Ways to Deal with High Anxiety!

Anxious? Nervous? Feel afraid? Things out of control? Worries swirling around in your head? Feeling dizzy? Hot? Heart palpitations? High anxiety is not an enjoyable experience. It’s your sympathetic nervous system, fight/flight response on overdrive, and your parasympathetic nervous system not stepping in to calm you down.

Here are some ways to work towards regulating your nervous system:

1. Remind yourself, this is my nervous system kicking into high gear because…? (i.e. I’m worried my boss is disappointed with my performance. I got in a car accident and now driving feels scary.)

2. Reassure yourself, it’s okay to feel this way when we are scared, overwhelmed, or stressed. It’s a normal response.

3. Lay flat on your back with your feet elevated and focus on slowing your breath.

4. Assess, are you actually safe right now? Tell yourself, I am safe right now if you are safe right now.

5. Change your body position, the room or space you’re in, or move. Go on a walk. Stretch.

6. Try listening to bilateral music with headphones on. Here’s a great album: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wq4DByJi-ro&list=OLAK5uy_m2eLiAjD_Xkgcx3obywnigYqd1qdlaJ3I

7. Listen to this meditation to ‘Calm Your Nerves’ by Amy Patee: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyLHiSVHmk0&t=3s

Coriander Living Collective is here to support you in decreasing your anxiety by learning ways to regulate your nervous system, and healing the root cause of your anxiety through EMDR therapy and Brainspotting. Reach out for a free consultation!