Reducing Anxiety and Worry
Anxiety affects us all.
Worry and anticipation are what have preserved us through the ages. However, it is the extent to which a person worries which determines whether it is a problem. Often Anxiety is increased as a result of the symptoms of Anxiety. A person notices they are anxious and becomes more anxious – perhaps because they are not sure about what the concerns are.
Anxiety can range from worries over a certain situation to General Anxiety Disorder, which is a longer-term and wide-ranging feeling of anxiety about everything, including the anxiety itself. In some cases, the cause of the anxiety is hard to determine as the brain simply buzzes incessantly in circles like a swarm of bees.
Treating Anxiety is relatively straightforward using a variety of approaches, both CBT and others.
For example:
- Relaxation – to combat the physical manifestations of Anxiety
- Mindfulness – becoming aware of one’s own body and reactions in order to not be controlled by them
- Problem Solving – to determine the actual issue, the desired goals, steps required to fulfill them and actual goal setting.
- CBT – analyzing individual worries for their worthiness, reality and clarity. Examining a person’s beliefs and thoughts for accuracy.
- Communications skills – ineffectiveness in communication often worsens the worry
- Acceptance and Assertiveness – often worry is inflamed by a feeling of helplessness. Both the above help the individual either take control of the situation constructively or accept that some things are out of their control.
- Other strategies as suitable for you
Treating Anxiety is longer term. An individual needs to “practice” healthy ways to think and, yes, worry. Most often people have been worriers “all their life”. Treatment is such that healthy worry habits should become the normal way of thinking over time. There is “Homework” involved which is vital to do. This is the “practice” for building healthy worry habits.
Naturally, Hypnosis underpins the above, reinforcing strategies, building confidence, helping in clarity of thinking, visualization, etc.