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Imagine you’re hanging from a rope high above the ground. As you look down, the ground appears to be miles away and you begin to feel a sense of impending doom. The only way to get back to safe, solid ground, is to let go of the rope and fall into the net.  But the thought of letting go is paralyzing. What if the net breaks or doesn’t hold me? It’s impossible to think of anything else but holding on to that rope as tight as you can. But the tighter you hold on, the more fearful and anxious you become. Now imagine feeling this way without the actual life-threatening event. This is what those who struggle with anxiety and panic attacks experience — the fear of danger and doom when there is no obvious reason for feeling that way.

We all deal with various levels of fear and anxiety. Some are able to manage “normal” anxiety or stress. But when one experiences high and intense levels of anxiety, it’s necessary to be proactive and intentional about it.  Here are eight ways to help yourself move from fearful to fearless. 

The following recommendations that are based on current research can help you achieve a calmer sense of self so that you can manage anxiety instead of having it control your life. 

You Are What You Eat

Unfortunately, some of your favorite things may be exacerbating your anxiety. For example, while it might initially relax you, the residual effects of alcohol may intensify your anxious symptoms. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America note that while alcohol can reduce anxiety temporarily, it can increase anxiety within just a few hours of drinking.

According to the American Psychological Association, caffeine is the most widely used drug in the world!  While it has its “perks,” it is a powerful psychoactive compound that can produce symptoms that mirror anxiety, like the jitters, irritability and trouble sleeping. So, if you are caffeine sensitive, eliminate caffeine from your diet. 

It’s also important to eat healthy and to get a good night’s sleep, which you may be having difficulty doing if you’re in the midst of an anxiety cycle.

Just Breathe!

All mammals are equipped with an inherent way of protecting themselves. This is referred to as the “fight or flight response.” It’s a natural and automatic part of our sympathetic nervous system. When we begin to sense danger, either real or perceived, our body releases higher levels of the hormone, Cortisol, As Cortisol levels spike, we begin to experience feelings like shortness of breath, a racing heart, sweaty palms and a keener awareness of our physical symptoms.

Several studies conducted by Harvard University suggest that practicing deep breathing techniques lowers Cortisol levels, thus, deactivating the fight or flight response and reactivating the relaxation response. As a matter of fact, this technique was first developed in the 1970s at Harvard Medical School.  Practicing abdominal breathing for 20 to 30 minutes each day will reduce the amount of anxiety one experiences.

Don’t Fight the Feeling

While it may seem counter-intuitive, relaxing into the anxiety rather than fighting it will help to minimize the symptoms. Remember the rope? The tighter you hold on, the more fearful you become.

If you’ve done any kind of mindfulness work, you’re familiar with Jon Kabat-Zinn and his work at the at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Zinn suggests that one of the 9 attitudes central to mindfulness is Acceptance.

One way to accept the onset of an anxiety or panic attack is to relax into it, rather than fight it. As soon as you begin to feel anxiety or panic coming on, shift your focus to relaxing each muscle in your body. Start at your toes and work your way up; or start at the crown of your head and work your way down. The more you are able to calm and relax your body, the less anxious you will feel. In other words, if you relax your body, the mind will follow.

“Sense” Your Presence The University of Rochester Medical Center recommends using all of your senses to ground yourself in the present.  The 5-4-3-2-1 Coping Technique for Anxiety recommends the following:

Notice 5 things you see, four things you can touch, three things you hear, two things you smell, and one thing you can taste.

This technique is one of many options that you can practice when you begin to feel overwhelmed or anxious. Practicing it throughout the day, even when you are feeling calm will help you develop the tool so that when needed, it will be there. 

Meditation

While for many years, meditation was not considered mainstream, to date, research in this area has been robust. Out of 19,000 meditation studies, John Hopkins University reviewed 47 trials that addressed the effectiveness of meditation in treating mental health issues. The findings in these well-designed studies suggest that mindful meditation can help ease psychological stresses like anxiety.

The key to meditation is patience. It takes time to develop a practice. Today there are guided meditation apps like Calm and HeadSpace that make meditation more achievable. (please make these hyperlinks) These apps are designed to provide guidance by offering a non-judgmental and compassionate space that facilitates a new awareness about stillness and self-love.

Exercise Self-Compassion and Self-Care

Be kind to yourself! First, recognize that almost 20 percent of adults in the United States struggle with some type of anxiety disorder. You are not alone. In a study by Hoge et al. (2013), patients who reported symptoms relating to high levels of anxiety had lower levels of self-compassion than patients with healthier levels of anxiety. Reducing anxiety requires that you love and take care of yourself, and that you surround yourself with people who care and understand. So, cut yourself some slack. You didn’t choose to feel this way. But you do have a choice … learn how to manage it, so that it doesn’t manage you.

Exercise Your Body

According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, there is strong evidence that suggests that exercise and regular activity positively impacts anxiety. When you get down to it, anxiety and panic attacks emanate from your emotional system, which resides in the part of the brain called the amygdala. This is also the area that hosts real or imagined threats. Physical exercise on a regular basis builds up stamina required to manage suppressed and scary emotions when they begin to rear their ugly heads, thus minimizing anxiety and panic.

See A Therapist

Research suggests that anxiety disorders may be passed down genetically; or it’s possible that you’ve developed anxiety because of underlying emotional issues that remain unresolved. The American Psychological Association acknowledges that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Emotionally Focused Therapy are two evidence-based therapies that have been proven to be effective in the treatment of anxiety. It is possible to get to the heart of what is causing your anxiety. The best approach is a multi-dimensional approach that includes mind and body.

Dr. Laura Richter is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who works with individuals, couples, and families. Her specialties include managing anxiety and depression, surviving infidelity, improving communication, beginning again after divorce and effective co-parenting after divorce. She is also a trained mediator, qualified parenting coordinator and collaborative law mental health professional. For more information, please call or text us today at 561-715-6404 to schedule a consultation to see how we can help.