Anxiety Management: Prevention vs. Intervention

When it comes to managing anxiety, we have a few options to consider. There are some practices that fall into a prevention category and others which fall into an intervention category. Prevention includes regular practices, techniques or activities which set yourself up for an overall decrease of anxiety and stress. To put it simply, prevention strategies help to regulate the nervous system so we have an easier time responding to stressful situations. Intervention, on the other hand, involves techniques to engage in when we are in throws of anxiety or panic.

Prevention Strategies

Prevention would be things like maintaining a regular sleep schedule, engaging in a daily meditation, exercising, practicing yoga throughout your week, ensuring you are eating well, using a diffuser with essential oils while you work, and maybe going easy on your caffeine intake.

Intervention Strategies

Intervention would include specific breathing techniques, grounding techniques or general self care that you practice when you notice those uncomfortable warning signs of anxiety. Sometimes, the best thing we can do when we are in anxiety-mode, is to physically get the cortisol-induced energy out. Cardio or interval training is actually great for this. Obviously, it is not always realistic (or healthy) to start sprinting every time we feel anxious, but when our body says to move, it's usually a good idea to listen.

Grounding techniques and breathing techniques can be somewhat interchangeable. We don't need a hundred different options to choose from. We just need a few easy-to-remember and simple to practice options to get our body's calming system to turn on. One of these techniques is called Box Breathing. This technique is so effective, it is taught to and used by Navy Seals! Also, since it is a breath-based technique, you can quite literally practice it anywhere. Check out the graphic below to practice in your own time. The premise is as follows:

Breathe in while you count to 4

Hold your breath while you count to 4

Breathe out while you count to 4

Hold your breath while you count to 4

Repeat

Try this out for 5-10 breath cycles and see what you notice. If you find yourself becoming lightheaded during the practice, take a few normal breaths and resume when you feel ready to.

If you are more of an active learner and would rather get the feel for this practice in meditation form, check out my meditation podcast. You can find additional meditations and mindfulness practices there as well.

Take good care,

Katie