SARAH’S SURGERY
HOW TO FEEL MORE POSITIVE FEELING ANXIOUS Recent events mean anxiety levels are high. Dr Sarah Brewer shares alternative ways to help you feel a little calmer
According to the Mental Health Foundation, at least 6.6% of the population experience generalised anxiety in any given week. As this figure was a result of surveys in 2016, the number affected will undoubtedly have increased as a consequence of the pandemic.
Anxiety disorders typically affect twice as many women as men, partly due to hormonal factors associated with the menstrual cycle and menopause. Anxiety is also linked with stress, which raises cortisol and adrenaline hormones to prime us for rapid action: the so-called fight-or-flight response. Unless you reset these effects with physical exertion, you stay in a heightened state of arousal, which triggers the typical symptoms of anxiety.
Anxiety is not a one-size-fits-all diagnosis – there are different types and different people will have different experiences.
For example, generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) is diagnosed when you spend at least six months worrying excessively about everyday problems, anticipating disaster and you can’t relax due to worries about health, finances, family, career – or just getting through the day. Social anxiety disorder is related to low self-esteem, fear of being embarrassed in public, having to introduce yourself to strangers or just walking into a crowded room. Someone with social anxiety will go out of their way to avoid social interactions, severely limiting their life. Severe anxiety can also follow on from a traumatic event, known as post-traumatic stress disorder. There is an ongoing debate about whether anxiety results from biological changes in the brain, making it more likely to respond to drug treatment, or whether it is psychological and more likely to improve with non-drug approaches, such as cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), relaxation techniques and breathing exercises.
TRY AN APP
The Nhs-backed site good-thinking.uk has resources to help with anxiety. Superdrug’s app Mindcare also offers a doctor-led 15-minute video consultation to discuss mental health issues and guide you towards the support you need.
WRITE IT DOWN
Clarity, alignment and confidence coach Danny Sangha (dannysangha.com) suggests identifying, then throwing away, negative self-talk. Write down this dialogue, so you get it out of your head. Then, strike a line through the list of statements that have been making you feel disempowered. Notice the feeling of release you experience by doing this.
BOUNCE BACK
Karlin Sloan, a global resilience coach, recommends enhancing your capacity to bounce back from change and challenge. Your own self-care is critical; remember to put on your own oxygen mask first. This might mean taking time daily to exercise, meditate, read or listen to music.
SING AND DANCE
Consider joining dancesing – an online choir that also keeps you fit, with classes including dance fitness, singing, Pilates and sessions for mind and body (dance-sing.uk). Singing and dancing are great ways to lower anxiety. Members have access to unlimited on-demand sessions for £20 a month.