How To Stop Anxiety
In his book on how to stop anxiety and panic attacks Barry Joe McDonagh states that one of the most effective treatments for anxiety is the Release Calm method. It is based around a series of mental and physical exercises that aim to soothe one’s mind and body and, as a result, create a buffer zone between that person and intrusive thoughts.
How to stop anxiety attacks by changing your attitude?
Before you can begin practicing the Release Calm techniques you need to change your attitude towards anxious thoughts.
From now on, instead of fighting with them you will acknowledge their presence and let them float around you freely. You will NOT try to suppress them in any way as this will only cause internal friction and raise the stress levels.
By accepting all of the anxiety that you feel and avoiding judging it as good or bad you will begin to move with the experience instead of resisting it. This will allow your nerves to rest and recuperate and will reduce your sensitivity to disturbing thoughts. Only that way you will be able to how to stop anxiety panic attacks.
Because taking on such attitude and maintaining it through good and bad times is much harder than you think, you have to implement a series of changes that are aimed to help you become a more healthy, relaxed and confident person (that’s where the Release Calm concept comes in handy).
In this article I will briefly describe the benefits of exercising (one of the 7 Release Calm techniques) and how it can lay a solid foundation for your recovery. In order to speed up the process and achieve better results, make sure to try the remaining 6 elements of McDonagh’s famous method.
(His book will also provide you with plenty of information on how to stop anxiety.)
How to stop anxiety with regular exercises?
One of the most important benefits of physical exercises is the fact that they allow you to learn how your body behaves in the heightened state of exertion. A lot of the bodily sensations you experience during a physical workout is very similar to the ones you encounter while having an anxiety attack (e.g. increased heart rate, excessive sweating, rapid breathing etc.). Being able to feel the same sensations but in a controlled situation (such as during an intensive training) makes it easier to accustom to them. As a result, they become less scary and don’t cause as much anxiety as before.
Knowing your physical capabilities and limits allows you to approach anxiety attacks with deeper calm. You already know majority of the sensations associated with them, you are confident that they can’t make you any harm and you know that they will disappear within the following few minutes (just as they do when you take a break during workout).
How to stop anxiety in 30 minutes?
In order to start feeling full control over your body you will have to devote at least 30 minutes to cardiovascular exercises each day. It is good to get involved in a sport that you enjoy as it will make it easier to stay motivated during the trainings (some good examples include running, swimming, jogging etc.).
A good approach is to work yourself to the peak for a couple of minutes and then slow down and rest for a bit. Keep repeating this process as it will gradually make you more and more tired and will allow you to ascertain that faster heartbeats and increased respiration are nothing dangerous.
Scientists at the Indiana School of Medicine have confirmed that physical exercises improve the cooperation between body’s physiological systems that are responsible for stress response. In essence, they make it easier for your body to deal with the stressful situations. It has also been proven that physically active people become worried less often then sedentary people.
How to stop anxiety – The summary
Summing up, in order to make your mind and body less sensitized to anxious thoughts, get busy and start practicing some form of cardiovascular exercises. If you think that it’s not worth your time and effort, then you may be making one of the biggest mistakes in your life. Regular trainings will not only improve your mental, emotional and physical health (thus reducing the likelihood of an anxiety attack) but also raise your energy levels and strengthen your body. We hope this short guide on how to stop anxiety has helped you get a better understanding of the subject.