Stress Lessons:
As a hypno-therapist I believe we can do more than just manage stress, anxiety, fear, worry, and panic. I have found over the years that it is possible to change the panic reaction to one of safety and calm. The techniques I prefer are ones that allow us to get to the root of where the panic reactions comes from (the unconscious). When we work that way lasting change happens.
Yet, I have also found that there are many cognitive and behavioral techniques that can help as well. These techniques help people feel more in control.
Whenever we find something that our clients find useful, we add it to our “toolbox” of stress relief tips. Today I’ll start with the first few from the list that my clients came up with. These are techniques that can be done on your own, ones that help to manage, or bring down panic and anxiety.
It’s a good place to start, don’t get discouraged if they don’t all work for you, everyone is different, and remember for true, lasting relief it is still important to get to the underlying stuffed emotions.
Tip 1: What I learned about anxiety.
Mary (name changed)
#1. Don’t even try to get rid of it. Embrace it and just let it be.
#2. Think about what might the message be, what is your body trying to tell you.
#3. Use a breathing exercise (link to breathing for calm)
#4. Use a relaxation exercise (where you imagine each part of your body relaxing)
#5. Continue to accept the anxiety by telling yourself that it’s OK to be upset, or not happy. It’s OK to feel anger, let it come out – don’t try to hide it. Just notice the feelings.
#6. Tell yourself “all feelings are valid”.
Tip 2: Life has it hurdles
Comes from Tom (name changed)
#1. Know it is I normal to have upsets in life.
#2. Admit to yourself, yes it is hard to have panic attacks, it is hard to feel afraid of your own bodily reactions.
#3. Turn it around and think about what there can be to learn. What has having panic given you? There is learning in any obstacle.
#4. It’s OK to feel alone, and while having panic it is understandable that it’s scary to be alone.
#5. All your feeling are OK, we all have feelings, upset, alone and that life is unfair.
Change the “why me” questions to “what is this about.” That small shift in questions makes a difference in what answers your get.
#6. Most important is that feelings are a normal part of life. They pass. See it as an opportunity to grow.
Tip #3. I can handle it!
Comes from Kaila (name changed)
#1. The one statement that really helped is “I can handle it”.
#2. No matter what is going remember you have survived, even when you thought you might not.
#3. People with panic disorder are not fragile, it takes a very strong person to “do every day” with panic in the background.
#4. Look back on all the things you’ve accomplished (even with the panic). Remind yourself all that you are capable of.
Tip #4. Others feel the same way.
Comes from Ed.
#1. I’m not weird. Lots of very “sane” successful people have panic attacks.
#2. When I passed a client coming in for their appointment, I thought that person looked normal, they must not have panic. Then Audrey told me that person had panic too and that maybe that person was thinking the same about me.
#3. So I guess my tip is I’m not alone, others have similar fears even when logically there is nothing to be afraid of.
Tip #5. Expand your comfort zone.
Comes from Fran.
#1. Feel the fear, do it anyway.
#2. Even if you think you can’t, do something in the direction of what you want to do.
#3. One small step, some action will make you feel better about yourself.
#4. Stop beating yourself up for having panic, take a small step every day.
And the last tip comes from a workshop I took with Alex Mandossian –
He said – Turn “I can’t” to “I CAN” !!!
I have found that just changing the words makes a difference. It’s as if the unconscious mind accepts the “I can” message and frees you up to start.
So that’s it for today. As always I would enjoy hearing from you, with any tips you have found helpful. Click here to contact Audrey at my personal email.