Agloomy, untidy living space won’t contribute to maintaining a positive attitude.
When we are suffering from anxiety we often have trouble digesting food. If it isn’t being assimilated properly and there’s a lot of gas, this isn’t helpful in settling the nervous system.
Social support is vital to managing stress. Today, call a loved one, schedule a Skype date or go to lunch with a close friend. Talking with others can do a world of good.
Another option is to get together and engage in an activity that improves your anxiety, such as taking a walk, sitting on the beach or going to a yoga class.
As mentioned before, this is a time of day when energy can drop markedly so travel, which tends to be unsettling to the nervous system, will be even more so at this time.
Obviously there will be times when it is impossible to avoid travel in the afternoon. Just be aware that this is one of a number of things that will be helpful.
Don’t allow yourself to spend time endlessly worrying about something.
In my experience worry is one of the things that most strongly aggravates the nervous system and creates the physiology where anxiety states can take hold – in other words, feeling anxious all the time regardless of what you are thinking.
A useful tool for helping you to let go of worry, reducing anxiety and for solving the seemingly insoluble problem is the GOD BOX. You could also call this your Higher Self Box, or Angel Box whatever suits you. It doesn’t have to be a box – it could be a jar or bag – whatever is convenient, but it feels good to make it special in some way.
In the meantime, while you’re building up breath awareness and your relaxation response, keep track of your panic episodes and write details down. Record the details of a panic attack or anxiety episode on a thought record.
It’s very important to actually write everything down because the process of writing the events down gives you the necessary distance to observe the events and reflect on them.
Event: Sitting on a crowded subway car during rush hour.
Evidence For: Subways do get delayed and stuck underground between stations. About once every 30- 40 times that I ride the subway, I end up stuck for over 15 minutes.
Evidence Against: The majority of subway trains go smoothly and if they do stop, it is typically for 5-10 minute delays.
Using your thought records, make a list of modified mantras that you can use when you’re in an anxious situation. Write them down on a piece of paper and put it in your wallet to keep them with you.
Diet can affect your anxiety levels, although not as much as many people believe. Cutting out oils, trans fats, alcohol and heavy amounts of caffeine are all important. All of these make anxiety symptoms much worse, and the healthier you eat the more likely you’ll experience fewer anxiety symptoms.