Anxiety

overwhelming anxietyThoughts and anxiety

All of us will become a little anxious at certain points in our lives, it is our body’s natural way of preparing us for something out of the ordinary.  We may be going for an interview, taking an exam, appearing on stage, competing in a sporting event or maybe giving a presentation.  Our anxious feelings come and go and we are able to cope with the situation and move on.

Sometimes our thoughts may begin to run away with us and the anxiety begins to feel out of control.  We may wake in the morning feeling anxious and have no idea why.  We may constantly be over thinking things and thinking the worst will happen.  This can feel overwhelming and quite scary manifesting in physical symptoms as well as psychological symptoms.

Understanding anxiety and possibly getting to the root of it, when it started, where it started, can help to reduce the fear around it.  Looking at our thoughts and how they take off on a tangent can help to slow down the constant chatter in our minds.  The ‘train of thought’ is a useful metaphor for viewing this.  We jump on the train, collecting more and more passengers (thoughts) along the way.  Before we know it, we are miles away.

Mindfulness

Mindfulness can help us to become aware of the fact that we have jumped on the train and it is taking us away, taking us to places we do not want to go.  It helps us to become aware of the train of thoughts as they are coming in and to hopefully get off the train sooner. Mindfulness can also help us to break free of unwanted thinking habits, the “what ifs” and “if only’s”, that are causing distress and preventing positive living.

Talking through the anxiety, unpicking it, alongside some mindfulness techniques can be the key to successfully managing  anxiety or becoming free from it.

Fiona Foster  Tel:  07874 223422 or E.mail: fionafoster02@gmail.com