Rita Simons & Kevin Gournay explain how you can help us continue our work supporting people who suffer from Panic Attacks, Phobias, Obsessive Compulsive Disorders and other related anxiety disorders.
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It’s hard not to have heard about what is going on in the world at the moment with regards to the corona virus (Covid 19). Whilst news of this outbreak has been understandably concerning for many it has had a more severe impact on the mental health of others, especially those with existing mental health issues.
There are a lot of uncertainties at the moment – if and how the virus will effect us and our families, whether we will have to self-isolate, whether we will have enough food, the impact this will have on our livelihoods and so much more. When we are faced with a lot of uncertainties it can create anxiety for many people.
Whilst it is important to stay informed about what is happening in the UK we also need to manage our mental health so that we can get through these next few challenging months with strength and resilience. The following tips can help to stay calm and find balance despite what is going on around us:
1) Distinguish between what you can and can’t control
When we are going through any challenging situation, distinguishing between what we can and can’t control can help us to manage how anxious we feel. Things that we can control include preparing for potential future isolation, limiting how much attention we pay to the media, focusing on the facts of the situation and not assuming the worst case scenario and these can all help us to feel more in control and less anxious.
Trying to control the things that we can’t can strengthen beliefs about not being in control and lead to further anxiety. Things we can’t control include the decisions that are made by the government and whether we, our family members pr those in our communities will contract the virus. These are worrying times for many so focusing on the things that we can do something about will help us to feel more in control and less anxious.
2) Check-in With How You Are Feeling
Many people are reporting that one of their main worries is how they will cope with the anxiety around the Corona outbreak. Regularly check in with how you are feeling and coping and if you are feeling anxious do something to help yourself to relax. Read a book, watch a feel-good movie, take a walk, do some yoga, breathing exercises or any other relaxation exercise that you find helpful.
3) Stay Connected With Others
Some people are already in self-isolation and this figure may grow over the coming weeks. Make sure you have the contact details of your friends and family and that you check-in regularly with those that are potentially more vulnerable within your community. If you are worried about being alone then try and prepare in advance by reaching out to your community, friends or family or see details below of organisations you can contact for support.
If there is a chance that you have come into contact with the virus or you are self-isolating for other reasons make sure to plan how you will spend your time. This may be a daunting prospect but making a daily plan that includes activities that give you a sense of pleasure or achievement can help keep your spirits up.
We can chose to make the most of this challenging time and look after our mental health by getting creative with how we spend our time. Examples include finding exercise programs to do from home, making sure that friends and family can stay connected with you online and looking up activities you can do with your children if housebound. If you have a weekly bridge game, book club, zumba class or playgroup you enjoy, explore what opportunities exist for moving these online for a while.
4) Manage how much time you spend listening to the news and on social media
If we focus too much attention on Corona news and it becomes our sole focus it can become overwhelming. There is a lot of speculation at the moment which can also further fuel anxiety. Limit the time you spend listening to the news and reading social media posts and chose your sources wisely. Whilst it’s important to stay abreast of the facts from good quality sources any more than this can blow the issue out of proportion and raise anxiety levels unecessarily. If you notice that you are feeling anxious, take time away from the news and focus on looking after yourself or those around you.
5) Manage Your Choices
There have been many news stories about people panic-buying from supermarkets and anti-bacterial handgel having been sold out. It is important to make sure that our behaviours reflect the reality of the situation. If we fall down a rabbit-hole of unhelpful behaviours like excessive hand washing and excessive panic-buying it can make the situation feel even further out of our control, leading to even more anxiety. It is important to follow the advice we have been given and trust that this is sufficient to ensure we are as safe as possible. Not giving in to urges based on fear, rather than reality, can help keep the risks we are facing in perspective.
Focusing on keeping as healthy as possible through healthy lifestyle choices such as eating well, limiting smoking and reducing alcohol consumption can all help give ourselves the best chance of remaining well over the coming months.
6) Beliefs about coping
Ultimately the difference in how we get through these uncertain times will come down to how we think about the situation and how we think about our ability to deal with it. We can’t predict the future and if we focus on our fears and uncertainty and doubt our ability to cope with what will happen we will feel very anxious. If we focus instead on the present and what we can control as well as our strengths, resilience and ability to cope with challenges then together we will get through this difficult time with more calm and ease. By Navit
More about the author; Navit is a qualified and experienced Cognitive Behaviour Therapist and mental health author. She previously worked as a manager and CBT supervisor in a London NHS service but since moving to Cornwall with her family now sees clients privately and online. Navit also writes extensively about mental health, in particular the biological and cultural factors that lead to feelings of anxiety and what we can do to overcome these. In response to the Coronavirus outbreak and the inevitable impact this has on people’s mental health, Navit has written an ebook to give insight and tools to help people manage their feelings of anxiety during the pandemic.
The response to the ebook has been overwhelmingly positive for people in all walks of life. Here are some testimonials:
“It’s made my mind relax and composed and from now on I know how to deal with my anxiety”“I learnt that there are ways I can do more to control my anxious thoughts”
“I’m finding it very useful for everyday worries and (the exercises) have also invaluable for my daughter who is 14”.“It involves real-time exercises. As I found out those exercises work wonders”
Navit’s ebook is normally priced at £9.99 but by using the exclusive code ‘nopanic’ you can buy it today for just £3.50 with a huge discount of 65%!! https://gumroad.com/l/howtostaycalmthroughcorona
It goes without saying that we’re living in unprecedented times. Many of us are forced to hunker down at home with no way of knowing when we’ll be able to go back to our regular routine. Our new normal now consists of working from home, working out at home, finding ways to keep ourselves preoccupied at home—pretty much-doing everything at home.
While staying at home for an extended period seems easy in theory, it actually has an unspoken toll on most people: loneliness. As noted by The New York Times, all the shelter-in-place orders carried across the world can lead to feelings of loneliness and isolation. Humans are naturally social beings and when we suddenly experience a lack of proximity to others, our bodies react accordingly. A study published in PLOS Medicine revealed that lacking any social connection is akin to smoking up to 15 cigarettes per day.
Now that we’re most likely going to continue staying at home in the foreseeable future, it’s vital that you take extra good care of yourself to keep your physical and mental health in check. We’ve already shared a list of ‘Self Care’ tips you can refer to, but here are some more essential self-care tactics that can help you weather the crisis:
Take breaks from consuming news stories.
While it’s important to keep up with the news to get the latest updates concerning the pandemic, you shouldn’t expose yourself to it 24/7 as it may be detrimental to your mental health. Psychology Today notes that chronic exposure to news may only result in incurring vicarious trauma or PTSD. Constantly hearing about the situation can be upsetting, so make it a point to take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories, including social media.
Find ways to connect with other people.
Social distancing does not equate to social isolation. According to the Harvard Health Blog, you should make it a priority to stay connected with your friends and family, even if you’re all far away from each other. This could mean having virtual dinner parties, engaging in online lessons with friends, or even just having a simple chat over video calls to catch up. Since loneliness and isolation can only exacerbate anxiety and depression, it’s important that you maintain your connection with the people close to you as best as you can and reach out for support whenever you need it.
Just breathe.
Sometimes, even taking quick breathers can help with your anxiety. Pain Free Working recommends the following breathing exercises for dealing with stress:
1) deep breathing, which entails leaning back on a chair, placing your left hand on your chest and your right on your belly, breathing in through the nose, letting your belly fill with air, then breathing out through your nose for five consecutive times; and
2) 4-7-8 breathing technique, which involves placing your feet flat on the ground, sitting up with your back straight, breathing in through your nose for a count of 4, holding for a count of 7, then releasing your breath forcefully for a count of 8. Be sure to press your tongue on the ridge behind your two front teeth when you breathe out.
Allow yourself to be a little “gross.”
It may seem absurd, but Self notes that letting yourself be “gross” is another way of self-care. That could mean showering less, eating weird food (and in bed, no less), and letting your brows and peach fuzz grow unruly. Now is not the time to allow socially acceptable behaviours to dictate your life, so from time to time, don’t be afraid to be gross—whatever your definition of gross is.
Remember that this is a hard time for everyone, and you’re not alone in feeling anxious and afraid. But as long as you take care of yourself and cut yourself some slack, you can get through it all.
Written for NoPanic.org.uk
By Rona James
How can No Panic help?
No Panic specialises in self-help recovery and our services include:
Providing people with the skills they need to manage their condition and work towards recovery.
Our aim is to give you all of the necessary advice, tools and support that you will need to recover and carry out this journey. No Panic Recovery Programs
Many people confuse relaxation with recreation and thus it is necessary for anxiety disorder sufferers to learn to relax correctly by the elimination of all muscular tension and stress. This is not achieved by just “putting your feet up” but by learning proper muscle relaxation and then practicing it regularly. It should not only be used when a sufferer feels panicky or stressed out but should become a regular part of everyday life as a prevention mechanism.
Relaxation is the exact opposite of tension which means, that if you practice relaxation on a regular basis, many of your symptoms of nervous tension will disappear. After a fair amount of practice in relaxation, you should have no difficulty falling asleep and your sleep will be deeper and more restful. You will also find that you have more energy for work and play. There should be an improvement in your concentration and mental alertness. Deep relaxation is a skill that is not learned in a day – the more you practice the sooner you will feel the benefits.
Do not expect to be able to relax properly on the first attempt. Like any other skill, it takes time and practice to learn.
This program is designed so that, by learning the difference between tension and relaxation of the muscles, during the program, you will be able to notice when you are getting tense or anxious in everyday situations and you will then have the ability to get rid of the tension and anxiety by relaxing the appropriate muscles there and then.
It is important that you learn to use this method in your everyday life. To do this, you need to learn to carry out “differential” relaxation. This means having the ability to relax any particular group of muscles at any one time. It is therefore essential that you learn these exercises off by heart so that, wherever you are, you can notice tension arising and take immediate action to remove it. For example, you can relax your arm muscles whilst walking along the road and you can relax your leg muscles whilst sitting on a bus.
When you practice deep relaxation, it is important to be in a quiet, warm place where you will not be disturbed, have your clothing loose, be either sitting or lying down, your arms by your sides and your legs uncrossed.
You are now ready to begin the exercise. Do not try too hard as this can bring on tension but allow the relaxation to just happen without forcing it. In the beginning, some people try too hard and consequently they get more tense and panicky. This is perfectly normal and will pass as your body becomes accustomed to being properly relaxed. Follow the instructions but take things slowly.
You should practice this relaxation program at least twice a day until you know it off by heart and are able to relax any set of muscles at any time.
Try to keep your mind focused on the word relax. Keep your breathing regular, shallow and relaxed. Don’t hold your breath and, notice how as you breathe out, you relax a little more. Keep your eyes closed. Breathe in and out through your nose and each time you breathe out relax a little more. Keep concentrating on the word relax.
The following exercises demonstrate the difference between tension and relaxation.
1. The muscles in your hands and forearms:
You tense these muscles by clenching your fists as tightly as you can.
2. The muscles in your upper arms:
You tense these muscles by bending your arms at the elbows and trying to touch your wrists to your shoulders.
3. The muscles in the back of your arms:
You tense these muscles by straightening your arms as hard as you can.
4. The muscles in your shoulders:
You tense these muscles by shrugging your shoulders tightly into your neck.
5. The muscles in your neck:
You tense these muscles by pressing your head back as far as you can.
6. The muscles in your forehead:
You tense these muscles by raising your eyebrows as though enquiring.
7. The muscles in your brows and eyelids:
You tense these muscles by frowning and squeezing your eyes tightly shut.
8. The muscles in your jaw:
You tense these muscles by clenching your teeth as hard as you can.
9. The muscles in your tongue and throat:
You tense these muscles by pushing your tongue against the roof of your mouth.
10. The muscles in your lips and face:
You tense these muscles by pressing your lips together tightly.
11. The muscles in your chest:
You tense these muscles by taking a deep breath and holding it
12. The muscles in your stomach
You tense these muscles by making your stomach muscles hard as though expecting a punch.
13. The muscles in your hips and lower back:
You tense these muscles by arching your back and clenching your buttocks.
14. The muscles in your legs and feet:
You tense these muscles by straightening your legs and pointing your toes down.
Now completely relax for 10-15 minutes and let the feeling of relaxation spread throughout the whole of your body. Keep focusing on the word relax and enjoy that feeling of deep relaxation. Try and return to your daily activities keeping the body as relaxed as you can.
You can get an audio version of this Relaxation Technique.
How can No Panic help?
No Panic specialises in self-help recovery and our services include:
Providing people with the skills they need to manage their condition and work towards recovery.
Our aim is to give you all of the necessary advice, tools and support that you will need to recover and carry out this journey. No Panic Recovery Programs
Phobias are one of the most common types of anxiety disorders. A phobia is an obsessive, intense and extreme fear of an object, place, situation or creature. People with phobias have developed an irrational apprehension about something they perceive as a danger.
Phobias centre on our normal fear mechanism, so someone who has a phobia is perfectly normal except that they have learnt to get frightened at the wrong times or in the wrong places. The nervous system, which carries messages to and from the brain, is continually telling the brain of a phobia sufferer, that there is something to be frightened of when they are in their ‘trigger’ situations or places, even when there is no real danger present. We logically know there is no actual danger as the danger only feels real to the sufferer and not anyone else.
Fear is a natural response in all of us. It keeps us safe by making sure that, most of the time, we are not in dangerous situations. However, sometimes when we are not thinking about what we are doing we do things that are dangerous, e.g. stepping off the pavement without looking and consequently nearly getting knocked down. The shock to our system, when something like this happens, is enormous and very unpleasant. We sweat, shake, tremble and feel sick and our heart pounds. As the vehicle, gets closer, it will probably sound its horn and our ‘fear’ response (taking flight) gets us out of danger. Without the ‘fear’ response we would have just stood in the road.
Fear is something we learn. When you see a child run onto a busy road, they have not yet fully learned the ‘fear’ response. The only thing they focus on is their ball rolling onto the road and so they rush out oblivious to the oncoming dangers. So clearly ‘fear’ in the right place is essential to our well-being.
It is only when some kind of traumatic event triggers panic and the person goes on to attach the awful symptoms they are experiencing with their surroundings, situation or object around them that a phobia might develop.
The good news is Phobias, like all anxiety disorders, can be overcome. It is all about proving that what you are phobic of can not harm you, finding the evidence to prove this, and using some essential tools and steps desensitise the ‘fear’ trigger in your body.
How can No Panic help? No Panic specialises in self-help recovery and our services include:
Providing people with the skills they need to manage their condition and work towards recovery.
Our aim is to give you all of the necessary advice, tools and support that you will need to recover and carry out this journey. No Panic Recovery Programs
Of course the coronavirus is a worry for us all. Indeed, I think it uncontentious to state that many anxiety sufferers will probably worry more than most and maybe even catastrophise the situation.
To reduce worry, it is worth bearing in mind several things:
By Professor Kevin Gournay
CBE FMedSci
Emeritus Professor:
Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience: Kings College: London
Honorary Professor: Faculty of Medicine and Health: University of Sydney
REMEMBER: You are not alone, we are all in this together and if you need extra support then contact No Panic for a whole range of resources, support and advice.
Getting started on the road to recovery from anxiety can feel like a huge hurdle and we all know that quite often the first step is the hardest. One thing to remember is, even taking small steps in the right direction is better than staying where you are. The big question for many people is where do I start?
Listed here are a few ways that you can get started with your anxiety recovery. Here at No Panic, we understand how life-destroying anxiety can be and would really like to help if we can. Take the first step today, many people have done it and continue to get their lives back on a daily basis.
No Panic specialises in self-help recovery and our services aim to provide people with the skills they need to manage their condition and work towards recovery.
Taking care of someone with an anxiety disorder can be extremely testing at times, especially if you have never suffered yourself, but you may be surprised how much of a major role you can play in helping the person recover. Firstly it is important to accept that they are not “putting it on” or “making up” the symptoms. What they are experiencing is genuine, frightening and often life-destroying.
Being a carer of someone with an anxiety disorder can be a lonely job at times, but as a carer you are certainly not alone. Recent statistics show that there are over 6.5 million carers in the UK at the present time. It may be a comfort to know that by helping and supporting your friend/family member you are aiding recovery. A little understanding goes a long way.
Talking to other people in the same boat as yourself can be a comfort Maybe there are local groups in your area that could put you in touch with them? You could try your local Library, Citizens Advice Bureau or the local Doctor’s surgery for details.
Undertaking a carer’s role can put huge pressure on you, it can also cause conflicts or a strain on your relationship with the person you are looking after. This is why it is so important to not only try and understand what the sufferer is experiencing but also take care of your own health and well-being.
Looking after yourself mentally and physically are priorities for a healthy and happy life. A well looked after body and mind produces positive feelings, encourages confidence and boosts self-esteem as well as increasing energy levels and reducing stress.
Self-care is not a one off occurrence, it is something that should be practised on a daily basis eventually becoming a habit for the rest of your life.
SELF CARE TIPS
No Panic specialises in self-help recovery and our services aim to provide people with the skills they need to manage their condition and work towards recovery.
Join one of No Panic’s Recovery Programs and learn anxiety management and cognitive behaviour therapy with a trained leader.
A panic attack is an exaggeration of the body’s normal response to fear. Your heart will start to beat faster, you will have trouble breathing and you may even feel like you are going to faint, have a heart attack or even die. A panic attack can develop very quickly and will usually reach its peak within 5 -10 minutes. The length of an attack can vary hugely but typically lasting between 5 and 30 minutes. Panic attacks can happen anywhere and at any time. Although Panic attacks are extremely unpleasant they cannot harm you mentally or physically. Panic attacks may come out of the blue but they are always triggered by something. Finding the trigger may help you manage the attacks.
All anxiety disorders are centered around our natural reactions to fear. Fear is a natural response in all of us. It keeps us safe by making sure that most of the time we are not in dangerous situations. Everyone of us experiences anxiety at some point in our lives, it is part of being human, it’s the body’s way of signalling a problem or a threat; crossing the road in busy traffic or going through financial/family difficulties, etc. But when anxiety takes control of your life and stops you from doing certain things it becomes a real issue.
Sometimes when we are not thinking about what we are doing, we do things that are dangerous, e.g. stepping off the pavement without looking and almost getting run over. The vehicle, as it is getting close, will probably sound its horn and our ‘fear response’ will get us out of danger. The shock to our system, when something like this happens, is enormous and very unpleasant. This may cause us to have some unpleasant symptoms, sweating, shaking, trembling, feeling nauseous, and our heart pounds. Without this fear response, we would not have reacted but stood where we were on the road and the consequence of that is not hard to imagine.
Fear is something we learn. How many times do we see children run onto a busy road? They have not learned the fear response. Therefore it can be seen clearly that fear in the right place is essential to our well-being. Without it, not many of us would survive very long. Having established that, we need it to survive, what has this to do with phobias or anxiety disorders? The answer is that, over a period of time, the sufferer has learnt to link the fight or flight response to a certain situation, activity, or location as if they were in real danger.
Join No Panic’s Recovery Group and learn anxiety management and cognitive behaviour therapy with a trained leader.