking deep breaths, ask yourself what are 5 things I see, 5 things I hear, 5 things I smell, 5 things I taste (might not always apply).
2. Think of a specific color and identify every object in the room in this color. If you choose black, name out loud or in your own mind all the black objects in the room.
3. Hold an ice cube or a frozen orange to focus your attention away from anxious thoughts or panic. Hold the frozen object in your hand for as long as possible then switch to the other hand.
Neutral or Positive Self-Talk: Experiencing anxiety or panic can at times feel embarrassing, however emotional distress is typically only intensified by internal judgments and criticism. Instead try to generate a number of neutral or positive affirmations. Here are some examples below:
1. I will be okay.
2. My anxiety will eventually decrease.
3. I have challenged myself before.
4. I am strong and resilient.
5. I can ask for help if I need it.
Ask yourself these questions to challenge racing or worrisome thoughts:
1. What is the evidence I have to support this thought? Evidence against?
2. What would I say to someone else in this situation?
3. What is a rational counter to this thought?
4. What is the worst possible outcome? What is the most likely outcome?
5. Will this situation or experience impact me in one year, five years, ten years…?
Anxiety is a natural response to stressful or scary situations however when anxiety worsens over time or begins to interfere with your daily life and functioning it may be time to talk to a professional. Anxiety disorders are highly treatable however approximately only one third of individuals suffering receive treatment. Often people attempt to cope with anxiety by avoiding discussing or addressing the sources of their fear and unfortunately this avoidance strategy only breeds the anxiety. Asking for help can be the first step towards relief.
Chelsea Rice, LCSW
