Hi - Thought I'd share some of these anxiety and stress techniques since they seem to attend this AVM-saga party called life on a regularly-scheduled program.=) Since the blog part informed me that it was too long (hmmm; a bit windy at times?), here you have it live on the discussion board!
Just so everyone knows, no response is necessary.
If your mind’s in overdrive and has your stomach in knots, don’t panic. try these helpers:
1. ask for the evolution of your reptilian brain – the 1 of the 2 parts of the brain; “the primitive part containing the amygdala–which is responsible for generating and processing our fear and other primal emotions…When I feel that knot in my stomach that comes with a message that I am unloved by the world, I try to envision a Harvard professor, or some intellectual creature whacking a reptile on the head with a book, saying something like ‘Would you please just evolve, you overly dramatic creature?’ ”
2. exagerate your greatest fear: ” ‘Tell your fear to someone else and make sure to be as dramatic as possible, with very descriptive words and emotions. Then, when you’ve told every detail you can think of, start over again. Tell the entire, dramatic story, again with very elaborate descriptions. By the third or fourth time, it becomes a bit silly.’ ”
3. distract and don’t think: …stay away from the self-help books and work on a word puzzle or watch a movie instead, and surround yourself with people as much as possible – get out of your head when anxious.
4. write a love letter to your fear – “List everything positive you can think of, and nothing negative. Now write a missive. Vent all of your worries about the situation, and try to make a case against moving forward. I’ll bet you can’t come up with a single true deal-breaker, but giving your worries some air will feel good.”
5. exercise and get your heart beating faster.
6. watch your actions as a movie – “…practice mindfulness and experience some relief from anxiety by procuring some distance from your thoughts…sit back with your bag of popcorn and be entertained by your wacky fear-driven thoughts…
As you do this, try to let go of judgments…but remember, bad movies aren’t worth watching again. The same goes for toxic, anxious thoughts…It might just be time to change the channel.”
7. eat good-mood food – not Arby’s, but stuff like nuts, soy, milk and yogurt, dark leafy greens, dark orange vegetables, broth soups, legumes, citrus, wheat germ, tart cherries, and berries.
8. meditate or count each inhale – “I can wait five minutes before bursting into tears, which means I avoid the public cry session, which is preferred.”
9. break the day into hours – and don’t worry about everything you have to do that day – just focus on what’s immediately before you
10. look at and seek out relaxing images – water, clouds, palm trees, etc. or grab a cuddly blanket or a prayer medallion
11. repeat a mantra or a meditation like “I am okay.” or “I am enough.” or “May I be filled with loving kindness. May I be happy, and healthy. May I accept myself in the moment right as I am. May all sentient beings be at peace and free from suffering.”
12. laugh – laughter not only decreases anxiety, it helps the immune system, decreases “both physical and psychological pain, fights viruses and foreign cells, heals wounds, and builds community.”