Anxiety goes beyond just being an emotion we can feel. When the body recognizes a threat, it creates a very real “fight or flight” reaction. The heart beats faster and our breathing becomes more rapid, muscles get ready to spring and you become light headed. Relaxing produces a completely opposite effect. It slows the heart rate, our breathing becomes deeper and slows down, muscles loosen up and blood pressure reverts back to normal. The body cannot be anxious and stressed simultaneously, meaning that learning to relax yourself & calm down your anxiety can be a highly effective way of drastically reducing your stress levels.
For anybody who suffers from a anxiety disorder like social phobia or generalized anxiety, there are a variety of anxiety reducing techniques which can help get you through the day. Scheduling at least 30 minutes of stress removing activity a day will go a long way to improving your efforts at relaxing, and reducing your stress levels. The more you practice, the easier it gets.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation
During a period of anxiety, learning to use progressive muscle relaxation will remove the tension from your muscles. With methodical tensing and releasing of all of the muscle groups, your body will start to relax. Once your body relaxes, your mind can not help but follow.
Deep Breathing
Anxiety creates rapid breathing, or hyperventilation. This can lead to dizziness, breathlessness, lightheadedness, and a tingling sensation in the extremities. The effect can be very disturbing, leading to a deepening of anxiety. Taking deep breaths using the diaphragm can relieve the symptoms, and create a feeling of calm.
Meditation
Meditation has long been used in the art of relaxation. Research into mindfulness meditation has shown promise for the relief of anxiety. Studies have shown that the brain actually changes with the continued use of this technique. Activity on the left side of the brain increases, which is the area most responsible for our emotions of joy and peace.
Learning to soothe yourself with beautiful views, calming music, scented candles and even a delicious meal can help many people with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) reclaim their place in the world. It is possible to learn to relax and calm yourself to curb your anxiety, whenever you feel your symptoms returning.
One can diagnose a disorder just by monitoring the period or duration for which the panic attack lasts. Such disorders can vary from person to person. In some cases, it lasts for twenty to thirty minutes and other cases it lasts for even an hour. If panic disorder is not treated on time, it may lead to mental disorders in the future.
Panic attacks can strike anyone, at any place and at any time. However, panic attacks caused by the fear of driving may strike one in situations that they expect, especially when they are driving under certain situations or places. These attacks are often caused by the fear of something, negative imaginations that make a person feel extreme fear to such extent that they lose control of their emotions. In most cases, the patient’s body and defenses will switch to flight or fight mode and the person will exhibit involuntary psychological, emotional and physical symptoms. These symptoms include the feeling that they are losing control, dizziness, sweating, palpitations, difficulty in breathing, blurry vision and inability to think clearly.