What to do if you are overcome by anxiety: advice from psychologists

Events that we cannot control cause us anxiety, fear, and a sense of uncertainty. Sad, obsessive, even depressive thoughts can feel like they're pushing you into a corner that you can't cope with. But you can help yourself.

We talked with psychologists Alla Tsyplenkova and Isabella Airapetyan and learned how to behave during psychologically difficult periods.

Contents

1. Basic rules of behavior in stressful situations
2. General recommendations
3. Body exercises for self-help

Basic rules of behavior in stressful situations

There are behavioral rules that psychologists advise to follow when anxiety occurs, in difficult life situations that affect your psychological state.

1. Create a supportive atmosphere during social interaction (ask for help if necessary, provide help yourself if you have the opportunity and strength).

2. Be aware of the time perspective: any disturbing event is limited in time. Remember that the intensity of emotions can increase/decrease over time.

3. Limit the influence of various sources, including the media, the Internet on your mental state, and observe mental hygiene. 

4. Be prepared for the appearance of unpleasant emotions: they are triggered by a feeling of loss of security. Know that it is normal to experience these emotions and be emotional in general.

5. Be prepared for feelings of helplessness. To reduce it, you can outline for yourself those areas of activity in which you can be useful.

6. Don't forget to move. Movement and activity of the body helps the brain come into a calmer state. Many people find calmness in playing sports or just going for a walk.

General recommendations 

Speaking of movement, let's continue with the following recommendation:

1. Habitual activities help get rid of anxious thoughts. Take a break from the stressful agenda and do routine tasks: wash the dishes, clean the house, sew, knit, etc. Concentrate on any action.

2. Pay attention to your breathing. Think about it: how do you breathe? can you take a deeper breath? If so, how does the sensation change when you take a deep breath? Do this exercise:

• inhale for three counts;
• exhale in the same way for three counts;
• after the next inhalation, exhale for four counts, then for five and six counts.

3. Another exercise related to breathing is diaphragmatic breathing:

• place one hand on your stomach just above the waistline, and the other on your chest;
• Take a slow, deep breath using your diaphragm. The hand on your stomach should move forward, and the hand on your chest should remain motionless.

If you are having difficulty inhaling through your diaphragm and the hand on your chest is moving, you can do one of two things:

1) press your hand on your stomach, and then inhale so that the air pushes your hand back;

2) lie down and put a book on your stomach; breathe so that the inhalation lifts the book up. 

Take 15 diaphragmatic breaths three times a day, every day.

4. Calm sounds are your helpers. Play soothing music. It can be anything: sounds of nature, meditation, classical - to your taste. The main thing is that you feel calmer and comfortable while listening.

Body exercises for self-help

Through touch and concentration on your body, you can calm yourself and return to a state of peace. There is a whole area of somatic therapy that proves the connection between mind and body and helps cope with psychological trauma.

Next we will describe several bodily exercises for self-help. Before we get started, let's give instructions for execution:

• Take a position that is comfortable for you: standing, sitting, lying down - it doesn’t matter. The main thing is to be comfortable;
• close your eyes, pay attention to the sensations in your body;
• Take the pose indicated in the exercise and feel how your palms and body touch. Observe your sensations;
• stay in this position until you feel a change;
• change positions very slowly.

Here's what Peter Levin, a specialist in trauma therapy and the author of somatic therapy, recommends doing while doing the exercises:

“Just feel what is happening in the body between your palms. Sometimes you can feel a flow of energy, or a change in temperature, or some kind of sensation. I simply ask them (clients) to hold their hands in place - for a few seconds, or 5-10 minutes, until they feel some change ... "

Exercises

1. "Hug"

• Place one hand in the armpit area of the other hand, and place the other hand on your shoulder: this way you will hug yourself;
• after completion, change hands and repeat.

2. “Feel your heart”

• Place one hand on your forehead, the other hand on your heart;
• move your hand from your forehead to your stomach;
• after completion, change hands and repeat.

3. "Self-support"

• Place one hand on the back of your neck, at the base of the skull, and the other on your solar plexus (just under your ribcage);
• fix the position.

4. "Mental container"

• Place your palms on both sides of your head as if each one is touching and soothing one of the hemispheres of the brain;
• then move one hand to the forehead, the other to the back of the head;
• Feel your hands creating a container for your thoughts.

If you understand that you cannot cope with difficult, obsessive thoughts and anxiety on your own, contact a specialist. A list of psychologists and psychotherapists can be found in our catalog.