Anyone out there feeling a little anxious?

Anyone out there feeling a little anxious?

Anxiety. The word itself can make you anxious.  But the feeling isn’t always such a bad thing – it has its place, both as a motivating force and a way to keep us safe. Pointed out Jeremy Dean, author of PsyBlog: “Anxiety tells us we’re in danger and we need to do something. It was our anxious ancestors who prepared better for winter and made plans to fight off neighboring tribes. The relaxed, laid-back guys never made it.”

But while a moderate dose of anxiety may prolong our life, stronger doses clearly are uncomfortable, if not altogether debilitating.  And the numbers are striking: anxiety disorders affect 40 million adults in the U.S. (one in five), and 11 million children (one in eight) – far more common than one might think.  What’s the good news?  Anxiety disorders are highly treatable.  The bad news? “. . . only about one-third of those suffering receive treatment,” according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. 

So what’s an anxious person to do?  Listen to some expert advice: 

Exercise

It’s on everyone’s list – exercise reduces anxiety, and research shows that as little as 20 minutes a day can make a difference. Said Dean: “The benefits of a little workout extend beyond the gym . . . into everyday life. One study has found that although simply resting reduces anxiety, it doesn’t help protect against stressful events (Smith, 2013). Exercise, though, seems to have a more lasting effect, helping to reduce anxiety when faced with stressful situations afterwards. Indeed, many think exercise should be prescribed for depression and anxiety instead of drugs.”

Meditation

The Mayo Clinic explains that “spending a few minutes in meditation can restore your calm and inner peace.” Said the Clinic: “Anyone can practice meditation. It's simple and inexpensive, and it doesn't require any special equipment. And you can practice meditation wherever you are — whether you're out for a walk, riding the bus, waiting at the doctor's office or even in the middle of a difficult business meeting.”

Noted PsyBlog’s Dean: “To pick just one of many recent studies, Zeidan et al. (2013) found that four 20-minute meditation classes were enough to reduce anxiety by up to 39%.”

Added the Mayo Clinic, “some research suggests that meditation may help such conditions as: allergies, anxiety disorders, asthma, binge eating, cancer, depression, fatigue, heart disease, high blood pressure, pain, sleep problems and substance abuse.” The Clinic goes on to cite six types of meditation: guided meditation, mantra meditation, mindfulness meditation, Qi gong, Tai Chi and yoga.

Yoga

A Huffington Post article explained that “practicing yoga can not only be an effective stress reliever, but also a way to ease symptoms of anxiety and depression. By transferring focus and attention to the body and breath, yoga can help to temper anxiety while also releasing physical tension.” ViraYoga founder Elena Brower told the Huffington Post: "Yoga helps our entire system slow down. . . . Our bodies are programmed to heal naturally, and what stops that healing are all the stressors of daily life. Yoga dissolves those stressors for the time during practice and usually the effects last for hours after."

Think Differently

PsychCentral’s Margarita Tartakovsky encourages us to accept those anxious feelings, and quotes clinical  psychologist Marla W. Deibler who said: “Anxiety is just a feeling, like any other feeling”.  Tartakovsky goes on to list nine tips for reducing anxiety:

1.      Take a deep breath;

2.      Accept that you’re anxious;

3.      Realize that your brain is playing tricks on you;

4.      Question your thoughts;

5.      Use a calming visualization;

6.      Be an observer, without judgment;

7.      Use positive self-talk;

8.      Focus on right now; and

9.      Focus on meaningful activities.

Dean adds that “one of the best ways of reducing anxiety is to think about situations differently.  It’s not an exam; it’s a fun little quiz. It’s not a scary presentation; it’s a little chat with a few colleagues. It’s not a job interview; it’s a chance to meet some new people. Most situations can be re-framed in this way and studies show that people who do this naturally – as opposed to trying to suppress their anxiety – feel less anxious in stressful social situations (Llewellyn et al., 2013).”

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