Grounding Techniques For Anxiety & Lowering Stress
Grounding techniques for anxiety are meant to bring you back to the present moment and to help you reconnect with the here and now. We can do this by refocusing attention on our breath, on our body, or on the environment we find ourselves in. When we can reconnect to the present moment, to what is actually happening right now, our brain is reminded that in this moment we are safe. Once our brain recognizes that we are, in fact, safe in this moment, our anxiety begins to decrease.
Rewire Your Anxious Brain With Reality Testing
The technique I am hinting at is called reality testing and you can thank Mr. Sigmund Freud for this one. Now I know Freud’s work has been controversial, but this technique really can be so beneficial when we struggle with unhelpful thoughts.
Mood Boosting Natural Remedies
Research has shown that there are a number of ways to naturally improve your mental health. This is great news for anyone who struggles with any level of anxiety or depression on a daily basis and doesn’t want to take medication to help treat it.
Spring Cleaning For Your Mental Health
A chaotic environment leads to a chaotic brain. You can find relief from anxiety by tidying up and getting organized. This helps our brains to feel more in control and safe in our surroundings.
Where Does Anxiety Come From?
Understanding why we feel anxious and where our anxiety comes from can play a large role in helping us to feel more in control. This understanding can also decrease the shame we may feel from feeling anxious in the first place.
Don’t Forget Yourself This Valentine’s Day
Oftentimes it can be much easier to practice kindness towards others, rather than towards yourself. If you have been curious about practicing kindness and compassion towards yourself, enjoy this brief practice to get a taste of what a self-compassion practice can be like.
Start At The Root: Natural Anxiety Relief With Relaxation Techniques
Similarly for the nervous system, when we engage in these calming activities, our nervous system is being taught what to do in order to calm down. Also, the nervous system is being taught that it CAN calm down
Where Does Anxiety Come From?
When the brain perceives the body to be in danger, it sends out both physical signals and cognitive signals in an attempt to save you from whatever danger it believes you to be in. These signals can look like ‘what if…’ thoughts, rapid heart rate, sweating, shallow breathing, etc.. These signals are strong and uncomfortable…for a good reason. Your brain is doing everything in its power to get you away from the threat. If these signals were pleasant, we probably wouldn’t be as apt to get into action, right?
Using the Vagus Nerve To Calm The Nervous System
Our brain is constantly observing our surroundings, making meaning and attempting to ensure our body’s safety. When our brain observes a possible threat, it immediately turns on the body’s threat response system (AKA Fight/Flight/Freeze). It doesn’t even matter if the threat is real, our brain would rather be safe than sorry.