How to release yourself from anxiety

The world isn’t exactly a comforting place right now. Economic uncertainty, a government in flux, energy bills rising, wages stagnating, and the odd rogue Lego brick underfoot are all contributing to a pretty strange society.

It’s here that we say that it’s fine not to be doing OK with all of the above. Or anything else for that matter. Among the various ways that worry can manifest itself, one of the most common is anxiety. It can present itself in many ways, as a host of symptoms or just the one. These symptoms can feel strong or simply be in the background.

A feeling of general unease about the world is one symptom, but anxiety can also manifest as physical indicators such as nausea, an increased heart rate, muscle tension, shortness of breath, tiredness, insomnia, and more. It’s a confusing thing and presents differently depending on who you are.

Simple steps

According to industry charity BEN, there are a number of ways to deal with anxiety. The first is pretty simple: breathe. Inhale, hold your breath for five seconds, and exhale. This slows your heart rate, allowing you to relax.

Next, BEN advises the act of meditation. It’s a good way to clear your mind and distract from what’s troubling you. It might sound obvious, but exercise of some sort is also a good way to alleviate symptoms as movement releases endorphins that lift your mood (though don’t overdo it, eh?). Giving your brain a distraction can help, too. Stick a film, TV show, or favourite album on and allow yourself to get lost in it.

BEN’s other piece of advice is perhaps the most important: talk. Talking about how you’re feeling to trusted friends or family can make all the difference. Sharing your problems, concerns or worries with others can put them in a wider context, and the people you’re sharing them with may have been, or be going through, something similar.

If you feel anxiety is affecting your life in a severe way it’s best to seek medical help. There are a number of prescription drugs available to lessen its impact, which some may find helpful. There’s also the option of talking therapies, which can be incredibly effective.

Breaking it down

Anxiety attacks, sudden onsets of fear, panic, and other generally terrible things are by their very nature horrible. They can come out of nowhere or be triggered by something big, such as public speaking, a large event or anything that gets on your mind and refuses to leave.

Should you find yourself in the middle of an anxiety attack it’s a good idea to keep the 54321 method to hand. It calms you down by isolating each of your senses individually, allowing you to get a handle on the situation.

First, focus on five things you can see – identifying things gives your brain something to occupy itself with – then four you can touch, to help ground you. Next, listen out for three sounds – focus on the quieter ones rather than those that may be contributing to the attack itself. Your nose needs to find two things to smell next – smell can be incredibly evocative and help bring fond memories to the fore. Finally, find something to taste – something strong or a taste that you like should do the trick. By the end of these five steps, your brain should have calmed itself so you can deal with the situation a little easier.

Anxiety is a very real thing and it’s more common than you might think. You’re not alone and it’s perfectly fine to not feel OK. The biggest step you can make is the journey to finding ways to cope, but once you make the step, you’ll start to feel a whole lot better.

If you’re struggling with anxiety, visit BEN to find out more

This is an edited extract from IMI's new MotorPro magazine, received free as part of IMI membership.