Change and Anxiety - On A Global Scale

Change and Anxiety - On A Global Scale

Welly well well, hasn't the world changed a bit since last time I posted!?

I'm not going to state the obvious, so I won't.

What I will say, though, is that I hope you and yours are safe and well, and that we ride out this storm together and come out the other side with a renewed global strength in unity.

I would like to have a bit of a chat around anxiety though.

Everyone, and I mean everyone, presently will have heightened anxiety levels.

A lot of people who already live with chronic anxiety will be struggling a lot more than usual right now. To you, all I can say is please please please keep doing what you have always been doing - hook into support networks, don't forget to take your medication if that's what you require, and use ALL the tools in your toolbox consistently.

To everyone else - you will be experiencing anxiety for the very first time. Real anxiety. Not just the nervous anxiety you feel before an exam or job interview.

You possibly have not even have identified yet what this strange feeling is, and if not, I hope this at least gives you pause to consider, and to take action to help manage it right NOW.

How anxiety manifests will differ from person to person, but without a doubt there will be a physical response.

I have previously experienced depression along with chronic anxiety, which went for nearly two years, but I have been on top of that, as well as medication free, for the past 12 months. Or at least, that's what I thought!

As the recent events unfolded, I felt myself thinking, well, whatever comes our way, we just deal with it as it comes. Go with the flow so to speak. I've always been that way. Very casual, what will be will be, type of attitude.

But then one day, maybe 10 days ago, I was starting to feel like I could not breath properly. I would just be going along with my day as per normal, and then suddenly I would gasp for a breath of air, thinking "I can't even remember when I last took a breath!".

Which is silly, really, because if I hadn't been breathing, I would have been unconscious by then!

This went on for about a day before the realisation hit me. This is my anxiety manifesting!

So much for 'go with the flow'. Clearly, my subconscious had a different plan, and it was all about survival.

I get the reality of this crisis. And yes there is SO much out of my control, but it is clearly a bother on a subconscious level, which then manifests physically. For me it was shallow breathing, which then led to physical discomfort, and then mild but manageable panic.

When anxiety becomes overwhelming or unmanageable, it can actually become crippling, and can stop you from functioning at a basic day to day level.

This is when our "Survival Instinct Goes Wrong".

I have now come to be grateful for that 18+ months of hell with my previous experience, because without it, I would not have have a set of "tools" to help me self-manage this.

I was chatting to a family member last night actually about this, and mentioned I mentioned I had at least 15 of said "tools" at my disposal.

Then I wondered to myself, is that an exaggeration?

So I sat down and made a list out of curiosity.

I easily came up with more than 15 strategies that I use.

Note that this list is specific to me. Some people will find some things useful, and other things not useful. The best thing to do is implement as many ideas as you can, be consistent with them - that is, form them as new habits - and in so doing you will start to recognise the things that do work for you and the things that don't. Repetition brings results. Doing something once generally won't, and you might dismiss a strategy that could end up being your best one.

My experience, my list of tools, is not in any way meant to replace professional advice (which I do recommend you seek if you are already having problems coping and have never experienced this before). Nor is what I write meant to diagnose or treat any illness or disease.

So without further ado, here is what I do:

1. Hydrate! Drink lots of water. A dehydrated body is already a stressed body!
2. Consume healthy nutritious food. No junk.
3. Vitamin supplements
4. Daily dose of a Herbal stress support tonic
5. Essential oils - a blend for easy breathing, and Frankincense and Copaiba to help me mellow out.
6. Daily dose of sunshine for Vitamin D synthesis, and also because, sunshine is a happy thing!
7. Daily exercise minimum 20 minute walk.
8. Mindful breathing and meditation - 10 deep mindful breaths while leaning my back against a tree is one of my favorites.
9. Afternoon nap if my brain insists it needs a 'reboot'.
10. Hot herbal tea, sipped mindfully. Peppermint and Lime is my fave.
11. Write a gratitude list daily - at least 3 things as soon as possible after getting up.
12. Unplug from the news. It's toxic. Check in once a day with official announcement channels only.
13. Plug in to "good vibe tribes". Facebook has lots of positive groups you can join where the vibe is intentionally kept high.
14. Daily mindset coaching (1 video minimum)
15. Music, and singing out loud (the latter has helped with my breathing)
16. Hugs with a loved one
17. Hugs and pats with a pet
18. LAUGH!! Find something once a day that makes you laugh hysterically.
19. Go to bed at night when tired. Take Magnesium supplement, and Essential Oils to support relaxation (Lavender, Frankincense, Vetiver)
20. Cry it out. If you feel a strong need to cry, for goodness sakes, cry!

I hope this is helpful or inspires some ideas for you.

Please, take care, and until next time

ZenJen xx


[Photo by Valentin Antonucci]