How Does It Differ From Other Meditation Styles
All meditation styles and practices overlap and build on each other. Their basic foundation is the same: to bring the practitioner insight and introspection.
There is no right or wrong way to meditate, however, the various types of meditation can enhance particular qualities. Based on your personality and needs, one type of meditation may be more useful to you than the other. The 9 types of meditation are:
- Mindfulness meditation
- Loving kindness meditation
- Visualization meditation
Focused meditation, specifically, is the practice of focusing on one single object for the duration of the practice. How this differs from other meditation styles is that it gives the practitioner something tangible to do: focus. Its almost like giving your mind an action to performlisten to this sound, repeat these words, watch this flame, etc. This is also one of the reasons why this particular meditation style is great for beginners!
One of the biggest challenges in any meditation practice is that the mind gets carried away and we lose ourselves to random thoughts. This obstacle is actually a style of meditation in and of itself called Vipassana. However, in focused meditation, we give the mind something to do so that its not simply left to its own devices. This type of meditation is beneficial for beginners and for practitioners who prefer some structure and guidance to their meditations.
You Have An Ant Infestation
ANTs are the automatic negative thoughts that infest yourbrain and ruin your day. If youve got an army of ANTs swirling in your head,they can drive anxiety.
Soothing Strategy: Be careful what you listen to. Dontsubject yourself to hours of TV news, which is constantly spewing outfrightening stats and ghastly projections. And understand that you dont haveto believe every stupid thought in your head. You can challenge your thoughts.Whenever you feel sad, mad, nervous, or out of control, ask yourself if what yourethinking is true. During these difficult times, mental hygiene is just asimportant as washing your hands. You need to disinfect your thoughts, so theywont steal your mind or ramp up your anxiety.
Causes Of Anxiety Fear And Panic
There are many different causes of anxiety, fear or panic and it’s different for everyone.
When you’re feeling anxious or scared, your body releases stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol.
This can be helpful in some situations, but it might also cause physical symptoms such as an increased heart rate and increased sweating. In some people, it might cause a panic attack.
Regular anxiety, fear or panic can also be the main symptom of several health conditions. Do not self-diagnose speak to a GP if you’re worried about how you’re feeling.
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Learn To Avoid Procrastination
Another way to take control of your stress is to stay on top of your priorities and stop procrastinating.
Procrastination can lead you to act reactively, leaving you scrambling to catch up. This can cause stress, which negatively affects your health and sleep quality .
Get in the habit of making a to-do list organized by priority. Give yourself realistic deadlines and work your way down the list.
Work on the things that need to get done today and give yourself chunks of uninterrupted time, as switching between tasks or multitasking can be stressful itself.
summary
Prioritize what needs to get done and make time for it. Staying on top of your to-do list can help ward off procrastination-related stress.
Yoga has become a popular method of stress relief and exercise among all age groups.
While yoga styles differ, most share a common goal to join your body and mind.
Yoga primarily does this by increasing body and breath awareness.
Some studies have examined yogas effect on mental health. Overall, research has found that yoga can enhance mood and may even be as effective as antidepressant drugs at treating depression and anxiety .
However, many of these studies are limited, and there are still questions about how yoga works to achieve stress reduction.
In general, the benefit of yoga for stress and anxiety seems to be related to its effect on your nervous system and stress response.
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How To Help The Child Control Anxiety
When the child enters a chronic anxiety crisis, parents, caregivers and family are very important to try to break the cycle and restore the well-being. However, that task can be quite tricky and even the most well-intentioned parents can end up making mistakes that aggravate anxiety.
So the ideal is that, whenever one identifies a possible excessive or chronic anxiety situation, if you see a psychologist, to make a correct assessment and receive guidelines tailored to each case.
Still, some tips that may help control child anxiety include:
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Dealing With Anxiety And Worry
Anxiety and worry are negative stressors in most situations positive stress is when you feel the pressure and still stay calm. How to deal?
Anxiety and worry are interchangeable. When we worry, we may feel anxiety. When we feel anxiety, we may worry more.
Try to set aside a designated worry time. Quite literally, give yourself permission to be a mess for a while. The release is therapeutic.
When you cap it with 30 minutes, you find ways to stop yourself from having negative thoughts before and after those 30 minutes. You dont stay in the mode. You can always reschedule it if something comes up.
However, if you want to get the most out of this time? Research suggests thinking of solutions. Try to be productive. Before the timer runs out, list as many solutions as possible.
Until your worry time, take a vacation from your negative thoughts. Enjoy it.
You Have Trouble Catching Your Breath
If you feel like you cant take a deep breath, you may beworried its a sign of COVID-19 or a garden-variety cold or flu. But feelinglike you cant catch your breath is a common indicator of anxiety. The treebranches in the lungs are wrapped with smooth muscle, and when youre anxious,those muscles clamp down.
Soothing Strategy: Learning diaphragmatic breathing canhelp loosen those muscles in the lungs so you can breathe freely again. Heresa very simple yet powerful breathing technique. Breathe in for 3 seconds, holdit for 1 second, breathe out for 6 seconds, hold it for 1 second. Do this 10times, and youll start to feel more relaxed almost immediately.
Recommended Reading: How Do I Talk To My Doctor About My Anxiety
Take A Mental Step Back
Anxiety tends to be focused on the future, so instead, try to focus on the present. Tamar Chansky, Ph.D., psychologist and author of Freeing Yourself from Anxiety, suggests that you ask yourself what is happening and what, if anything, needs to be done right now. If nothing needs to be done now, make a conscious decision to revisit the situation later in the day, when you are calmer.
Practice Relaxing Activities With The Child
This is a classic, simple technique and that can help the child control their own anxiety levels when it is alone. For this, one must teach to the child some relaxing activities, which can help to divert the thinking from the fears it is feeling.
A good relaxation technique consists of taking a deep breath, inspiring for 3 and expiring by another 3, for example. But other activities such as counting the number of boys with short or listening to music can help to distract and better control anxiety.
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Sip Some Herbal Chamomile Or Green Tea
If youre feeling jittery, pour a cup of chamomile or green tea. Known as a sleep aid, chamomile contains a compound called Matricaria recutita, which binds to the same brain receptors as drugs like Valium. Chamomiles sedative effects may also come from the flavonoid apigenin. In one study at the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center in Philadelphia, patients with generalized anxiety disorder who took chamomile supplements for 8 weeks showed a significant decrease in anxiety symptoms compared with patients taking placebo.
Green tea, long used in Chinese medicine to treat depression, contains the amino acid L-theanine, which relieves stress, and reduces blood pressure and muscle tension. Nuts, whole grains, and broccoli are also rich in L-theanine.
Put Relaxation And Self
A fully packed schedule would make a lot of people feel stressed. Make sure you take time out each day for at least one thing you enjoy doing whether its spending time on a hobby, watching a Netflix episode, or chatting with a friend. It can also help if you schedule the activity into your day, so that you dont feel guilty about not doing something else. Read our guide to relaxation for more ideas.
If youre feeling overwhelmed, dont be afraid to say no to things when you need to.
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Stay In Your Time Zone
Anxiety is a future-oriented state of mind. So instead of worrying about whatâs going to happen, âreel yourself back to the present,â says Tamar Chansky, Ph.D., a psychologist and author of Freeing Yourself from Anxiety. Ask yourself: Whatâs happening right now? Am I safe? Is there something I need to do right now? If not, make an âappointmentâ to check in with yourself later in the day to revisit your worries so those distant scenarios donât throw you off track, she says.
Yes Medication Can Have Its Place
Talk therapy is rarely a bad thing. Many doctors urge caution, however, with regard to prescriptions, as well as indulging too heavily in self-medicating with beers or rosé with friends.
Benzodiazepines like Klonopin and Xanax, which are among the more frequently prescribed for longer-term use are often effective but have downsides, Dr. Simon said. Their place in the order of recommended treatments has decreased because of associated risks including abuse, physical dependence, and interfering with the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy.
They do have a role for some patients either short or long term as they are generally safe under the care of a doctor, Dr. Simon added.
We would encourage a person to use them only so far as they help deal with the problem, Dr. Rosmarin said. Ultimately, people have to face their fear. To get a person to that place, thats the art of therapy.
Ms. Arthur agreed. Pills dont make you feel better, they reduce the intensity of the episode, she said. But so does talking to someone about it.
As for alcohol, moderation is the key. If youre drinking with people you like and enjoy, she said, I think thats a good thing. Keep in mind, however, that theres an increased association between anxiety and alcohol and other substance abuse, Dr. Simon pointed out. And drinking too much can ultimately make you feel even more anxious. So turn to rosé cautiously.
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What Causes Anxiety Disorders
If you have an anxiety disorder, your body mistakenly triggers your alarm system when there is no danger. This may be because of a chemical imbalance in your body. It also may be related to a memory, to a side effect of a medicine, or to an illness.
Tips to Cope with Anxiety
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Control your worry. Pick a time and place to do your worrying. Make it the same time and place every day. Spend 30 minutes thinking about your worries and what you can do about them. Then let go of the worry, and go on with your day.
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Learn ways to relax. These may include muscle relaxation, yoga, or deep breathing.
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Exercise regularly. People who have anxiety often stop exercising. But exercise can give you a sense of well-being and help with anxiety.
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Get plenty of sleep.
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Do not abuse alcohol or drugs. They seem to help you relax, but in the long run, they make anxiety worse and cause more problems.
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Avoid caffeine. It may make you feel more anxious because it stimulates your nervous system. Also avoid over-the-counter diet pills, and cough and cold medicines with a decongestant.
They Squash Negative Self
A big step in managing stress involves stopping negative self-talk in its tracks. The more you ruminate on negative thoughts, the more power you give them. Most of our negative thoughts are just thatthoughts, not facts. When you find yourself believing the negative and pessimistic things your inner voice says, its time to stop and write them down. Literally stop what youre doing and write down what youre thinking. Once youve taken a moment to slow down the negative momentum of your thoughts, you will be more rational and clear-headed in evaluating their veracity.
You can bet that your statements arent true any time you use words like never, worst, ever, etc. If your statements still look like facts once theyre on paper, take them to a friend or colleague you trust and see if he or she agrees with you. Then the truth will surely come out. When it feels like something always or never happens, this is just your brains natural threat tendency inflating the perceived frequency or severity of an event. Identifying and labeling your thoughts as thoughts by separating them from the facts will help you escape the cycle of negativity and move toward a positive new outlook.
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Move More Eat Well Sleeeeep
Its pretty well-known that exercise lowers stress, reduces anxiety and improves mood. And the good news is: you dont need to run a marathon to get the benefits. It takes just 30 minutes of exercise a day to make a difference. Weve got some tips on how to exercise when you’re not motivated.
Diet and sleep are also really important for your wellbeing. A healthy diet will make you feel healthier and stronger and better able to handle stress, while enough sleep positively affects your mood and stress levels.
How To Calm Down Quickly
Something sets you off, and before long, you feel stuck in an endless loop of intrusive thoughts, pondering every possible thing that could go wrong. Your body tenses, your breathing quickens, and you can hear your heartbeat pounding in your ears.
When you feel anxiety kick in like this, its time to calm yourself down. The first step is awareness. Its a good idea to learn to recognize the first signs of anxiety and get to work right away before experiencing an episode.
Read Also: How To Talk To Your Doctor About Anxiety
Clearly Communicate Your Expectations
Anyone who has anxiety has gotten stuck in thought loops: Those unwanted, repetitive thoughts you cant seem to escape even if you know theyre silly. That kind of thinking is particularly damaging in relationships. For example, maybe your girlfriend doesnt call you after work a few nights in a row like she usually does. Stuck in a thought loop, you figure shes bored with you when the truth is that shes on a project deadline.
You dont want to constantly ask your partner for reassurance, but when something is continually bothering you, talk about it. Say, I know youre busy, but I really look forward to your calls in the evening. When I dont hear from you, my mind gets stuck in a story that youre sick of me.
The person with the anxious mind ruminates, said Jenny Yip, a psychologist based in Los Angeles. Most people with anxiety will ruminate and imagine the worst possible thing happening. Rather than dooming your relationship, clarify and communicate what your expectations are from the start so that your mind doesnt have to ruminate to the worst possible places.