Let's Talk....Anxiety and you session 26th August 2021
After a short introduction by Sonia where guest were reminded that sometimes technology can fail us, and if this does happen just log back into the same meeting, to keep microphones turned off unless speaking to reduce background noise and to be respectful of each others opinions we had a short ice breaker by asking attendees for one thing that made them grateful for today.
Many of the answers were based around being appreciative of family and friends and people were really thankful to have a good social network surrounding them something which we are all more conscious of after the last year and a half. One gentleman who had had a tough time recently said he was grateful to be alive, as at one point he almost didn't make it.
We then talked about anxiety, what is anxiety? the different types of anxiety and how it impacts on our daily life. Anxiety is a normal emotion that we all experience, getting ready for a job interview, presenting at a meeting or meeting new people are all perfectly normal situations where we feel anxious. It is when these feelings become more severe and start to interfere with our everyday life it becomes a problem. There are different conditions which come under the anxiety umbrella including
- social anxiety
- generalised anxiety disorder (GAD)
- panic disorder
- obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- phobias
- post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
We then watched a short video on the "fight or flight response" which is our body's automatic and primitive, inborn response that prepares the body to "fight" or "flee" from perceived attack, harm or threat to our survival. Sometimes, though, we perceive threat or harm when in reality, things are totally fine.
You can see the video here
The group then discussed the causes and symptoms of anxiety which can include
- a build up of smaller stressful life situations
- past or childhood experiences
- loss of someone close to you
- moving house
- changing jobs
- some drugs (recreational and prescribed)
Some symptoms of anxiety
- feeling restless or worried
- overthinking things
- unable to concentrate
- lack of sleep
- dizziness
- heart palpitations
- feeling nauseous
- headaches
- feeling sweaty
We were joined by Revd David Skeet from Swallownest Baptist Church who told us about the work he is doing to try and help people suffering from anxiety, loneliness and a range of other conditions "It will be a safe space where people are referred and can explore creativity, learn new skills, or simply ‘be’. Each week there will be a craft/art activity which people are welcome to join in or not. While we make or do things together, we can talk and listen as we feel able.
No More Lonely Arts aims to be a supportive community. We are not providing a service we are providing a place where friendships and self-support can flourish."
Tips and techniques for dealing with anxiety/stress
Emotional Freedom Technique (Tapping therapy)
Anita Redfearn the GP Link Worker for Dinnington Group Practice demonstrated the Emotional Freedom Technique which is an alternative treatment for physical pain and emotional distress based on the ancient Chinese acupressure and modern psychology. You can try it out for yourself here
Breathing exercises
These can take just a few minutes and can be done almost anywhere, you will get the most benefit if you do it regularly and build it into your normal routine here you can find a short video on "square breathing"
Anxious Alphabet
If breathing techniques are not working for you or you need to try something different, take a look at Anxious Alphabet, this is a really easy technique and again can be played anywhere at anytime. Chose a category for example food and off you go....apple, biscuit, chocolate, damson, egg - read more examples here
Keep a journal
simply writing down your thoughts and feelings to understand them more clearly. And if you struggle with anxiety, keeping a journal can be a great idea. It can help you gain control of your emotions. Write down your worries or whatever is on your mind
- Reread and Re-Think. ...
- Think Differently. ...
- Recall Your Strengths. ...
- Consider a Plan. ...
- Decide How to Prepare.
Mindfulness
Tony Watson from Mindfulness in Sheffield who along with Sonia gave us a visual of how our stress/anxieties build up throughout the day. First Tony asked Sonia what her first thoughts were when she woke this morning. Sonia said she concentrates on her mindfulness exercises when she wakes up but then her thought turn to the day ahead. She is first thinking she needs to turn her computer on and hopes that technology is kind to her today as she needs to be online at 9am for a morning briefing - Tony asked Sonia at this point to place a cushion in her hands. Sonia then went on to say her next thoughts would be about the meeting and hoping that she didn't get chosen to speak - Tony asked Sonia to add another cushion. Sonia then spoke about how she was feeling anxious about presenting todays session so another cushion got added. At this point we couldn't see Sonia as she was buried underneath cushions which was a great visual of how our anxieties build up throughout the day.
Mindfulness is about paying attention to daily life and the things we typically rush through. Take time to think about things and remove any distractions, set time aside for yourself and try
- Meditation
- doodling or colouring
- go for a walk
- perform a simple act of kindness
- Look around you and appreciated your surroundings
- Make a cup of tea
- Turn off your social media accounts for an hour
- brighten up chores by dancing whilst you do the dishes
333 Rule
This technique can be used to keep you grounded and focused when you start to feel anxious, again really simple and can be done anywhere at anytime. When you begin to feel anxious or stressful think of
- 3 things you can see right now
- 3 noises you can hear right now
- move 3 parts of your body that could include fingers, ankles, toes, arms, legs....
Create a rescue pack
there are lots of rescue packs on the market but it is really easy to put together your own in a small bag or pencil case. Include things like oils, perfumes, fidget toys, stress balls, messages to yourself or from friends and family you could also include a square of a particular type of material which you like to touch. The possibilities are endless!
Supporting someone experiencing anxiety
Alyssa Houghton from Crossroads Care in Rotherham talked about how they support carers who are suffering from anxiety, using language and techniques that can be adapted to other situations. The main thing is to let the person know that you are there for them and that you want to support them
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Be a non-judgemental listening ear
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Be respectful of their time and space, do not try to force someone to open up
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If you feel you don’t know what to say, you can use phrases such as:
“I’m glad you told me this, and I want you to know that you are not alone”
“This must be really difficult for you to be going through”
“How can I help you with this?...Is there anything I can support with?”
“I may not fully understand or experience/think about things the way you do, but I want to help and be here for you”
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Educate yourself and learn about anxiety, and signpost to local support available:
O Rotherham IAPT: 01709 447755
O RDaSH Mental Health Crisis Team: 0800 652 9571
O Helplines (e.g., Samaritans, CALM, Anxiety UK…)
O Online information & peer support (e.g., Mind’s Side by Side online community)
Alyssa finished off by playing a video to show the difference between empathy and sympathy, you can watch it here
It was a fantastic session and we heard from others how they manage their stress and anxiety by a variety of methods including
Jayne from Rotherham Carers Forum who has set up a weekly choir, the group gets together on Wednesday evening at 6.30pm (currently taking a summer break but returns on the 15th Sept 2021) The group sing their hearts out to a variety songs in their own homes - with their microphones on mute!! What a fantastic way of being able to let it all out and relief some stress!
David V told us how he manages his anxiety through his faith, the bible says "Don't worry" 366 times - one for every day!
Wanda spoke about how anxiety is a very important tool and how we need to make it into a positive to help us achieve higher things.
