A person often worries in everyday life. Some people tolerate this condition easily, while others have a hard time. Is it true that this is normal? Why is it difficult to pull yourself together? Is it possible to use sedatives and what harm can they cause? Psychotherapist Polina Zenkevich answered these questions to the correspondent of the Minsk-News agency.
Photo by psy.systems
Excitement, anxiety, fear are emotional states. A special part of the brain, the limbic system, is responsible for their occurrence. This is an ancient, archaic part of the brain, almost beyond conscious control. Moreover, its role in the development and survival of humanity is colossal.
The mechanism of operation of the limbic system is complex. In a situation of danger, the amygdala stimulates the hypothalamus. It transmits a signal to the adrenal glands, which produce the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol. This triggers the fight or flight response. It was she who helped our ancestors survive. We are the descendants of people who knew how to worry and fear. And these feelings are fixed in us by evolution.
Excitement is a mild degree of anxiety in a wary state. The body seems to be waiting and asking: “Will there be danger or not?” In a state of anxiety, the fight-or-flight defense systems are activated in full force. Normally, this helps us survive. If the reaction starts and does not disappear, an anxiety disorder is formed.
Face the fear
The best way to overcome your fears is to face them. For example, you are afraid to ask for a promotion at work, so you constantly put off this conversation. But you don’t know for sure how this conversation will end. So take the first step yourself and conquer your fear.
Each of us periodically experiences excitement and even panic, but this can and should be fought. To make your life easier and learn to control your emotions, take the free online course “Stress Management”. In just 45 minutes you will learn really working techniques that will help you quickly cope with stress in the moment.
Repeat the mantra “Calm down, Hippolytus, calm down”
When nervous about an upcoming big event, Carol Howe, a psychotherapist in Orlando, advises patients to inhale deeply through the nose and exhale through the mouth at least three times.
Then slowly say to yourself, “I am safe and I am loved.” For some, a simple phrase: “Everything will be fine” is more suitable. It would be naive to recommend that a person experiencing severe anxiety repeat to himself: “I am calm, I am completely calm.”
But if you imagine that these words are spoken by your favorite character from children's cartoons?
Say to yourself in Carlson’s voice: “Calm, only calm!” Or say, stroking your chest: “Calm down, Hippolyte, calm down.”
An integral part of treatment
If you yourself are not able to improve your psycho-emotional background, seek help from a specialist. Psychotherapy is an integral part of the treatment of panic attacks. It is she who will allow you to get to the very essence, to understand why such shocks are happening to you. Along with “diagnosis” of the problem, it allows you to find ways to solve it.
The main method of psychotherapeutic treatment of panic disorder is cognitive behavioral therapy . It relieves anxiety and allows you to change the patient’s perception of his problem. The following techniques are used:
- self-observation diary;
- immersion in an alarming situation;
- meditation, muscle relaxation;
- proper breathing techniques.
The course of therapy is 10–20 sessions.
Other psychotherapeutic areas are also used in the treatment of panic attacks :
- Gestalt therapy;
- neurolinguistic programming;
- body-oriented therapy.
Hypnotherapy is in wide demand . To characterize it in a rough form, the doctor puts the patient into a trance and in this state instills in him certain instructions for getting rid of panic attacks, that is, he works with the person’s subconscious.
There is a softer form of hypnotherapy -
Ericksonian hypnosis .
In this case, the person is also in a state of trance, but retains the ability to communicate with a psychotherapist. The doctor does not give specific instructions to the patient, but provides him with the opportunity to understand his internal conflicts. Family therapy can also have positive results. It forces us to consider a person’s problem not only as his personal one, but also as a result of a lack of support from loved ones. The method teaches the patient’s relatives how to help him fight the disease and provide support.
Do not neglect psychotherapeutic methods. They radically change the patient’s thinking, attitude towards the situation, and lead him to self-knowledge. Such steps become key in getting rid of unreasonable anxiety.
Film actress Emma Stone first experienced a terrifying panic attack when she was 10 years old. She was visiting her friend. Just sitting down on the sofa, she was suddenly overcome with horror, it seemed to her that the house was on fire. She couldn’t get up from the sofa, sobbing, she called her mother to pick her up.
Since then, panic attacks have become a part of her life. She constantly forced her mother to tell her that everything was fine, nothing had happened, there was no danger. Persistent and long-term psychotherapy helped her get rid of these crises.
Adrenal Fatigue: How to Avoid?
We all experience this condition - from time to time. But if this is your normal lifestyle, your body may be at risk of adrenal fatigue. “A high-sugar, low-protein diet triggers stress responses without us realizing it,” says best-selling author and nutritionist Julia Ross. Ironically, more than 70% of people eat the most unhealthy foods precisely to relieve emotional stress. We could all do with getting our stress hormones checked so we know exactly where on the adrenal fatigue spectrum we each currently fall.
Instead of struggling through the thorns of stress or anxiety (and then beating yourself up for it), it's worth learning as much as possible about your physiology. You can do a saliva test using a test sold at a pharmacy, or you can take a blood test at any health care facility that can help you interpret the results. Then, using the medications prescribed to you, you can restore normal hormone levels in the adrenal glands.
Many experts recommend starting with nutrition - making the necessary changes to your diet and observing the improvements. Start with small but consistent dietary changes (such as a diet high in protein and gluten-free vegetables), take natural vitamins and supplements (more B vitamins and omega-3 fish oil, for example), and try natural herbs (such as rhodiola for focus and balance; chamomile or passionflower to stimulate the “calming” parts of your brain).
Now I want to tell you some secret tricks that will instantly boost your self-confidence and reduce your anxiety levels.
Stress and the adrenal glands: how does it work?
Up to 70% of people who report stress actually suffer from some degree of adrenal imbalance (the organs that produce the hormones that control your response to stress). Under conditions of chronic stress, our body goes through three stages, which are characterized by varying degrees of adrenal imbalance and ultimately adrenal depletion.
In the first stage , we accumulate additional energy to cope with stressors. After the first surge of adrenaline, the adrenal glands begin to secrete cortisol, which initially - and in small quantities - is a source of strength and endurance for us. In the right amount, cortisol helps metabolize food, fight allergies, and reduce inflammation.
But if the state of excessive arousal continues, the adrenal glands begin to secrete too much adrenaline and cortisol, replacing them with our feel-good neurotransmitters, namely serotonin (the source of self-confidence and optimism) and dopamine (the source of pleasure). When cortisol chronically circulates in the body, it begins to stimulate inflammatory responses and can cause the very diseases it was originally intended to protect against. Accordingly, signs of disease or infection appear.
We no longer experience the “euphoria” associated with the adrenaline rush; instead, a bad mood or even depression appears . Too much or too little cortisol can lead to decreased concentration and a feeling of being overwhelmed. We resort to external stimulants - caffeine, salty or sweet foods. We exhaust ourselves even more by playing sports, or, conversely, we stop all physical activity. We begin to feel chronic fatigue and irritation.
In the final stages of adrenal imbalance, these organs are so damaged that they are no longer able to produce enough stress hormones. Every minor problem now seems like a global catastrophe. From now on, for example, when your son spills milk or your manager gives you a disapproving look, it is truly the end of the world for you.
Cry more often
Another tip that seems simple only at first glance. The fact is that both panic attacks and severe anxiety often arise as the body’s response to prolonged suppression of feelings and emotions.
If nervousness or tension arises, this is a sure sign that something has accumulated inside us. The tension in the nervous system will only increase. And to prevent an explosion from happening, you need to give free rein to your tears, cry if tears well up from a sad melody or someone’s words, and not restrain yourself.
Breathing technique
How to overcome anxiety before a performance? Simple breathing mantras will help. All exercises should be performed while sitting in a calm environment, but for an experienced participant in public events it will be quite enough to simply move away a little from the hustle and bustle.
First you should sit back, relax, and close your eyes. The exercise begins with a full exhalation until the abdominal muscles tense. Now you need to take a slow breath, stretching it for the three times mentally spoken ri. At the end of the journey, when the lungs are filled with air, a pause is made (“three-four-five”). Now you also need to slowly exhale (“five-and-six-and-seven”) and go to a new circle again.
This technique can be called the main one, since just 3-4 rounds of counting breathing will normalize the blood supply to the brain, remove the nervous tremolo from the limbs and make you look at the upcoming test without nervous tension. However, for home training it is better to use breathing mantras that set you up for a long-term positive outlook and self-realization.
Signs of excitement
Signs of anxiety include mental and physical reactions:
- icing of extremities;
- sweating;
- hand tremors;
- awkwardness;
- trembling voice;
- forgetfulness, decreased concentration, other cognitive impairment;
- breathing problems;
- cardiopalmus;
- increased blood pressure;
- headache and dizziness;
- abdominal pain;
- lack of coordination;
- redness;
- other individual reactions.
Depending on individual personality characteristics, there are different reactions to anxiety. So, one person will react with confusion and stupor, begin to mumble, stutter, and another person will perceive this as excitement and challenge, become more productive and surpass himself.
Ask yourself an important question
Excitement and nervousness are always accompanied by the fact that a person has an endless conversation with himself and begins to worry about everything.
A method proposed by psychologist Karen Whitehead will help stop this internal dialogue. On a small sheet of paper, write just two (maximum three) words about what is bothering you. You can even arrange them in the form of a list with dots or circles. Look at them and ask yourself:
"It is a fact? Is this true or is it what I think?”
Very often it turns out that we are 100% sure of something that we didn’t even bother to check.
General recommendations
Maintaining the correct daily routine is an important point in the fight against nervous tension.
You need to create your daily routine in such a way that there is enough space for both work and rest. It is also important to alternate between work and rest.
Sound and healthy sleep is something you desperately need. Moreover, it should occur precisely at night and be at least 8 hours a day.
You will have to eliminate alcohol and other stimulating drinks : coffee, strong tea. They excite the nervous system and prevent you from relaxing. Instead, drink soothing herbal infusions based on mint, lemon balm, chamomile, and linden.
Review your diet . Leave only healthy food in it. More vegetables and fruits are beneficial.
Constantly repeat to yourself that sport is your assistant in the fight against relapses of panic attacks. This is an excellent method for relieving tension and releasing negative energy. It increases the level of endorphins in the blood and reduces the amount of stress hormones. In addition, sports will allow you to abstract from your problems. Believe me, a hundred jumping ropes will bring you out of the blues and save you from gloomy thoughts.
In addition, physical exercise improves blood circulation, eliminates muscle tension, and liberates the body. It gives self-confidence, activates thinking, teaches self-control, and, of course, tightens the figure, makes it slimmer, and the image more harmonious. You will receive enormous benefits from playing sports, improve your sense of self and self-perception, and free yourself from certain complexes.
Count
This applies to those cases when you need to undergo an unpleasant procedure and you feel that your heart rate and breathing rates are going through the roof.
Julia Colanello suggests this technique: do not close your eyes (this will make you immerse yourself in the sensations even more), but literally grab your gaze at some object from the environment and hold on to it.
Or give yourself the task of counting what comes into your field of vision: tiles on the wall, flowers on the window. Or ask yourself the question: who does the doctor look like, who does his voice resemble?
