Anxiety Support Toolkit
My intention for this toolkit is to offer you support that will allow you to cultivate a deeper acceptance and help you build resilience in those moments of deep worry.
I have been dealing with anxiety and dissociation since I was a toddler. I started creating this Anxiety Support Toolkit in 2019, when I first started talking therapy and became diagnosed with PTSD. Although talking therapy allowed me to understand why my heart rate is over 100 BPM while sitting perfectly still, each session left me feeling dysregulated and very heady. As a way of managing my responses I began to experiment with different methods to calm my nervous system. This Anxiety Support Toolkit in 2019 is a result of my personal research and direct experiences. In it you will find exercise, methods, techniques that to this day support me in snapping out of the panic mode.
Whether you are here because lately you’ve been experiencing a lot of stress or you’ve been dealing with anxiety and panic attacks since you were little, I wanted to warmly welcome you and say, you are not alone. According to Mental Health UK over 8 million people are experiencing an anxiety disorder at any one time.1
Anxiety is our body's natural response to threat. When our brain believes we are in danger, it sends out a series of signals to our body, which results in the activation of the fight-flight-freeze response.
Two of the most powerful lessons I’ve learned during my ongoing journey with panic attacks are: they will pass and that our reaction to the physical symptoms can make them worse.
Everything is Temporary
Whenever I experience anxiety, before my mind starts spiralling into ‘the worse case scenario’ I remind myself that this too will pass. Discomfort, physical sensations, or lack of them, is all temporary. After recognising that the nature of this experience will pass, we can begin to focus our attention on the techniques that will help us self-soothe. This acknowledgement also shows us that we don’t have to escape the symptoms for the panic to stop. I personally find it very empowering.
What We Resist It Persists
I’m sure you came across this quote by Carl Jung before. When we experience anxiety we often experience a resistance towards it. This narrative and a need to bypass, fuels more worry, rumination, fear etc. In fact our focus becomes so fixed on ‘not wanting to have anxiety’ which makes it significantly more powerful than it actually is. Without knowing it we amplify the fear and the possibility to be with the discomfort (therefore building resilience towards it) becomes even smaller.
Anxiety Support Toolkit
4:7:8 Breathing
In this breathing exercise, you are going to inhale for 4 seconds, hold the breath for 7 seconds and exhale (or sigh it out) for 8 seconds. This is my go to breathing technique when I’m experiencing a panic attack (or after a long day before I go to bed).
By slowing down the breath and relaxing the body into balance, we are regulating the fight-or-flight response. This practice soothes a high heart rate and calms the heart/mind.
Link to the practice:
Qigong
Methods and forms I’m going to touch on during the short video:
Clearing - a simple way to become aware of what’s happening in the moment, let go of emotions that we are ready to clear and intentionally bring to mind qualities that we wish to cultivate.
Shaking the Body - a quick and effective way to bring awareness to the body, release tension.
Arm swings - simple movement to deepen the body/mind connection.
Moving Clouds - in TCM and Qigong, this forms is believed to soothe the fight-or-flight response.
Turning the Wheel - give your body a delicious stretch, and stimulate the kidneys and urinary bladder meridians; organs associated with the Water element and the emotion of fear.
R.A.I.N
I’ve learned this technique many years ago while listening to one of my favourite Western Buddhist teachers Tara Brach.
The acronym R.A.I.N includes 4 simple steps:
Recognize what is happening;
Allow the experience to be there, just as it is;
Investigate with interest and care;
Nurture with self-compassion.
When I suffered from PTSD in 2019, I was really afraid to be outside. It just didn’t feel safe. After a few weeks of staying inside the house, I made a decision to start leaving my house to walk my dog to a nearby park. Here are some things I did on the go:
Balance Forms - balancing forms (Qigong, Yoga, Callisthenics; choose your fighter ) requires deep amount of presence (if you don’t focus, you loose balance!) You have to put all your awareness to engage your body this way, which means that you are no longer preoccupied on the symptoms in the body. In 2019, you will see me doing balancing forms in the most unexpected places :D
Grounding - Take your shoes off to walk barefoot, lay on the ground, hold something in your hand. Whatever works for you that allows you to connect with the present moment.
Essential Oil in your pocket - almost 75% of our daily emotions are evoked by scent2. Carrying around a little essential oil in your pocket takes you away from your head, and helps you connect with the senses. Experiment with the smells and see which make you feel grounded/energised etc. I love using products from Ede (this isn’t a paid add, I just love the ethos behind the brand, as well as the beautiful variety of smells).
Please take away what resonates, and leave behind what doesn’t. This toolkit keeps expanding so please let me know what did I miss.
Deep bows,
Kasia
https://mentalhealth-uk.org/help-and-information/conditions/anxiety-disorders/what-is-anxiety/
Lindstrom M,, Broad Sensory Branding’, Journal of Product & Brand Management, Vol. 14, Issue. 2, 2005, pp. 84-87
Thank you so much this is really helpful 🩵