This article is meant to help those with overwhelming anxiety. There is much that we can learn from the right people. We share this information to help you and others who are feeling overwhelmed by anxiety.
Have you ever known people who are quite calm in their demeanor?
Maybe you noticed their calming effect on a negative environment or situation?
Such persons can help you and me with overwhelming anxiety. Let explain by sharing a personal experience with you…
When I had my first panic attack, I called 911 believing I was having a heart attack and losing my mind. I was taken to hospital by ambulance. On the way I was having all kinds of anxious thoughts and I remember how calm and unflappable the paramedic was in his demeanor. Whenever I expressed a fearful thought he would counter with a logical response in a calm and very positive manner.
Of course, as a paramedic, this behaviour is very important for patients to experience. I have seen this approach by health professionals countless times when dealing with experienced and talented health care workers. It is incredibly helpful. And it works well with overwhelming anxiety.
This paramedic yielded a great lesson: because you can learn to apply this calming effect on yourself by using something I call a Structured Approach to Anxiety.
What do I mean by a Structured Approach to Anxiety? Well one step,is moving forward by dealing with one thing at a time only. This is partly what the paramedic did whenever I expressed an anxious thought…but there’s more…which another example will reveal:
Think for a moment how an effective meeting works. In order to be productive a meeting must have “order”. In other words one person speaks at a time (ideally) and if too many people speak at once nothing gets done. This is the same thing that happens with your thoughts – you have too many thoughts going on in too short of time – it’s like everyone talking at once – and you get completely overwhelmed – with overwhelming anxiety.
The trick is structuring your approach so you take charge of your thinking by keeping your attention on one thought at a time. Whenever another thought tries to take your attention away, move your mind back to the initial thought. Once you are done dealing with the first thought then you can move on to the next but not before. Like the example of the paramedic you respond to your thoughts in a logical and organized manner. This is quite calming. And your thoughts are not getting out of control.
So here are the specific steps of the structured approach to overwhelming anxiety:
1. You need to become aware of your racing thoughts when you are anxious.
2. You need to make a commitment to a structured and proactive approach (i.e. “taking charge” not gripping for what comes next). This will take time and practice but the payoffs can be very rewarding.
3. When you are focusing on one thought, another one will begin to “tug at you”. Go back and place your attention on the thought you are currently working on. This blocks the spiraling sequence of negative thoughts that can exacerbate your anxiety. This further ties into the above step of taking charge versus gripping for the thought comes next.
You are probably asking what the heck I mean by “working on” thoughts.
This is where step #4 comes in.
4. Use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). For a detailed overview of the process you can click here (and then come back here). But in a nutshell the steps of CBT are: a. write down your thought(s) and b. locate the cognitive distortion(s) in your thought(s) c. then write down some alternative, more accurate thoughts.
It is important to write down each thought, one at a time, because it makes it easier to keep your attention focused and it allows you to put your thought(s) under a magnifying glass (metaphorically speaking) and examine it.
Let me provide an analogy from everyday life that can further expand my point…
Think about someone who calls and leaves you a voicemail (as opposed to sending you an email). If this person had of sent you an email you could have read it at your own pace and analyzed each word if you wish. However if the voicemail contains specific information you need, then you will likely need to write down things like the caller’s name, phone number, and other important information.
What’s my point?
Writing down your thoughts – makes them easier to work with. The importance of writing down your thoughts is backed by a study discussed by Scientific Blogging which indicates a neurological link specifically to the right ventrolateral frontal cortex, an area associated with the function of thinking about words and involved with inhibiting and processing emotions. The study demonstrates that writing down your thoughts can reduce activity in the amygdala, the area responsible for the Fight or Flight response, which is the bases of overwhelming anxiety and panic attacks.
So please understand that a structured approach to anxiety is a discipline that you can learn over time, with huge payoffs. Not only is it very helpful with overwhelming anxiety and panic attacks, it’s extremely helpful in helping you remain focused in all of your emotional thought processes. I hope that you’ll give it a chance today.
I would love to share more helpful information with you..
To obtain even more in depth information about a comprehensive and overall approach to anxiety, panic attacks and agoraphobia, I would encourage you to sign-up for my free newsletter below.
Reference
Scientific Blogging. June 22, 2007. Writing Down Feelings Really Does Make Us Feel Better, Study Says Retrieved June 1,2012 from: http://www.science20.com/news/writing_down_feelings_really_does_make_us_feel_better_study_says