NoPanic

Author: Benlewis2703

  • Understanding Anxiety: What it is and how to manage it.

    By Lily Hirst, Content Team Academic

    What is it?

    What is anxiety? A question commonly asked by us and others. A feeling that won’t let you rest, log off or shut down. Racing thoughts before you fall asleep. A tight chest, a knot in your stomach. Anxiety is your body’s normal reaction to stress; we might think of it as our body’s internal safety alert. But when suffering, it isn’t as easy to view it as just a reaction. You don’t have to live at the mercy of your anxiety, the good news? It’s treatable.

    When focusing on anxiety, the cons outweigh the pros, the cons being persistent worrying and fear, and this often can get in the way of daily life. However, there are some surprising benefits. While anxiety may not seem like a positive emotion, it can motivate you to focus and get ready for any upcoming situations.

    What does anxiety look like? Well, anxiety can look quite different in different individuals; it can range from racing thoughts to a sense of dread that lies right in the pit of your stomach, leaving you feeling restless and on edge. Sound familiar? You’re not alone. In the United Kingdom, just over 1 in 10 of us will suffer from an anxiety disorder at some point in our lives. That’s equivalent to over six million sufferers, all with their own unique experiences.

    Types of Anxiety

    Excessive worrying is the primary symptom of Generalised Anxiety Disorder, the most prevalent of the several types of anxiety disorders. People with this illness struggle daily, making it more difficult for them to focus, work, and travel.

    Panic disorder is another kind of anxiety condition. Do you frequently experience panic attacks? Intense fear? When you have panic disorder, you frequently experience panic episodes without there being any specific cause.  This can leave you breathless, dizzy, faint and even nauseous; the feeling can also be described as an out-of-body experience as you are left feeling “detached from your body”.

    Another form of anxiety is social anxiety, which is also known as a social phobia. Situations where this may occur are when you’re speaking in public, meeting new people, or even eating and drinking in public.

    A question globally asked is “how can we manage our anxiety?” and there are multiple proven solutions which can support you. There are things you can do to support yourself. You may also choose to receive support from trusted others. Fortunately, decades of psychological research have revealed several useful anxiety management techniques. Some of these techniques include cognitive behavioural techniques, mindfulness and meditation, physical activity and lifestyle adjustments, breathing and grounding techniques and professional support.

    How to manage it 

    Cognitive Behavioural Techniques are considered the main treatment that works on our thoughts, feelings and different behaviours. Most anxiety sufferers experience feelings of inflated ideas that feed their anxieties. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy techniques include recognising harmful thought patterns and refuting them using reasoning supported by evidence. Over time, this type of cognitive restructuring may significantly reduce anxiety. I like to notice my anxious patterns and refuse defeat; to help myself, I create new routines such as drinking more water, making my bed and leaving myself more time to be more organised. These routines help me create peace and attempt to overcome my anxiety.

    The Mindfulness and meditation technique helps individuals attempt to break their cycle of anxious thinking. Frequent meditation can teach the brain to become more conscious of anxious thoughts without becoming overwhelmed by them, even if it is just done for five to ten minutes each day. This technique attempts to provide you with daily self-care, and meditation is medically proven to lower anxiety levels and control emotions.

    Physical activities and making lifestyle adjustments are an effective way of controlling anxiety, It is a known fact that exercising releases endorphins, these being naturally produced mood enhancers, while also lowering stress hormones. I found that making lifestyle adjustments helped me through my anxiety journey. I maintained a good lifestyle by having the right amount of sleep at night, eating my 5 a day and embracing my ‘me time’.

    When suffering with anxiety, ‘me time’ can be viewed in such a negative light, but I found that in a world where juggling work, relationships, friendships and responsibilities, there is something incredibly powerful about alone time. Alone time often gets overlooked as socialising and work always come first, but ‘me time’ is essential, it is time out of your day where you disconnect from the world and reconnect with yourself, in this time you recharge your brain and build a relationship with yourself. Alone time encourages self-confidence and productivity.  

    Breathing and grounding techniques are exercises that are performed to distract you from your anxious feelings and bring you back round to the present, Grounding can assist you in removing yourself from unpleasant or difficult feelings, unwelcome memories, and flashbacks. Putting your hands in water, touching objects close to you, taking a quick walk, and carefully inhaling and exhaling are all examples of psychological grounding practices. These techniques are designed to attempt to interrupt your anxious thought patterns and re-engage you with the world and bring you awareness back to the body. Focussing on the outside world, your breath, what you see, hear, touch, or smell, replaces your internal thoughts when you’re grounded. This can lessen the severity of anxious feelings by calming the nervous system.

    Professional support is incredibly important, and there for a reason. One adult in eight receives mental health treatment, with 10.4% of people receiving medication. I am also in that 10.4% who are medicated. Taking medication helped me to regulate my mood and my stress response. I didn’t medicate to ‘fix myself’, I leapt to support myself and to try to control my anxiety rather than my anxiety control me. Medication isn’t the only option. It also includes talking therapy, which helps individuals understand their feelings and make them feel valid while their anxiety tries to defeat them.

    References:

    Mental Health UK (2019). What is anxiety? – Mental Health UK. [online] Mental Health UK. Available at: https://mentalhealth-uk.org/help-and-information/conditions/anxiety-disorders/what-is-anxiety/.

    Raypole, C. (2024). 30 grounding techniques to quiet distressing thoughts. [online] Healthline. Available at: https://www.healthline.com/health/grounding-techniques.

    Mental Health Foundation (2023). People seeking help for diagnosed mental health problems: statistics. [online] www.mentalhealth.org.uk. Available at: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/explore-mental-health/statistics/people-seeking-help-diagnosed-mental-health-problems-statistics.

  • How to Cope with Anxiety: Practical Strategies for Everyday Life 

    By Sahar Islam, Content Team Academic

    Anxiety is a natural response to stress or perceived danger, but when it becomes persistent or overwhelming, it can interfere with daily life. Whether you’re dealing with generalized anxiety, social anxiety, or panic attacks, it’s important to have tools and strategies to manage your symptoms. 

    Here’s a comprehensive guide on how to cope with anxiety in healthy, effective ways. 

    1. Recognize the Signs of Anxiety 

    Before you can manage anxiety, you need to understand it. Common symptoms include: 

    • Racing thoughts 
    • Restlessness 
    • Muscle tension 
    • Irritability 
    • Rapid heartbeat or breathing 
    • Difficulty concentrating 
    • Avoidance of feared situations 

    Learning to recognize these signs early can help you act before anxiety escalates. 

    2. Practice Deep Breathing and Relaxation Techniques 

    Slow, deep breathing can activate your body’s relaxation response. Try this simple technique: 

    • Inhale for 4 seconds 
    • Hold for 4 seconds 
    • Exhale slowly for 6 seconds 
    • Repeat for a few minutes 

    Other helpful practices include progressive muscle relaxation, meditation, or using calming apps like Calm or Headspace. 

    3. Challenge Anxious Thoughts 

    Anxiety often exaggerates threats or jumps to conclusions. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) techniques teach you to: 

    • Identify irrational or distorted thoughts 
    • Evaluate the evidence for and against them 
    • Replace them with more realistic thoughts 

    Example: “I’ll mess up this presentation” becomes “I’ve prepared, and I can handle it even if I feel nervous.” 

    4. Stick to a Routine 

    Routine provides a sense of structure and predictability, which can be grounding when you’re anxious. Try to: 

    • Wake up and go to bed at the same time daily 
    • Schedule time for meals, movement, and relaxation 
    • Break tasks into manageable steps to avoid overwhelm 

    5. Limit Stimulants and Alcohol 

    Caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol can all worsen anxiety symptoms. Try reducing or eliminating these substances and observe how your body responds. 

    Stay Physically Active 

    Exercise releases endorphins, which are natural mood lifters. Regular physical activity also reduces tension and helps regulate sleep—both essential in managing anxiety. 

    • Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise most days 
    • Walking, yoga, swimming, or dancing are all effective options 

    Talk to Someone You Trust 

    Sometimes, simply talking about what you’re experiencing can reduce the intensity of anxiety. Reach out to a friend, family member, or therapist. You’re not a burden—connection is key. 

    If you’re not ready for face-to-face conversations, consider joining an online support group or journaling to release thoughts. 

    8. Consider Professional Help 

    If anxiety interferes with your daily life, seeking help from a mental health professional can be life-changing. Therapies like CBT, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and medication (when needed) are all proven treatments. 

    9. Use Grounding Techniques 

    When anxiety peaks, grounding techniques can help pull you out of your head and back into the present moment. Try the 5-4-3-2-1 technique: 

    • 5 things you can see 
    • 4 things you can touch 
    • 3 things you can hear 
    • 2 things you can smell 
    • 1 thing you can taste 

    Anxiety is common, but it doesn’t have to control your life. Coping with anxiety is about learning what works for you, staying consistent, and reaching out when you need support. Progress may be gradual—but every small step forward counts. 

    References:

    Anderson, E., & Shivakumar, G. (2013). Effects of exercise and physical activity on anxiety. Frontiers in Psychiatry. 

  • Should cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) be the only psychological therapy offered to people with anxiety?

    By Sam Archibald, Content Team Academic

    Anxiety is one of the most prevalent mental health disorders affecting children and adults and can have huge implications for their development and general well-being. CBT can be effective in the short term and is superior to no treatment at all and is found to reduce symptoms and improve function for young patients (Cuijpers et al., 2014) (James et al., 2020). Rates of anxiety are constantly rising and understanding the efficacy, cost-effectiveness and applicability of CBT and other approaches is becoming more crucial to find the best way to support each client and be able to administer each type of treatment quickly to minimise symptoms and stop potential longer-term drawbacks of anxiety. I will analyse studies on anxiety and treating it to determine whether CBT should be the only treatment offered to those with anxiety or if offering a wider range of treatments is the best way for therapists to approach this issue.

    While CBT’s structured approach is effective for many, it does not work the same way for every client. Each person has unique preferences and needs in therapy, and it is important to consider these differences (Swift & Callahan, 2009). This paper will explore the strengths and limitations of CBT, arguing that it should not be the only treatment option for anxiety. Instead, CBT should be one of several evidence-based approaches tailored to everyone’s situation. By recognizing different therapeutic needs, we can help clients engage more fully in their healing process and potentially increase their chances of long-term success.

    Evidence for Cognitive behavioural therapy on anxiety

    Evidence suggests that Cognitive behavioural therapy can be effective for children and adolescents suffering from anxiety disorders. Research shows that CBT is a more effective treatment for anxiety disorders than just leaving adolescents on waiting lists or having no treatment (Cuijper et al., 2014) (Twomey et al., 2015) (James et al., 2020). For example, James (2020) found that there was a remission rate of 49% for the main anxiety disorder when treated with CBT, compared to only 18% for those on a waiting list or receiving no treatment. Highlighting the need for anxiety issues to be confronted in some way. CBT is proven to help reduce anxiety symptoms in close to half of the participants. Scott (2005) stated that anxiety disorders are the most commonly diagnosed mental illnesses among adolescents, with recorded prevalence rates of 17.3% (Kashani & Orvaschel, 1988). The high rates of this diagnosis and lack of research have encouraged more studies on anxiety in adolescents in recent years, it was found that children with these disorders need to be identified and treated immediately to have the greatest chance of reducing the symptoms they are showing (Scott, 2005). Multiple sources I have reviewed all point to the fact that adolescents need treatment as soon as symptoms are showing, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy can be a quick solution to at least reduce the negative effects experienced from anxiety disorders in the short term before a full personalised plan can be set to assist the client.  

    Cognitive behavioural therapy also is valuable in improving the lives of adults as well as adolescents. Loenric et al. (2015) assessed response rates for a variety of anxiety disorders and found that after being treated, they found 49.5% post-treatment and 53.6% long-term response rates. Which was lower than the original estimation of response rates but still showed a significant improvement in the client’s symptoms. The fact a high percentage of response rates were present among all various anxiety disorders shows that CBT is effective among a wide range of different issues not only specific types of anxiety. Multiple methods of measuring the effects of the CBT were used, like observing behaviours, self-reporting, and physical measures. After analysing all available measures an overall decrease in negative symptoms was found, showing how CBT is effective in multiple ways. For example, the client feels better, behaves in a more positive calm manner and can even show lower heart rates and cortisol levels (Roelofs & Peters, 2001) (Loenric, 2015).

    To conclude CBT shows great efficacy for managing anxiety disorders in both children and adults. The fact it can be effective across multiple types of anxiety highlights how versatile the treatment can be. Although it is shown to help clients in the short term by reducing symptoms and improving behaviours, I believe that it should not be the only intervention used on clients suffering from anxiety because an approach using other types of treatments could be more effective, each client benefits most from their own individualised treatment plan to support themselves in the long term.

    Evidence against Cognitive behavioural therapy on anxiety

    On the other hand, James et al. (2020) found little to no evidence supporting that CBT is superior to or even as an alternative treatment. Cuijpers et al (2014) found no significant differences in positive results between several types of psychotherapy, suggesting that the differences in effectiveness may only be very minimal if at all. Showing that other types of approaches can have a similar number of benefits and so providing no reason CBT should be the only treatment offered to those with anxiety disorders. Findings also suggested that the effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy is influenced so heavily by factors like how everyone reacts to the treatment in each study, or the quality of each study conducted that it is hard to truly find that CBT is superior to other treatments. Clients all have individual needs and can respond to CBT very positively or negatively depending on their characteristics or past experiences in life. CBT has rarely been proven superior to other treatments some studies might not be fully accurate due to the substantial number of other factors that could have affected the study and not been disclosed.

    Findings suggest that CBT is not overly useful in the long term (James et al., 2020). DiMauro et al. (2013) found that even though initial treatment significantly helped to reduce symptoms in the client, the long-term benefit of CBT was not as strong as hoped for by researchers. Maintaining the benefit of the original CBT was proven to be harder as time went on with factors like individual characteristics and treatment being personalised to each client influencing longer-term effectiveness more than just sticking with basic CBT therapy (DiMauro et al., 2013). This furthers my point on how exploring other approaches to therapy, as well as CBT, is crucial to finding the correct treatment for everyone over the long term.

    Tolin (2010) also pointed to the fact CBT is not the only treatment that is effective for treating anxiety disorders by creating a quantitative review comparing CBT to other psychotherapies like psychodynamic, interpersonal, and supportive therapies. CBT did result in being superior to psychodynamic therapy and the amount of people significantly affected by the CBT was recorded as small to moderate (Tolin, 2010). As well as highlighting the fact that CBT is not superior to all other therapy approaches, I think that a broader understanding of what makes treatments effective and when they are most effective is needed (James et al., 2020). Most studies fail to recognise other factors that can help reduce anxiety but instead put all reduced feelings of anxiety down to the type of treatment they are receiving at each time.

    Efficacy when comparing Cognitive behavioural therapy

    Baardseth et al. (2013) while conducting a clinical review of the literature comparing CBT to other approaches including Tolin’s study (2010) that I stated earlier also compared CBT to other approaches. It was found that while CBT was found to be superior for clients with anxiety disorders, the evidence is based on only four studies two of which were written before 1973 (Baardseth et al., 2013). With so few studies having been done describing CBT as superior to other approaches like psychodynamic the truth of the results is not fully clear as more research in the area is needed to better establish an accurate view on the efficacy of CBT. Furthermore, the fact two of the four studies predated 1973 lowers the validity of the findings in these four studies. Outdated research might not reflect treatment practices or even experiences patients might have now. For a more clear and accurate understanding of the efficacy of CBT future research needs to use a wider range of more recent studies that includes all the different therapeutic approaches.

    Cost-benefit, client choice and therapist skills impacting what therapy to use

    One positive of cognitive behavioural therapy is that it is cost-effective for treating anxiety disorders because it involves a structured approach which is proven to show results very quickly meaning fewer sessions are required for results to show, reducing cost (ophuis et al., 2017). CBT can also be delivered in different formats like individual, group, or online therapy. Approaches like group therapy can reduce costs as more than one client can be treated at one time, reducing the time and cost of individual therapies. Online therapy can reduce travel costs for both the client and therapist as well as not having to pay for the site at which the therapy would take place, also increasing accessibility.

    I would say that client choice plays an influential role in my belief that CBT should not be the only therapeutic approach offered to treat anxiety. Research shows that allowing clients to choose their therapeutic approach and only being guided by therapists leads to higher satisfaction rates and better overall outcomes (Swift & Callahan, 2009). Though CBT can be effective in results and cost, some people could feel as though it is the approach that best suits them and can prefer psychodynamic therapy which is less structured and delves deeper into emotional issues and personal past (Swift & Callahan, 2009). Clients could be more in control of their mental health and how to better it by feeling as though they chose how to help themselves and can want to take a more active role in their improvements.

    Some therapists could also be better equipped for different approaches to CBT and being able to recommend a treatment they are best suited to delivering can ensure the client gains the maximum benefits possible from the therapy. Having CBT as the only approach usable to treat CBT could prove to be ineffective as certain therapists can have a substantial amount more training and prefer different approaches, forcing both clients and therapists into CBT would be detrimental as the range of options for therapy helps make therapy individual to suit each client’s individual needs and make the client feel heard and that the therapist has their best interests at heart.

    Conclusion

    To conclude, while cognitive behavioural therapy shows high efficacy for treating anxiety in children and adults in the short term, we must recognise that it should not be the only therapeutic approach offered. The fact each client has a varied response to therapy in general shows how important personalising treatment is and client choice in what therapy to use significantly improves client satisfaction and active engagement (Swift & Callahan, 2009). Some clients react better to psychodynamic therapies or humanistic approaches that explore emotional issues deeper, although we must recognise that CBT is very cost-effective and can be implemented in lots of diverse ways and is very structured.

     Furthermore, most therapists have unique training and strength in different approaches to therapy and restricting treatment options to just CBT can stop clients from benefiting fully from the therapy most suited to them, minimising potential progress (Norcross, 2011). The fact anxiety disorders possess many distinct levels of complexity proves the need for a more personalised approach and several types of therapy can explore all unique experiences the client has had. By acknowledging the multiple levels of anxiety disorders therapists can create individualised plans to help a client’s well-being in the long term as well as short term and restricting treatment to only CBT limits how individualised therapists can make each treatment.

    References

    – Baardseth, T. P., Goldberg, S. B., Pace, B. T., Wislocki, A. P., Frost, N. D., Siddiqui, J. R., … & Wampold, B. E. (2013). Cognitive-behavioural therapy versus other therapies: Redux. Clinical psychology review, 33(3), 395-405.

     – Cuijpers, P., Karyotaki, E., Weitz, E., Andersson, G., Hollon, S. D., & Van Straten, A. (2014). The effects of psychotherapies for major depression in adults on remission, recovery and improvement: a meta-analysis. Journal of Affective Disorders, 159, 118 126.

    – DiMauro, J., Domingues, J., Fernandez, G., & Tolin, D. F. (2013). Long-term effectiveness of CBT for anxiety disorders in an adult outpatient clinic sample: A follow-up study. Behaviour research and therapy, 51(2), 82-86.

     – James, A. C., Reardon, T., Soler, A., James, G., & Creswell, C. (2020). Cognitive behavioural therapy for anxiety disorders in children and adolescents. Cochrane database of systematic reviews, (11). – Kashani, J. H., & Orvaschel, H. (1988). Anxiety disorders in mid-adolescence: A community sample. American Journal of Psychiatry, 145(8), 960–964.

    – Loerinc, A. G., Meuret, A. E., Twohig, M. P., Rosenfield, D., Bluett, E. J., & Craske, M. G. (2015). Response rates for CBT for anxiety disorders: Need for standardized criteria. Clinical psychology review, 42, 72-82.

    – Norcross, J. C. (2011). Psychotherapy relationships that work: Evidence-based responsiveness. Oxford University Press. – Ophuis, R. H., Lokkerbol, J., Heemskerk, S. C., van Balkom, A. J., Hiligsmann, M., & Evers, S. M. (2017). Cost-effectiveness of interventions for treating anxiety disorders: A systematic review. Journal of Affective Disorders, 210, 1-13.

    – Roelofs, J., & Peters, M. L. (2001). Cognitive behavioural therapy in chronic pain: A review and new directions. Pain, 92(3), 31–32. – Scott, R. W., Mughelli, K., & Deas, D. (2005). An overview of controlled studies of anxiety disorders treatment in children and adolescents. Journal of the National Medical Association, 97(1), 13.

    – Sigurvinsdóttir, A. L., Jensínudóttir, K. B., Baldvinsdóttir, K. D., Smárason, O., & Skarphedinsson, G. (2020). Effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for child and adolescent anxiety disorders across different CBT modalities and comparisons: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Nordic Journal of Psychiatry, 74(3), 168-180.

    – Swift, J. K., & Callahan, J. L. (2009). The impact of client treatment preference on outcome: A meta-analysis. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 77(3), 449 457. – Tolin, D. F. (2010). Is cognitive–behavioural therapy more effective than other therapies?: A meta-analytic review. Clinical psychology review, 30(6), 710-720.

    – Twomey, C., O’Reilly, G., & Byrne, M. (2015). Effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy for anxiety and depression in primary care: a meta-analysis. Family Practice, 32(1), 3-15.

  • Self-help and Managing anxiety

    By Thomas Swarbrick, Content Team Academic

    The problem

    Experiences of anxiety have become an epidemic amongst adults and adolescents. Whether it takes the form periodic stress or severe phobic symptoms, prevalence rates have concerningly reached an all-time high. But what is it about our generation that leaves us so vulnerable?

    With ever-expanding sources of media, the pool of strategies and guidance for anxiety management can appear endless. Every influencer has their own ideal ‘self-care’ roadmap, each contradictory to the last. It takes no qualification to announce to the world perfect unique de-stress routine. Yet unfortunately, many of these promoted lifestyles are often unattainable or impossible to be practiced in the long-term, only exacerbating the viewers’ stress. Each additional slice of ‘self-care’ advice acts as another task imposed on our already overwhelmed to-do-list, and often these widely endorsed strategies are far from pleasurable. It is ‘common knowledge’ that cold showers, vegetables and early-morning runs are good for us – but what about for the 14-year-old who chronically overthinks? Is training like an athlete going to help them make friends at school? Hence, after five minutes of scouring social media, we are left dizzy, directionless and blindly confused.

    It’s easy to lay the blame on social media – easy enough that everybody is seemingly aware that time should be invested someplace else. But the vast majority, upon being questioned, have no concrete knowledge of what processes embedded in the media incur anxiety. And, like most problems, anxiety cannot be harnessed until its triggers are known.

    Rather obviously, there no universally known determinants for anxiety, we can infer from particular events and subsequent stress/worry responses what circumstances can make anxiety more likely to occur, yet each individual always has their own precursors for anxiety. Nevertheless, social media seems to correlate positively and consistently with anxiety symptoms, indicating that there may be some shared factor.

    Influencers are quick to denounce lazily spent days in place of productivity. Modern culture now teaches us that the resolution to our problems (including anxiety) is found in busy schedules, optimised routines and financial success. But doesn’t this seem… absurd? How are we to console racing thoughts if we manage our time in overdrive? When do we schedule an hour of boredom to simply sit and relax? Sure, the net outcome of productivity is desirable, but surely we can delay such achievements for a more peaceful state of mind?

    Moving Forward

    It may seem counterintuitive, but perhaps the resolution isn’t to indulge in the lifestyle that influencers prescribe, but to decrease the quantity of self-help advice we expose ourselves to. Kierkegaard once famously wrote ‘Anxiety is the dizziness of freedom’ which, in the context of anxiety, can be interpreted as “unless we are free to be who we are, anxiety will undoubtedly follow”. And what’s more restraining on our freedom than having our lives dictated by others?

    Perhaps the answer is commitment. The selection of a few progressive steps forward. A small, gradual implementation of practices tailored to improve our physical and mental wellbeing. Replacing the comparison to lifestyles beyond our reach with changes accustomed to our own preferences and abilities – with the key being that we stick to these adaptations.

    So, what exactly can we do? Which guidance is worthy of our attention? To what strategies are our efforts best spent? Although I am no expert (yet) in the field of psychology, anecdotally I can offer a little wisdom to prompt a positive route. I have had my fair dosage experimenting with strategies to help manage anxiety, yet above all, the subtle art of meditation greatly triumphed any other form of coping.

    Boredom, relaxation and stillness are all virtues that are scarcely seen in modern Western culture but are at the heart of many Eastern traditions. Practice of meditation is assumed within the Buddhist religion; entire lifestyles are centred around the cultivation of a calmed mind. Meditation is an ancient wisdom; it dates back as early as 1500BC and has survived due to its numerous benefits. Admittedly, particularly amongst young adults, upon hearing “meditation” many eye rolls tend to follow. The conventional mental image associated is a little farfetched and misconstrued. Meditation can be practiced in much simpler forms, as Rob Walker puts it “The art of noticing”. One main idea behind meditation is that you are separate from your thoughts. Life continues – no amount of thinking is enough to change the world beyond your head – and how easily anxious we can become. We are so frequently ‘absent’, falling prey to worrisome thought, entirely forgetting to merely exist in each moment.

    Simply paying attention to the breath each morning is enough to disempower such racing thoughts. Anxious thoughts are the pages fluttering whilst flipping through a book, and meditation is the of reading each page, steadily and consciously. The ability to recognise the pervasiveness of one’s thoughts is enough to ease the mind. I am not suggesting we purify our brains from any form of thinking, thoughts are a marvellous tool but instead try to yield some control over the thoughts we prioritise and act upon. Recent forms of Cognitive Behavioural Psychology (CBT) suggest packaging all our worry and allocating specific times to give weight to such thought. More traditionally, we are encouraged to examine our incessant thought through a sceptical lens, evaluating the rationality of them. Both techniques are a form of meditation.

    The Bottom Line

    Modern culture has a good heart. Ultimately aiming to help us manage our anxiety and better ourselves but unfortunately has achieved the converse by overwhelming us. Many techniques are affective for reducing anxiety, and it is the recognition that we only need a select few to nudge us in the right direction. There is only so much knowledge we can acquire about managing-anxiety, and it is easy to assume that the more advice we consume, the better we will be. Stepping back is worth a try, focusing on a handful of personalised strategies, realistic ones we can be consistent with. Anxiety thrives in our own minds, and nobody is better aware of our thoughts than ourselves.

    References

    Kierkegaard, S., Thomte, R., & Anderson, A. (1980). The concept of anxiety : a simple psychologically orienting deliberation on the dogmatic issue of hereditary sin. Princeton University Press.

    Selva, J. (2017, March 13). History of mindfulness: From east to west and religion to science. Positive Psychology. https://positivepsychology.com/history-of-mindfulness/

    Walker, R., Mendelsund, P., & Munday, O. (2019). The art of noticing : rediscover what really matters to you. Ebury Press.

  • How to Minimise the Link Between Social Media and Anxiety.

    By Hannah Parton, Content Team Contributor

    Don’t get me wrong, there are some amazing ways in which social media can help for the better. It creates a feeling of community, support and connects the world together. Having said that, I feel it’s a double edged sword. Some great things come from using it, along with some not so great things. One of those not so great things is something we come to realise in recent years – the correlation between social media and anxiety.

    I spend at least a couple of hours on social media everyday, and for the most part, I do enjoy it. Having said this, I often find myself thinking things like, ‘Is social media making me feel anxious?’, ‘How has this post made me feel?’, ‘Is this content I’m consuming, doing more harm than good?’. Over time, I’ve noticed how this makes me feel quite anxious about how social media is impacting me negatively.

    It’s hard not to get caught up in the negative emotions connected to social media, when the reasons for using social media should be positive. Therefore, I’ve put together 3 things that I try to do to reduce the impact social media has on my anxiety.

    Take Breaks:

    Nowadays, we often feel like we have to check our phones, to keep up-to-date with the world. This can create an unhealthy connection when using social platforms. We feel forced to check the latest posts and news. This isn’t healthy or good for us. It makes us feel uneasy and can create an anxious attachment to social media and constantly checking our phones.

    To help combat this, one thing I try to implement into my life is taking regular screen breaks. For example, in the morning, I don’t check social media until I’ve finished getting ready for work. It can be so easy to check our phones first thing, but by not checking my phone, I don’t feel as anxious in the morning and can just focus on getting ready for the day – with little distractions.

    Another idea is that my partner and I, have no phones at the table during mealtimes. It gives us that break away from the screen and brings us back to the present moment. We have a much more meaningful meal, spending time together, and neither of us are focused on what’s happening elsewhere. 

    This concept may seem scary and impossible to do at first, but trust me, it’s a really beneficial way of having a break from news, posts or content that can make us feel negative and anxious.

    Select the Content You Want to See:

    Anything and everything is on social media in one way or another. Sometimes things can pop up on our feeds that we don’t want to see. It could be something that upsets us, something that we’re not interested in, or something that can be really triggering to us. 

    It’s super important to recognise the themes and content that impacts us negatively. Therefore, one thing I want to try to reduce this from occurring when I’m scrolling on social media, is by muting or blocking things from my feed. Whether it’s a person, page or topic that causes anxiety, worry or upset, I can try to reduce seeing it by doing this. 

    There’s No Need to Rush:

    In the entirety of human existence, we’re the only generations that are expected to be present or accessible 24/7, in one way or another. More often than not, nowadays it’s become normalised to have to respond to every text, comment or thing we see on social media, as soon as we see it. If not, we’ve been conditioned to feel guilty or rude if we don’t respond straight away. 

    In my opinion, I think this is bonkers. We’ve all got so many other things going on in our lives, that social media should not be anywhere near the top of our list of priorities – unless it’s part of your job aha. 

    We need to normalise not feeling forced to interact and respond to things on social media all day, everyday day. It isn’t healthy to focus on anything in life that much. If it’s important or necessary to respond to something, then that is different. But, dropping everything and making sure to like pictures on Instagram immediately is not something you should feel guilty for if you don’t do it. 

    My tip here is, if you don’t feel ready or want to respond to something straight away, then don’t. You don’t have to. Take your time and do it when you’re ready.

    I really hope these tips can help in one way or another, to reduce feeling anxious around using social media and to help create a healthy relationship with it. Give these ideas a go and see if they can help! 🙂

    All the best,

    Hannah Parton

  • Learning to Drive with Anxiety

     By Amy Moore, Content Team Contributor

    When I turned seventeen, all anyone would ask me about was if I would start my driving lessons soon. My entire family was so excited for me, but I just remember being swamped with nerves. My friends spent their teenage years constantly talking about what they’d do and where they’d go once they were able to drive. They spoke of road trips across the country and evening trips to the beach for fish and chips, and yet there was no part of me that felt the same excitement. I would play along and pretend as though it was something that I dreamt of, too, when in fact, it was just another change in my life that I was dreading.

     I knew that I was in a privileged position where I had the opportunity to start learning to drive almost immediately after my seventeenth birthday, and yet I just felt so anxious about the whole situation. I feared all kinds of things. I thought that I’d have a panic attack behind the wheel and wouldn’t be able to pull over. I thought that the roundabouts were just impossible to navigate and that I’d annoy all the other drivers because I wouldn’t ever be able to pull out of a junction. I simply thought that I’d never be able to drive. I thought there were too many factors against me.

     However, what I realised soon enough, was that actually the biggest thing holding me back was being unable to trust myself. It took me months of weekly driving lessons, but eventually, I seemed to come to the understanding that unless I fully trusted myself in the driver’s seat, I would never even get through the driving test, let alone be able to gain the freedom that all my friends had wished for.

    Anxiety is very good at making us doubt ourselves. It’s like a constant mantra of ‘what if you can’t do this’, ‘what if this really bad thing happens’, and ‘what if everything goes wrong and it’s your fault’. And when we tell ourselves about these things over and over again, our brains seem to tell us that because it’s so ingrained, then they must be true. The very idea of opposing the thought seems so impossible that it feels unthinkable to even try.

     After nearly a year of driving lessons, I took my driving test. And for months beforehand, all those thoughts had been going around and around in my head. I had convinced myself that there was no way I could pass, even though my driving instructor seemed positive that I could do it, and my parents knew I was a good driver, their words just faded to nothing. I was so fuelled by anxiety that in the days leading up to my test, I made stupid mistakes in my last few driving lessons that knocked my confidence, and I felt so ill from nerves in the days beforehand that it seemed as though there was no chance of me even getting to the test centre, let alone actually attempting the test. But somehow, I managed to get in the car, and I got to the test centre.

     It was only in those last few moments before I drove off for what could have been the worst forty minutes of driving I had ever done, that I just vividly remember thinking to myself that I was in complete control of this situation. Learning to drive is so difficult because you’re pushed into the driver’s seat knowing practically nothing, and then it’s like you’re thrown into the deep end, onto roads with other drivers. But what you have to realise is that you are in complete control of the situation, and you have to have faith in your own abilities. You have to challenge the constant cycle of anxious thoughts, otherwise everything seems impossible.

     I managed to pass my driving test, and now I have the freedom to go wherever I want whenever I want, which has helped me immensely with managing my anxiety. It has taught me that to achieve things, I have to change my mindset. There is no use in doubting yourself all the time; all you need is the smallest spark of strength to confront anxiety. You have to challenge every ‘what if you can’t do this’ with the simple thought of, ‘but what if I can?’.

  • Imposter Syndrome at University: What Is It and How to Manage It?  

    By Megan Pocock, Content Team Contributor

    For many university students, the excitement of starting a new chapter is often shadowed by an unsettling question: Am I in the right place? I certainly felt this way when I first started. New environments, social demands, and academic pressures can leave you questioning whether you belong or deserve to be here at all. If you’ve ever felt out of place, anxious and unsure in your university experience, you’re not alone.  

    Recognising Imposter Syndrome  

    Imposter syndrome is that sneaky, inner voice that tells you you’re not good enough. It thrives on comparison, unrealistic expectations, and fear of failure, often whispering things like: “I don’t belong here,” “I only got in by luck,” or “Everyone else is doing better than me.” This self-doubt creeps in particularly during major life transitions, like university, and can feel overwhelming.  

    A common misconception about imposter syndrome at university is that it only occupies your first year anxieties. This isn’t true, the doom and gloom can be felt throughout your academic journey. As someone in the midst of my second year, I can openly admit I still feel these doubts regularly—but I’ve also picked up a few strategies to help me overcome them.  

    It’s important to recognise imposter syndrome for what it is: an emotional response, not a reality. Feeling like you’re not good enough doesn’t mean it’s true. Often, these thoughts are triggered by stepping out of your comfort zone, which is exactly what university is all about.  

    Strategies for Managing Imposter Syndrome

    1. Reconnect with Your Why

    When doubts creep in, remind yourself why you chose your university in the first place. Was it the course content, the campus, or the chance to grow personally and academically? Revisiting those reasons can help ground you when you feel out of place.  

    2. Stop the Comparison Game

     It goes without saying that this is much easier said than done. But It’s easy to look around and think everyone else has it together. Whether it’s social media or surface impressions, they rarely show the full picture. Everyone has their own struggles—they’re just not as visible as your own.  

    3. Celebrate Small Wins

     Imposter syndrome often comes from focusing on what you haven’t achieved. Flip the narrative by celebrating the small victories: finishing a reading, contributing to a seminar, or making it to a social event. These little wins add up and can truly change your mind set on what you can go on to achieve.  

    4. Talk About It  

    You’d be surprised how many of your peers feel the same way but are afraid to admit it. The best thing I did at the start of the academic year was open up to my tutor about how I was feeling this immense pressure and anxiety to match others. Opening up to friends or even a student support service can make you feel less alone and help you see your experience in a different light. Imposter syndrome can take such an emotional toll on your self-belief and it’s not something you need to tackle alone.

    5. Fake It ‘til You Make It (Within Reason)

     I have always been sceptical of this advice as I felt it meant I needed to pretend to be someone I’m not. But sometimes acting like you belong can help you feel like you do. Confidence isn’t built overnight unfortunately but embracing this will help you practise self-assurance until it eventually becomes natural.

     One of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned is that discomfort is often a sign of growth. It’s easy to mistake the unfamiliar for failure, but university is a time for exploring who you are and where you’re going. You’re not supposed to have it all figured out from day one or even year two like me. I am still uncertain on where I want to take my career aspirations beyond university and that’s more than ok.

    Some days will be harder than others but trusting the process and staying open to change is key. Whether that means switching courses, joining new societies, or just giving yourself permission to rest, every step you take is part of your journey. If you’re struggling with imposter syndrome, I want you to know that you are not alone, you are not a fraud, and you absolutely deserve your place at university.

  • No Panic, it’s (almost) Christmas!

    By Kelly Carrington, GAWD

    According to a popular festive song, this is the most wonderful time of the year. A time for loving, time for giving, mistletoe and festive beverages, etcetera. Yes, social media is a blaze with the picture-perfect Christmases we’re all planning on having. But wait, what happens if yours doesn’t fit the picture-perfect Christmas jelly mould?

    What if you haven’t started Christmas shopping yet? You’re worried about how you’ll muster up the strength and energy to bash out the Christmas meal, and everyone else seems to have got all of their Christmas ducks in a row. Well fear not, I can assure you that you are most certainly not alone!

    No one wants a Christmas filled with anxiety and stress. Yet year upon year, some of us put ourselves through an ordeal which begins as soon as the clocks go back. This year, to save me from tears, I am going to challenge myself to really hammer it all out…All I want for Christmas, is?

    (Space left blank for you, to decide.)

    Christmas anxiety or anxious about Christmas?

    Anxiety can strip the fun out of any kind of Christmas you might have planned or dreamed of. It is as though we desire to have the high street store ad-style Christmas, but anxiety behaves like old Ebenezer himself, by stripping the Christmas joy right from under us.

    There is a theory behind this.

    The expectation effect (EE) is a psychological theory that works on the same premise as the placebo effect. The mind plays a part in helping to create pain relief, reduce inflammation and a whole host of other sedative functions.

    It stands to reason then that our minds can also positively impact the enjoyment of an event or activity, if our expectations are managed. In fact, studies have shown that physically and mentally our performance is improved. But there is a but. Stress and anxiety and unrealistic expectations lead to negative outcomes. I found David Robson’s book, The Expectation Effect: How Your Mindset Can Transform Your Life, most interesting. (1.)

    Christmas is a perfect example of the EE in play. You want an idyllic Christmas, but the reality is usually a far cry from that. Plus there is a huge amount of stress and pressure you’re under to achieve perfection. Not only is it unrealistic to expect a perfect hitch-free Christmas, it is just not healthy, wealthy, or wise to put such demands on you and your family.

    It’s all about Balance

    Anxiety in small doses can be useful, it can help the mind to think clearly, it can raise energy levels by getting the blood pumping. Too much of it leads to stress on the body and mind.

    The same is true for expectations. Christmas is usually steeped in traditions spanning years with valued sentiment attached to them. Unfortunately problems occur when we place expectations on other people or events, both are out of our control. If the event doesn’t go to plan, then resentment and stress ruin the expected outcome.

    I’ll Set the Scene

    In our minds, it is going to be the most rewarding, heart-warming gathering of souls ever. But in reality we don’t get to see many people because we probably spent the whole time catering, clearing up, and sorting out disputes over who won the game of family Twister.

    Worse still, our expectations can affect the way others behave, and it can affect our perceptions. So we are more heightened and this feeds into the need for perfection. Making us hypercritical and on the lookout for problems.

    I feel like I’m losing the Christmas magic here slightly. But, I have to remind myself regularly, it is just one day!!! Actually, let’s be honest, Christmas starts in shops before Halloween, right after the kids go back to school. Whilst it is not Christmas every day, Noddy, your wish is not too far from the truth. We are embroiled in festive planning for most of the year. It is always in the back of our minds. Where we will feast, who we will celebrate with and where.

    I find that there is this inner, push-me-pull-me situation going on in my head. I’m pushing back against the mince pies on sale in September, but then I’m buying advent calendars in July! I’m my own worst Christmas one-upmanship enemy.

    Inner Intrusive Scrooges Begone!

    I’m painting the worst picture, but in fact, for most of us Christmas is fun. How on earth can we enjoy Christmas, but manage our expectations, when we cannot control others’ behaviours? Well that will truly take some Christmas magic. So short of waving our Christmas fairy wands this year I will be thinking about the things that really matter to me.

    Yes kids, if you could just look up from your devices for 10 minutes, I would actually like to spend time with you all.

    The Happy Formula

    In 2012, two economists, Baucells and Sarin developed a handy formula relating to wellbeing. (2.)

    Wellbeing = Reality – Expectations

    Those with the lowest expectations are the happiest. I think that rings true.

    My Christmas Expectation Management Tips

    • Make a Christmas wishlist and share that with those you love.
    • Draft in extra help and delegate jobs, rather than soldiering on alone.
    • Keep in mind those parts which usually worry or upset us. Set realistic expectations. We cannot control others’ actions.
    • If you are feeling overwhelmed, be sure to step away from the action, have a cheeky mince pie, stare up at the sky, or watch Wallace and Gromit’s Christmas Special.
    • Donate to a foodbank, volunteer or make a call to someone on their own. If you are able to. No expectations, but it will make you feel good.

    The Christmas Sign Off

    Memories which last a lifetime are those filled with love, life and laughter. Try and claw back the best of Christmases of the past by remembering just how little was needed to make it a good one. The core values. Then dress it up a bit of course! Got to have some fairy lights, but as for the rest of the faff…well, that’s for the naughty list.

    There will be ups and downs and, but as long as you manage to snatch some time to do a few of the things you would like to do with the people you love, then that is for the win.

    Embrace the last minute panic, lots of festive cheer, and possibly some anxiety about how your big day will go. I hope this post has given you food for thought and you are able to scrap a few bits off your massive to-do list.

    Merry Christmas all, here’s a photo of my little dog Winnie. She most definitely does not like dressing up for Christmas, too early that is.

    References

    1. Book: The Expectation Effect, by David Robson, (2022)
    The Expectation Effect
    1. Book: Engineering Happiness. A New Approach for Building a Joyful Life

    By Manel Baucells, Rakesh Sarin · 2012

    https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/_/EE-lDC2z8bwC?hl=en&gbpv=0

    Short Bio

    Kelly has been an anxious soul since birth, probably even in the womb. In her day job she is a children’s mental health recovery worker. But in her spare time, squeezed in between being a mum, wife and dog-mum she is also a mental health blogger.

    Check out GAWD (Generalised Anxiety and Worry Diaries) to hear more from Kelly, where she mixes personal stories along with a teeny bit of science to help us make sense of all this mental health stuff!

  • Why You Don’t Need To Manage Or Control Anxiety

    By Anton McCarthy

    You wake up, and your mind spins.

    I’m never going to hit that deadline!

    I forgot to clean the cat’s litter tray! (Poor Kitty).

    Argh, my boss just messaged — it’s not even 8 am!

    Or, you just have those surfacing thoughts about how you might not love your husband after all. Or how you know your friends are laughing at that new business idea you shared last week (trust me, they’re not).

    The monkey mind

    In his incredible book The Untethered Soul, Michael Singer talks about how we all have an “inner roommate” who never stops talking.

    This inner roommate (our narrator) talks for the sake of talking. Nothing it says is of inherent value; it just wants to be heard. Its job is to watch out for and protect you.

    It just wants to stay in touch!

    Like a remote employee flicking their chat messenger to green while they put their feet up, it wants you to know they are “on it.” No worries there.

    The “trouble” with the monkey mind

    As we know, it’s not always plain sailing. The trouble is, instead of discounting the voice of the monkey mind, we take it oh, so seriously.

    In our Western culture, we are conditioned to listen to it. We believe we ARE the voice inside. But like Michael Singer also says:

    There is nothing more important to true growth than realizing that you are not the voice of the mind — you are the one who hears it.

    There is nothing more fundamental to spiritual growth than seeing this truth for yourself.

    The habitual thought machine is the source of countless wars, conflicts, troubles at home, misunderstandings and anxiety and depression — more than anyone could quantify.

    We don’t have to pay the mind’s chatter so much attention

    But let’s not confuse things.

    It’s not that your habitual thought machine is a problem to be grappled with.

    As we said, it’s just doing its thing and providing what it sees as helpful suggestions.

    That DOESN’T mean we have to pay it so much attention though!

    If we must act, we’ll know about it. It will be a matter requiring immediate attention, and we won’t even be listening to it then.

    We’ll be busy acting, getting out of the way of a speeding bus or making sure we hit that deadline we were about to miss.

    Have you ever decided something without thinking about it all that much?

    In those moments, I bet you FELT it was the right call with every fibre of your being.

    That’s because you weren’t lost in your thoughts, hanging out with your trusty thought machine.

    Instead, a feeling kicked in. Instinct kicked in, and you just knew what to do.

    No thoughts were required.

    How do you pay the thought machine less attention?

    I read another great book several years back: The Inside Out Revolution by Michael Neill, an international best-selling coach.

    I highly recommend picking up a copy after you grab The Untethered Soul!

    But something he said about enjoying a calmer feeling inside has always stayed with me:

    There is no better way I know to still the mind than not trying to still the mind.

    That may be a slight paraphrase, but that’s the gist of it.

    If you shake a snow globe and you want it to stop, do you keep shaking it or leave it be?

    And so, with the mind, you can leave it be — let it do its thing.

    You will come back to balance if you allow for it.

    And if the feeling stays, stay with it. Acknowledge it. Allow it. Don’t try to change it.

    Simply observe it, as best you can in each moment – and watch what happens.

    ***

    Explore Anton’s audio tracks on Insight Timer

  • How Walking Helped Decrease Anxiety

    By Amy Moore, Content Team Contributor

     For a long time, exercise was always something that I shied away from doing. It was never something that I enjoyed, and it constantly felt like a chore that I had to participate in. I was always the slowest in school PE classes and swimming, the one sport I could do, unfortunately, became something that felt impossible to do when I began having daily panic attacks. Swimming pools felt so claustrophobic, and my biggest fear was having a panic attack in the centre of a pool and being unable to get out. So I simply stopped doing it. As soon as PE became optional instead of compulsory at school, I stopped doing that, too, and suddenly exercise became virtually non-existent in my life.

     So many people told me that exercise would help me feel better. They said that it would give me something to get up for on days when I refused to get out of bed. At the time, it was hard enough to even go downstairs in my house, so the idea of exercise was the last thing I wanted to think about. And I also just did not want to believe it because it was always something that I had struggled with and had never typically enjoyed. It was actually lockdown which changed my mindset drastically. Suddenly the hour walk we were allowed each day was my saving grace and it became the best part of my day.

     I am here to tell you that actually, those people were correct, and actually, exercise has greatly reduced my daily anxiety. Walking, in particular, is something that I try to make sure I do every day now. There is just something about walking in the fresh air, even if it’s just for twenty minutes, which immediately calms me. I tend to walk at my own pace, often with my dog, in the morning before my day starts and it’s safe to say that I have noticed a huge decrease in my own stress and anxiety.

     I am a person who also gets very anxious about social events, and so I have incorporated walking into my way of dealing with this anxiety, too. I will now purposely park at least ten minutes away from where I need to be so that I can take that time to walk and calm myself down before having to be sociable. I always found that if my anxiety levels were high when entering somewhere busy, then it would be much harder to try and calm down, often leading to panic attacks where I would feel like I needed to leave early. Incorporating a walk into these things has become a way of me taking back control of my own emotions before having to enter a potentially uncomfortable situation.

     I have also found that walking can also be a sociable occasion. Throughout my teenage years, I held a lot of guilt and anger over how I felt anxiety was holding me back from seeing my friends, and I truly felt as though there was no way of getting out of the hold that it had on me. But, as my friends and I have got older and our lives have become busier, walking together has become our way of catching up (it also helps that we forget we’re also doing exercise!) and we usually incorporate a coffee stop somewhere on route, too.

     Within a couple of years, I have gone from someone who despised any form of exercise, overthinking the way that I walk or worried that people would be judging me for walking too slowly, to someone who genuinely credits walking as a crucial aspect of decreasing panic attacks, anxiety, and stress. It has become something that I genuinely enjoy, and I really wish that I had listened to those people who told me years ago that exercise would help my mental health. Every person has different ways of coping with anxiety and panic attacks, but exercise has truly been something that has helped me immensely.