CAN YOU HELP YOURSELF BE LESS ANXIOUS?

CONSULTANT CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST, DR ANNE-MARIE DOYLE, WHO HOLDS GROUPS AT LONDON’S ROYAL BROMPTON HOSPITAL TO HELP TAKOTSUBO PATIENTS DEAL BETTER WITH STRESS, HAS THESE TIPS:

BE MINDFUL TAKE NOTICE OF HOW

YOU ARE FEELING WITHOUT JUDGEMENT.

BE GRATEFUL THINK OF THREE GOOD THINGS THAT HAPPENED TO YOU TODAY.

HAVE A LAUGH A GOOD OLD GIGGLE WITH A FRIEND HELPS US RELAX AND FENDS OFF ANXIOUS FEELINGS.

KEEP A JOURNAL WRITING DOWN THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED TO YOU AND HOW YOU FEEL CAN HELP ALLAY WORRY.

BE KIND TO YOURSELF WE’RE GOOD AT SHOWING COMPASSION TO OTHERS

BUT JUDGING OURSELVES HARSHLY.

TREAT YOURSELF AS YOU WOULD A FRIEND.

ACCEPT WHAT IS NOTICING AND

ACCEPTING PASSING THOUGHTS AS IF THEY WERE “LEAVES FLOATING DOWN A STREAM” RATHER THAN HOLDING ON TO THEM OR TRYING TO GET RID OF THEM IS HELPFUL.

LEARN TO PHYSICALLY RELAX

ONE SIMPLE TECHNIQUE IS

MENTALLY “SCANNING” YOUR BODY

AND CONSCIOUSLY LETTING GO OF

ANY TENSION.

Visit the British Psychological Society website to find a chartered psychologist in your area: bps.org.uk/bpslegacy/dcp