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Coping
With Anxiety
With
references to sudden and unexpected terrorist attacks anywhere in
the world, it isn't difficult to get anxious. Most of you have probably
found your own good way to dispel the fear that thrusts itself into
your consciousness when you encounter new items of disaster. But sometimes
we don't notice how anxiety affects us. Not knowing the source, we
may get angry over trivial things, feel helpless where before we were
pillars of strength. During these times we are often oblivious to
our feelings until we get sick. This article is about how to address
that anger/helplessness before it reaches the body and disables us.
When we feel helpless we accumulate more stress. The more nervous
we become, the more our thoughts are filled with "what if's". We may
toss and turn at night when we review the day's headlines and begin
imagining the worst. At times when we have no one near, we think.
Our thoughts dwell on past events or future probabilities. Stress
accumulates. Our muscles grow tight, our breath becomes shallow. With
enough additions like this, we can become depressed.
How to find a way out of this maze without sticking our heads in the
sand to block out everything? How to transcend the threat of terror
around us in a way we can be watchful, not hyperalert? Here are several
practical things you can do.
1.. Begin to measure your level of stress and fear: If a "1" means
you are unruffled and feel in charge of yourself, imagine that a "10"
marks you as very stressed and fearful. Ask yourself often, "Where
am I now?" and give yourself a number. If it is high, place your right
hand on your upper chest, finding the spot (by pressing) that is sensitive.
Calm yourself by rubbing that area in a circular manner. Say at the
same time: "Even though I am scared right now, I accept myself completely."
Say that phrase three times. This is a Here and Now exercise, meant
to take you away from the There and Then. It will remind you that
there is no tiger behind that tree in front of you at this time. It
will bring your thinking back to the Now, a safe place.
2. Know that during these times we all need to draw comfort from each
other. Make it a habit to check in with your friends or family, just
to tell them you're okay, but also to feel the comfort of knowing
you are not alone. We're all vulnerable at this time. Connections
help us emotionally, and if a threat of terror or bioterror presents
itself in our lives, we will need to rely on connections to help us
through, just like the people who survived the Twin Towers relied
on our police and fire fighters.
3. Take time to go inside. Begin with taking deep, cleansing breaths
from your lower belly. With a finger in your navel, imagine a balloon
expanding underneath your hand when you inhale. Hold that breath.
Let the tension build up in your chest. Then let the air out as if
it's that balloon deflating. Repeat that process two more times. Then
do an internal "check-in" to see where your body is feeling not okay.
If you find a place, go there in your imagination and stay there,
pushing all your usual thoughts away. Breathe into that space. Remain
there a couple minutes, focusing on the sensation. Then ask yourself,
"how am I now?"
Above all, pay attention to your reactions to news programs. If you
find they are too disturbing for you, take a vacation from them. Look
at the trees, the sky. Ground yourself in the stability you've counted
on for years. (See also Autogenics)
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