Category: Articles by No Panic Volunteers

Research has shown that clutter has a negative effect on our lives. Our brain likes order as it can process information quicker and more efficiently in an organised environment. Most of us like to feel in control of not just ourselves, but our surroundings too.

Let’s face it, going to the wardrobe is probably one of the first things we do each day. Seeing clothes in an orderly manner is easier on the eye which automatically causes less stress. Another benefit of a good clear out is, by getting rid of things you never wear will you will have a smaller selection of clothes to scour through leaving you more time to do other things.

So now we know that a tidy closet is good for our mental wealth, how do we create it?

1. Start gently. Sort your clothes into three piles: A) Wear often. B) Wear occasionally. C)Haven’t worn for the last 12 months. Now all of the items in pile C, bag up and either sell or give away.
2. Make sure you have just enough hangers for the size of your wardrobe. Then, if you purchase something new, it means you will have to exchange it for something old.
3. Reduce the clutter by season. Store away your summer season clothes through the cooler months and vice versa for the winter clothes.
4. Keep shoes in boxes and stack them tidily on top of each other. This is not only a great way to keep them tidy and easy to find but also prevents dust collection.

That’s it! Declutter your wardrobe and you will reduce stress immediately.

You know that thing that you’ve been putting off, well do it today. There is nothing like getting things done to give your mind a positive boost.

We all have that drawer or cupboard that could do with a ‘spring clean’ and although it may seem like a frightening task to start, you might be pleasantly surprised at just how quickly you will get the job done when you’ve made your mind up to get cracking. Not forgetting the feel-good factor you will quickly sense by getting the job done.

Life can be stressful enough without having to contend with having your house in turmoil too. Keeping your home tidy and clean is not only good for your health but also good for your mindset. Clutter has a way of distracting you from important things and can also stop you from putting your hands on things when you need them. So clean out those junk drawers and messy cupboards. You can even sort out the toy cupboard and your wardrobes and donate unwanted items to charity.

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

How often do you self-criticise or focus on things you don’t like about yourself?

The way we talk to ourselves on a day to day basis is so incredibly important, not just during recovery from panic and anxiety but for our general well-being throughout life. If you talk to yourself in a negative and detrimental way this will automatically cause stress and pessimism. Focusing on negative thoughts about your body and mind can decrease motivation and leave you feeling helpless and depressed.

If each time you look at your reflection in the mirror and say “I look fat”, your brain will believe what you are telling it and you will just take this as the truth. Luckily this also works the other way. If each time you look at your reflection in the mirror and say “I look happy and healthy” then this too will be recognised by your subconscious mind.

Remember that even if at first you don’t believe what you are telling yourself, your brain can be convinced with a bit of determination. By persisting and repeating positive self-talk, you will notice a change within a few weeks. Remind yourself every day that you need to be really careful on how you talk to yourself because you are always listening.

Take a good look at where and when you talk to yourself in a negative way or where you put yourself down and change the self-talk to something more positive. Here are some examples of positive statements you can use:

• When I am feeling anxious, I will accept the way I am feeling and take some time out.
• When I start to feel negative, I will replace these thoughts with positive ones.
• I know that I am capable to float through fear and come out the other side.
• It is not what is going on around me that makes me feel anxious but the way I react to what is going on.
• I am on the road to recovery and getting better day by day.
• The less attention I give panicky feelings, the quicker they leave me.
• I understand that however distressing the panic is, it is just a bunch of feelings and not harmful to me in any way.
• I am the only thinker in my mind and I have control over my thoughts.
• know how to use relaxation and breathing exercises to relax my body and mind.
• I have nothing to fear. I have come through before and I will again, I am safe.
• If I start to feel anxious I will concentrate on the here and now. I will focus on my surroundings, on things I can see, touch, smell, hear and feel.
• I am no longer fighting anxiety and panic. I accept the feelings and breathe through them.
• I am confident in knowing that I am getting stronger day by day.
• Anxiety lies to me. I am healthy and have the right to be happy.
• I and no one else are in control of my life.
• I welcome peace and serenity into my life every day.
• Happy thoughts help create a happy life.

The way we speak to ourselves actually has the power to become what we believe. Writing this down on paper makes it even more real. Finding the good in yourself can be hard at times, especially if you tend to think negatively but remember that anything is possible with practice. When you love and appreciate the real you, everything around you will start to feel better too. in your life changes for the better., now is the time to get out the pen and list 5 things you like about yourself. Give your self-esteem a boost and write away.

There was a film by Monty Python called ‘The life of Brian’. In this film was a song and the chorus went:

“Always look on the bright side of life,
If life seems jolly rotten,
There’s something you’ve forgotten,
And that is to laugh and smile and dance and sing.”

Let’s do a little exercise. Put a smile on your face right now. Not just a turn up of the corners of your lips but a full-blown smile that incorporates your whole face. Now, what does that feel like? It certainly changes the way you look, does it change the way you feel? 

A good, old laugh will automatically change the way you feel as it decreases stress hormones and relieves physical tension leaving your muscles relaxed. Laughter boosts your intake of oxygen stimulating your heart, lungs and muscles, this, in turn, will increase the production of endorphins that are released by your brain.

Laughter is a powerful,  free medicine, so why not take advantage and flick on the TV or dig out that old DVD, find a good comedy and laugh, laugh again and then laugh some more. 

They say that laughter is contagious so maybe you can even spread it around?  Share it with others perhaps? 

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

“I wasn’t aware I suffered from social anxiety, I just thought it was shyness and I’d have to live with it. Since it’s something that wasn’t discussed at the time, I wasn’t aware I could get help. “The Fruit Fix” is a short film that would have really helped me, had I watched it when I was 19“.

Hope, has a life-changing piano audition coming up, nerve-wracking at the best of times. Unfortunately, as a sufferer of social anxiety, it’s going to take extraordinary courage to seek the help needed to pursue her dream.
Help can come from a strange place. Can a Banana and a piece of string really put her on the road to recovery? The Fruit Fix is a nuanced look at a (little talked about) mental health issue, with a surprising story based on real therapy.

“The film shows how social anxiety can get in the way of someone living their best life. We made this film not only to increase the visibility of social anxiety but also to represent it accurately” – Philip Connolly (Director)

“Not long after I first moved to London, I once saw a person walking a banana on a piece of string. It certainly intrigued me at the time as I wasn’t sure if it was a “London thing” or not. Like everyone else in the vicinity I studiously ignored the “banana walker” and went on about my business. I forgot about the banana walking incident, until several years later. I saw a documentary about social anxiety. I was surprised to discover the “Banana walk” was an actual treatment, I may have witnessed a person “walking a banana” because they were being treated for Social Anxiety!

The story resonated with me, partially because it solved a mystery and I’ve had my own anxiety battles. I wondered how terrifying it might be for a real social anxiety sufferer person to attempt the “banana walk” and risk ridicule. It’s like climbing a personal Everest but doing it under the radar. Someone is doing what is to them a hugely daunting task, overcoming huge fears, while those around are making a conscious effort to ignore it. I like that is a different form of bravery and unconventional personal heroism. Hence the film, which is very personal to me and reflects my own experiences of social anxiety.

At times my own anxiety has been debilitating and I wanted to show the impact of that. I gained help through cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) which for me was life-changing.
Before I got help, I wasn’t aware I suffered from social anxiety, I just thought it was shyness and I’d have to live with it. Since it’s something that wasn’t discussed at the time, I wasn’t aware I could get help. “The Fruit Fix” is a short film that would have really helped me, had I watched it when I was 19″. – Phil

The Fruit Fix – stars hit Netflix show “Derry Girls” breakout star: Jamie Lee O’Donnell and Mark Benton (Shakespeare and Hathaway: Private Investigation, Doctor Who and Early Doors)

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

An affirmation is a short, simple statement. Similar to the way physical exercise is good for your body, positive affirmations increase the number of feel-good hormones in our brains. Positive thoughts create positive emotions, they repeated over and over again, they begin to change your pattern of thinking which can ultimately change your life.

Research has shown that humans have around 50,000 thoughts a day. Using affirmations daily has been proven to increase positive thinking rather than negative.

Here are a few examples:

1. I breathe in relaxation, I breathe out tension.
2. I am capable of solving any problems that face me.
3. I am free of anxiety and am living a calm life.
4. I am ridding my mind of negative thoughts and filling it with positive ones.
5. Anxiety might make me feel uncomfortable but I am in charge of my mind and body.
6. I am more and more calm with each deep breath I take.
7. I am attracting positive energy into my body.
8. I am free of anything that weighs me down.
9. I have everything I need for a happy life.
10. I have the ability to overcome anxiety.
11. I am safe and in control.
12. The feelings of panic are leaving my body.
13. My mind is clearing and I am in control.
14. I am freeing myself from stress.
15. I am relaxing each part of my body.
16. I am ridding my mind of negative thoughts and filling it with positive ones.
17. I am calmer and calmer with each deep breath I take.
18. I am now in control.
19. My body is calm.
20. All is well in my world.

Take one or two of these affirmations, or make up some of your own and say them to yourself regularly throughout the day. Pin them up somewhere that will remind you how important it is to train your brain daily.

Being positive and using affirmative statements can change your life dramatically in a great way.  Like most things, it will get easier the more you do it.

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

Just by putting one foot in front of the other, you can do yourself a real favour. All you need is a comfortable pair of shoes, a bit of motivation and 15 minutes from your day to make an immediate difference to how you feel and think. Take a look at these 10 reasons why walking is good for you.  

1. Burns calories or helps weight loss.
2. Boosts energy.
3. Strengthens the heart.
4. Clears your head and helps you think more positively.
5. Tones your leg, abdominal and buttock muscles.
6. Improves self-esteem, mood and sleep quality.
7. Reduces stress, anxiety and depression.
8. Improves circulation.
9. Boosts the immune system.
10. Improves digestion.

Today is the day to take just one small step in the right direction because small steps lead to great journeys. 

When you focus on all the good things in your life you naturally become a more positive person. Writing down just five things each day that you are thankful for, will make you more optimistic and therefore automatically happier. It is no good just thinking about them, you have to take action and put pen to paper to make them concrete.

Some days you may be challenged with difficult situations or certain obstacles might get in the way, but each day will have some good in it somewhere. It doesn’t have to be anything huge like a life-changing event, in fact, learning to appreciate the small things has many advantages.

Let’s get going:

1. Plan aside 5 minutes of your day, just before you go to bed is ideal. Keep it consistent, this way it will more easily become a habit.
2. Write down exactly 5 positive things from your day, no less, no more.
3. It doesn’t have to be anything big, just positive. For example, “It was a sunny day”, “I spoke to a friend”, “I wore bright colours”, “My coffee tasted good”……….
4. Research has shown that it takes just one month for actions to become habits. What are you waiting for? Let’s get positive.

Engaging in physical exercise diverts your attention from the very thing you are feeling anxious about. Moving your body decreases muscle tension, reduces stress levels, helps relieve frustration and gives you a sense of achievement.   People who exercise regularly say it gives them an enormous sense of well-being and achievement.  By taking part in just 15 minutes of physical activity each day you will feel more positive and motivated.

When we exercise our body releases endorphins which are hormones that make us naturally feel good. Exercise also increases our body temperature which can have a calming effect. You are not expected to do a marathon or a gym class, but a little something every day. Maybe a walk or a cycle. These are perfect examples as they get you out of the house at the same time.

If going out is a problem for you then exercising at home is a great alternative. Running up and down the stairs or put on some music and dance away your worries.  Start slowly and build up gradually day by day.

Don’t be put off, exercise doesn’t have to be a hard session at the gym, it might be a swim, some yoga or even a bit of gardening. It always helps if you can enjoy what keeps you fit and healthy.

Give it a go and see how it helps you.