NoPanic

Author: e_aimee

  • The Summer Blues

    By Paris Gill, Content Team Contributor

    Summer in Britain is always a challenging period. Dealing with FOMO becomes a real struggle when your whole social media is filled with exotic travels, and warm summer evenings that are obviously abroad, since it’s August, and it’s still raining here! As someone who’s just graduated, and is enjoying the probable last “long” summer, time for resting has been replaced with feelings of loneliness, burn out, and anger at the weather. So here are some things I have been doing to try and just relax in the rare moments of sun, and be grateful for the time off.

    My feed has been full of friends and strangers documenting, and rightly so, their glamorous holidays all across the world, so scrolling in bed surrounded by rain has felt pretty dull in comparison. The obvious fix, which is easier said than done, has been to limit my screen time on social media, to avoid consuming as much of this content as I have been.

    But in a state of boredom, one of the automatic things we do nowadays is go on our phones to kill time. Now I have some free time, I have really enjoyed picking hobbies back up that I had to abandon during the busy exam season at university. Reading for leisure, rather than my English degree, was something I let slip in order to prioritise work, and so this summer I have made a big effort to reignite my love for reading outside of academia. Try replacing screen time with practicing whatever hobby you have enjoyed in the past which might have been cut to make space for work, or pick up a new one entirely!

    As we live in a sometimes-sunny country, it’s so important to try and make the most of the warm dry weather we are rarely allowed. “Outside hobbies”, such as walking, exercise, and gardening, are not only much more enjoyable in the summer sunshine, but also greatly improve our health. Us brits have an automatic Vitamin D deficiency due to the lack of sunshine we get all year, and high Vitamin D is directly correlational to improved mood. Of course, still applying suncream, getting just 10 minutes of sunlight exposure can really help increase these levels, and thus the summer blues.

    But it’s also good to remember not to feel guilty if we don’t make the most of the sun. Putting too much pressure on making these summer days “perfect” can actually make them less enjoyable if there are either unrealistic expectations placed on them, or the build up to them causes too much anxiety. Knowing your limitations when it comes to socialising, being away from home, or doing too much activity is vital when tackling these “exciting” days out. The heat only makes me feel more overwhelmed, sweaty and exhausted, and so factoring this extra detail into my plans makes sure I know my limits.

    Summer always provides the danger of expectation vs reality, and it’s important to remember that even on social media, no one’s life or holiday is ever perfect. Whether it’s struggling with body image, or the anxiety of being far from home, it’s important to try and stay present in your own moment, and try not to compare yourself to others you see on social media or around you.

    I personally sometimes struggle with the transition itself, and often find myself looking forward to the flight home, and that’s okay! If you also struggle with this, maybe bring some creature comforts like your favourite snacks, or a mug for your breakfast tea with you, just to keep some of your normal routine in place, even when on holiday. Equally, if there’s jet lag involved, then endeavouring to get as much sleep as possible, at the correct times can really help overall with feeling more settled in a different country. Having done my year abroad in South Korea, not sleeping on the flight – although painful at the time – ultimately really helped me align my sleep schedule quicker than I might have done.

    For those of us who have to fit in a holiday between work weeks, I’d also recommend not sleeping on the flight on the way back, unless of course it’s a Sunday night flight! Getting back into your normal routine, starting with sleep, will definitely help readjust back to real life.

    It’s really important to attempt to completely switch off and relax when you’re on time off, and so setting boundaries with your workplace prior to your holiday is vital. A lot of people struggle either with saying no to working on holiday, or switching from work-brain to holiday-brain. Combined with the post-covid era of Zoom and Teams, it can be very easy to slip into remote working even when on time-off.

    However, it’s good to remember that taking a proper break from all work will help renew productivity far more than trying to half-work throughout a holiday. Burn out is a real issue, and so ultimately having a complete break, even if you feel less productive, will overall help exponentially with increased motivation and quality of work when you’re back in the workplace.

    If you’re not taking a holiday this year, the same relaxation theory applies to sunny – or rainy – weekends. If you can, try and do a little bit of travelling to somewhere local, or even a nice long walk in a park, or nearby countryside. Getting away from your home in whatever context is always refreshing, particularly when the weather’s nice. Exploring somewhere nearby, or going to a restaurant or activity you’ve been wanting to try can also be a nice excuse to relax, and try something new.

    Going somewhere local can also be a lot less stressful, and curb the travel and transition anxiety that comes with a foreign holiday, and can be easier to arrange with family and friends. Hosting a summer get-together like a BBQ or, if it rains, dinner and drinks inside, can also place the control back in your hands, and still be a nice excuse to have some summery fun!

    Overall, summertime in Britain doesn’t always deliver what we want it to, and sometimes neither do holidays abroad! But by endeavouring to just stay in the moment, and enjoy the time you have to either relax or have fun with your loved ones, is so important to helping reinvigorate your energy levels before the winter rolls around.

  • Tips for Airport Anxiety

    By Amy Moore, Content Team Contributor.

    One of the most horrible things that anxiety can do is turn something that is supposed to be exciting and fun into an awful experience. I always found that holidays were particularly difficult for me. Instead of being excited in the weeks prior to going on holiday, I could just feel a daily increase in anxiety as the days got closer.  

    I have been fortunate enough to have had a fair amount of family holidays in my life, often abroad, and I always felt so guilty that I’d approach these occasions with a feeling of dread and anxiety instead of excitement. I realised that airports, in particular, were major triggers for panic attacks. Between the manic queuing and the waiting around at a gate, and the impending anxiety of feeling claustrophobic on aeroplanes, airports were the physical embodiment of seemingly every anxiety trigger I had. However, over the years, airports have become much easier for me, and so I wanted to give three small tips that I have found have helped me significantly. 

    1. Keep Yourself Busy

    I found that my most anxious moments were whenever I was standing still. Things like standing in queues, with only my mind to occupy myself, was a quick way for me overthink the situation and I was unable to calm myself down. 

    Now, I make sure that I have something on me to distract and tear my mind away from thinking about any and all anxious thoughts. I would always recommend carrying a book with you, especially one that you particularly love or are invested in. However, I have equally found books difficult to focus on when I am becoming anxious, and so I always carry crossword or sudoku books with me. I find that these are very good at distracting me because I have to think to work out the answers. 

    Generally, I found that keeping my mind busy during these slow moments of being at the airport, meant that I was able to regulate my own anxiety about the situation, and I would have an easier experience. 

    2. Do What You Need To Do

    There is no set of rules of how to cope and manage anxiety, you learn from your own experience. I always felt so much guilt about feeling like I was being a nuisance at airports, that my attempts to try and be less anxious only made me more anxious. As I got older, it became so important for me to understand that I do have a voice in these situations, and I am able to advocate for myself. It took a lot of practice, but over time I felt so much more confident to actually speak that I could tell others what I needed in that singular moment, whether that be a distraction, or time on my own. Do not be afraid to speak up about what you need to do for your own mental health. It actually does help everyone around you to know what they can do to make stressful situations easier for you. 

    3. Give Yourself Time

    The last thing you want to be doing is rushing around an airport. I would always ask that we would get to the airport at least half an hour early, because otherwise I would get so stressed over the possibility that we might actually miss our flight. Doing everything at your own pace may seem impossible when gates close at a certain time, and flights depart at a certain time, but I have found that taking it one step at a time really helps me. 

    However, this tip also applies to the mental aspect. Give yourself time to try and manage these anxieties. One of the hardest things for me to accept was that not everything can be fixed immediately. It has taken me six years to be able to eat before a flight, but the feeling when I was actually successful was indescribable. They are slow steps, but eventually, you’ll look back and realise just how far those steps have taken you.   

    Obviously this small list is not a cure to all airport anxieties that people may face. All I can do is to speak of the things that have helped me over the years, and made both airports and flying a much easier experience for me, and those that I was travelling with. Trust in yourself to know what is best and easiest for you to do.

    If you have a fear of flying, you could book a course of Single Session Mentoring to coincide with the day of your flight.

  • Overcoming Anxiety

    By Mohammed Adil Sethi, Content Team Academic.


    This article aims to identify various methods of dealing with the anxiety problem by encompassing cognitive and behavioural therapy (CBT), mindfulness training, and goal setting planning. It also underlines the need to focus on self-care and taking the professional support of specialists to improve people’s mental well-being and foster a resistant capacity.

    Anxiety is a type of mental health issue suffered by millions of people that influence daily living and overall quality of well-being. It’s pervasive nature can lead to constant pressure and can cause cognitive distress in one’s thinking process and emotional functioning. It is important to equip people with anxiety with genuine tools and strategies that will help them manage their anxiety effectively. In this way, using practices like strategies like cognitive-behavioural techniques (CBT), mindfulness practice, and enhanced goal- setting can facilitate clients’ skills to control anxiety and optimize their quality of life.

    2. Understanding Anxiety

     Anxiety is an umbrella term used to describe a wide range of states that can be observed in people’s daily lives, ranging from everyday worries to clinically significant disorders (Huggins, 2024). Normal anxiety is a pathological response to stress, which is normal and physiologically helps a person to prepare for challenging situations. It is temporary and corresponds to the degree of the stressor in question. For instance, experiencing anxiety before a job interview may increase performance due to an increase in awareness and attention. On the other hand, clinical anxiety is defined as excessive, persistent, and irrational worrying that negatively affects daily tasks (LeDoux and Pine, 2016). Other conditions labelled under this category include Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Panic Disorder, and Social Anxiety Disorder which should be treatable with the assistance of a professional intervention (Cheng and McCarthy, 2018).

    Common symptoms of anxiety contain physical manifestations like high heart rate, sweating, body shaking as well as stomach upsets. Some examples of psychological symptoms include an increased rate of worrying, restlessness, irritability and inability to focus. Triggers include inheritance, abuse genetic predisposition, traumatic experiences, chronic stress and some medications. Timely identification of the aforesaid distinctions and triggers is important towards designing efficient interventions (LeDoux and Pine, 2016).

    3. Cognitive-Behavioural Techniques

     Thought Challenging

    This technique entails recognizing and evaluating the nature of the negative thinking style. People analyse the pros and cons of their ideas and find them prejudiced mostly (Chawathey and Ford, 2016). For instance, the thought “I will fail” requires one to counteract it by recounting previous achievements to get a healthier reaction of “I have succeeded before, and I am now ready”.

    Behavioural Experiments

    Among these is the one that entails putting into practice anxious predictions in real-life situations. For instance, a client diagnosed with social anxiety may go to a social gathering to determine whether their fear of being judged is accurate. Nevertheless, through confronting the fear by noting the outcome, a person can find their anxious prediction is merely exaggerated with their negative thoughts, but in reality they are less anxious (Dagnan, Jackson and Eastlake, 2018).

    Graded Exposure

    In this approach, a person is gradually exposed to frightening and challenging conditions or stimuli. This means that beginning with lower levels of difficulty like speaking in front of a few people, the confidence level is gradually developed as people seize higher levels of difficulty. Generically, it reduces fear reactions and increases resilience (Call, Miron and Orcutt, 2014).

    4. Mindfulness and Relaxation Practices

     Mindfulness Meditation

    Practices like mindful breathing exercises and body scans decrease anxiety through the mindful presence in the current reality. This good practice enables a person to observe their thought process without judging, thereby reducing their impact and strengthening the ability to control emotional regulation (Luberto et al., 2020).

    Deep Breathing

    As diaphragmatic breathing stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, it helps to counter the effect of stress response and anxiety disorders. It also increases oxygenation and relaxes; thus, it is a practical method for reducing stress in the current interdependence.

     Progressive Muscle Relaxation

    This practice is consciously contracted and then relaxed to enhance the physical body’s awareness to reduce anxiety-related tension. In addition to fighting stress, it also teaches people to orient themselves to signs of physical discomfort at their initial stage.

    5. Goal Setting and Action Planning

     Targeting SMART goals is a tool that helps to maintain motivation and define all components to ensure clear progress tracking. The SMART target, stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. For example, the goal of “reducing anxiety” is much more effective than practising 10 minutes of meditation daily for the next month (Jacob et al., 2022).

    Fig: Smart Goal                              

    Source: Author

    Behavioural Activation

    Fig: Behavioural Action            Source: Author

    Behavioural activation entails doing something to change the state of affairs at least by undertaking some simple tasks that exclude withdrawal, which is a common feature of anxiety. For instance, taking a walk or having scheduled social activities can go a long way in improving mood and decreasing anxiety (Cassell, Beattie and Lawrence, 2018).

    6. Seeking Professional Support

    It is highly important for people experiencing anxiety to address the problem with the help of professionals since anxiety treatment entails factors that are more or less outside of self-help options. A specialised form of treatment, Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT) offers structured interventions aimed at assisting an individual and altering maladaptive thought patterns and behaviours (Reardon et al., 2018).

    Counselling is an approach that involves talking through problems and feelings, while finding healthy ways of dealing with them, on the other hand, coaching entails goal-oriented support like planning, preparing and executing strategies for achieving personal and professional goals.

    7. Self-Care Strategies

    Effective self-care measures are useful in supporting the management of anxiety. Adequate sleep is basic because sleep greatly influences cognition function and emotional regulation. The symptoms of anxiety can be eased if one chooses to stick to a set routine for sleep and ensure that the restful environment can alleviate anxiety. Hunger also should be emphasised; a properly balanced diet with the required amount of nutrients is useful for the brain and significantly helps to normalise mood swings, one should limit caffeine and sugar intake which can lead to anxiety (Pilkington and Wieland, 2020).

     Another significant factor is regular exercise that helps relieves stress due to the production of endorphins in the body. Also, healthy relationships enhance emotional support and nurture a sense of belonging that reduces feelings of anxiety. Engaging with other people, having friends, and participating in community events makes people emotionally stronger and provides a very positive reference to anxiety. People can combine these self-care techniques to make a comprehensive strategy for dealing with anxiety more effectively (Call, Miron and Orcutt, 2014).

    8. Building Resilience

    Building resilience is essential to manage anxiety since the person will be able to bounce back from each failure and be able to handle all stressful situations. Strategies like flexibility enable a person to change easily without getting stressed up in a given situation. Proper problem-solving skills empower people to take actions that help to prevent or solve problems and this helps in preventing feelings of helplessness (Reardon et al., 2018).

    Emotional regulation is another aspect of resilience. It embraces one’s capacity to approach and manage emotions appropriately. Techniques such as mindfulness and cognitive revaluation help in keeping emotional stability and thus prevent anxiety from escalating. Therefore, the improvement of these skills allows the person to develop a strong ground on which they will be able to cope with anxiety and support mental health (Simco, McCusker and Sewitch, 2014).

    Conclusion

    Here are some key tools and techniques that may be useful when experiencing anxiety, which include cognitive behavioural techniques, mindfulness and relaxation strategies, as well as developing accurate and specific SMART goals, and seeking professional help. These strategies enable people to regain control of their mental health status. Self-promoting and helping others with anxiety is important, which will therefore contribute to a healthier mental state.

    References

    Call, D., Miron, L. and Orcutt, H., 2014. Effectiveness of brief mindfulness techniques in reducing symptoms of anxiety and stress. Mindfulness, 5, pp.658-668.

    Cassell, V.E., Beattie, S.J. and Lawrence, G.P., 2018. Changing performance pressure between training and competition influences action planning because of a reduction in the efficiency of action execution. Anxiety, Stress, & Coping, 31(1), pp.107-120.

    Chawathey, K. and Ford, A., 2016. Cognitive behavioural therapy. InnovAiT, 9(9), pp.518-523.

    Cheng, B.H. and McCarthy, J.M., 2018. Understanding the dark and bright sides of anxiety: A theory of workplace anxiety. Journal of Applied Psychology, 103(5), p.537.

    Dagnan, D., Jackson, I. and Eastlake, L., 2018. A systematic review of cognitive behavioural therapy for anxiety in adults with intellectual disabilities. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 62(11), pp.974-991.

    Gaesser, A.H., 2018. Befriending anxiety to reach potential: Strategies to empower our gifted youth. Gifted Child Today, 41(4), pp.186-195.

    Huggins, A., 2024. Anxiety to Empowerment: Exercises & Meditations to Stop Stressing & Start Engaging. Llewellyn Worldwide.

    Jacob, J., Stankovic, M., Spuerck, I. and Shokraneh, F., 2022. Goal setting with young people for anxiety and depression: What works for whom in therapeutic relationships? A literature review and insight analysis. BMC Psychology, 10(1), p.171.

    LeDoux, J.E. and Pine, D.S., 2016. Using neuroscience to help understand fear and anxiety: a two-system framework. American Journal of psychiatry, 173(11), pp.1083-1093.

    Luberto, C.M., Hall, D.L., Park, E.R., Haramati, A. and Cotton, S., 2020. A perspective on the similarities and differences between mindfulness and relaxation. Global advances in health and medicine, 9, p.2164956120905597.

    Pepping, C.A., Walters, B., Davis, P.J. and O’Donovan, A., 2016. Why do people practice mindfulness? An investigation into reasons for practising mindfulness meditation. Mindfulness, 7, pp.542-547.

    Pilkington, K. and Wieland, L.S., 2020. Self-care for anxiety and depression: a comparison of evidence from Cochrane reviews and practice to inform decision-making and priority-setting. BMC complementary medicine and therapies, 20, pp.1-15.

    Reardon, T., Harvey, K., Young, B., O’Brien, D. and Creswell, C., 2018. Barriers and facilitators to parents seeking and accessing professional support for anxiety disorders in children: qualitative interview study. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 27, pp.1023-1031.

    Rodricks, K.C., 2023. Examining the influences of anxiety among students, coping styles and the use of self empowerment techniques (Bachelor’s thesis, University of Twente).

    Simco, R., McCusker, J. and Sewitch, M., 2014. Adherence to self-care interventions for depression or anxiety: A systematic review. Health Education Journal, 73(6), pp.714-730.

  • Embracing Womanhood

    By Chaima Kenache, Content Team Contributor.

    A study has found that society frequently shifts the blame onto women, instructing them to adapt their lives to avoid bad situations instead of holding predators accountable (Fawcett Society, 2024). Women often feel scared and unsafe as they face pressure outside the home from people who do not respect boundaries.

    The need to respect boundaries is critical. One in two women aged between 16 and 34 experienced a form of harassment in the last 12 months, and 38% of women in this age bracket reported being followed, catcalled, or subjected to jokes (www.gov.uk, 2022).

    In London, a study by Plan International found that 63% of young women have faced street harassment (Plan international, 2024).

    Women often alter their routes or avoid certain areas to feel safer. This widespread insecurity leads to women feeling extremely vulnerable and leading to feelings of nervousness outside the house. 

    To ensure women feel safe walking outside, several measures can be implemented. Education programs in schools and communities can promote respect and gender equality by teaching the importance of respect for others. Additionally, well-publicised reporting systems for harassment and violence can support women in reporting incidents promptly. 

    Fighting the influence of beauty influencers and unrealistic standards, societal pressures, especially from influencers and media, exacerbate anxieties. A survey by Girl-guiding found that 61% of girls aged 11–21 feel the need to be perfect, often blaming social media for this (GirlGuiding, 2024). Beauty influencers may promote unrealistic body ideals, distorting perceptions of normalcy and feelings of inadequacy.

    Fighting the influence of beauty influencers and unrealistic standards involves promoting media literacy and critical thinking skills. An emphasis on self-esteem, and diverse representations of beauty will help encourage open conversations about self-image and help people to seek support. 

    NHS Choices in the UK offers advice on mental well-being (nhs.uk, 2024). Trusted doctors, school counsellors, and youth support services can provide tailored support. Women who fear going out or walking alone can call the No Panic Helpline at 0300 7729844, available daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

    By fostering a supportive and informed environment, women are able to navigate their emotional growth with confidence and resilience. This counters the harm from unrealistic beauty standards perpetuated by influencers and the media.

    https://www.fawcettsociety.org.uk/news/fawcett-report-hostility-complacency-blame-culture-against-womenWomen).

    https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/creating-an-offence-of-public-sexual-harassment/public-sexual-harassment-consultation#:~:text=One%20in%20two%20women%20aged,that%20they%20were%20being%20followed

    https://plan-international.org/

    https://www.nhs.uk).