WAYS TO MANAGE ANXIETY

Aprile 15, 2024

Hello everyone & welcome back to feeling good with Sofy ! In this article I will be talking about some WAYS TO MANAGE ANXIETY. I will also write a little bit ABOUT MY ANXIETY STORY FIRST, SOME EXPERIENCES (to be continued…) WAYS TO MANAGE ANXIETY (Introduction): • I’ve been anxious since childhood, I CRIED EASILY...

Hello everyone & welcome back to feeling good with Sofy !

In this article I will be talking about some WAYS TO MANAGE ANXIETY.

I will also write a little bit ABOUT MY ANXIETY STORY FIRST, SOME EXPERIENCES (to be continued…)

WAYS TO MANAGE ANXIETY (Introduction):

• I’ve been anxious since childhood, I CRIED EASILY & CONSTANTLY at kindergarten, at school & at home (at home especially WHEN I BEGAN GOING TO SCHOOL, in general crying was a way for me TO GET IT ALL OUT, sometimes it helped other times not).

At home, when I cried, my mom would come to me most times & reassure me that it was going to be ok. Noticing (at the age of 6/7) also that I had strong difficulties with math, reading comprehension, made me weaker, (in one of my next articles I will be writing about I AM A D.S.A.), I felt that throughout my school years many teachers, professors did not understand me at all, BUT once again let’s discuss it further on.

•I had, especially at the end of middle school & at high school, always put so much pressure on myself. I felt the need to please others, the need to prove to many people that I was good enough at school. When I didn’t have a good mark I felt like a failure & that increased also my anxiety.

I am so grateful that my parents have always supported me, tried their best to calm me down. Although,there have been several misunderstandings BUT once again we are NOT DESIGNED TO BE PERFECT, they have done what they could .

•I used to slam my bedroom door because I felt like a failure everytime I had difficulties understanding homeworks or had a mini fight with a family member, my bedroom was my escape, a refuge to cry.

At school at a certain point I had to force myself not to cry because I felt very ashamed. NO ONE, THERE (AT SCHOOL I mean, primary, middle school & high school) or rarely (maybe sometimes,when I was really young) would help me out or at least give me some comforting words. At a certain point I began to have more & more ANXIETY ATTACKS, SHORTNESS OF BREATH, until I had to begin taking MEDICATION even if sometimes, afterwards it didn’t help (due also to my highly sensitive personality…I will talk about it ).

Crying a lot (also for depression, which I will discuss further on ), anxiety attacks, shortness of breath are some symptoms of anxiety. I will bring up more symptoms…in my next anxiety article & ways to manage.

There are, I believe, many kinds of anxiety symptoms, I bring up my own .

I still struggle with my anxiety BUT I HAVE MORE TOOLS NOW which I am going to share, some of them (more will come in my next articles… ) with you.

I am so grateful also for my current therapists (supporting also my parents ), psychiatrist who are doing their best to help me both medically & through therapy sessions.

TOOLS TO MANAGE ANXIETY (besides from medication if needed):

(If you have other tips feel free to share! )

✓THE SQUARE BREATHING TECHNIQUE (BOX BREATHING): I was introduced to it when I began taking medication (age 16) BUT it was not untill a year ago that I began to really practice it.

I find it very helpful if I have an anxiety attack or when I have shortness of breath, I normally do it also with my yoga teacher!

I normally count to four BUT you can also do it to seven, five… the most IMPORTANT THING is that when you breathe in five you will continue your breathing cycle counting & exhaling five.

Remember that I am no doctor, therapist, I am using my own words to describe it & if you do not understand… you could for ex. search it or tell your therapist to explain it better!

SO I BEGIN BY BREATHING IN FOR FOUR, THEN I HOLD MY BREATH FOR FOR FOUR THEN EXHALE FOUR AND AT THE END I COUNT UNTILL FOUR BEFORE I BEGIN AGAIN THE PRACTICE. Normally you do exhale throughout your nose BUT you can also do it throughout your mouth if necessary!

✓HRV RESONANT BREATHING EXERCISE: I was introduced to it by my current therapist because last year after doing yoga or meditation by myself, I still had troubles breathing… (another article will be about finding harmony in breathing while doing an asana (yoga position)

Now I always (or almost always) do this as part of my daily routine :) !

Here is the link!

✓ANTISTRESS MASSAGE BALL: my current therapist gave me this ball! I find it really effective during my breathing practices. It helps me to be mindful, truly sensing the tips of the ball on the palm of my hands, you can roll it also on your leg for ex.!

You can buy this kind of ball at Flying Tiger Copenhagen for ex.!

In MY INSTAGRAM STORY CALLED FEELING GOOD I HAVE a story which I show HOW I USE IT :) !