How to manage the anxieties of coronavirus? @suzannezeedyk suggested 8 simple ideas in her webinar on 24th March. And she told us *why* they work! We’ve broken them down for you in this thread. We hope there’s something here that helps. 1/10
Anxiety Tip #1. LAUGH. “Sabre Tooth Tigers are scared off by the sound of giggling.” 2/10 @REALatableblog @NicolaSturgeon @DoBeLou @JohnCarnochan
Anxiety Tip #2 - Breathe slowly. “You can trick your brain into believing it is safe just by breathing slowly.”
Anxiety Tip #3 - Move back into the present. “Anxiety is about the future. Your brain is worried: ‘But what if tigers come into our village??!?’ Get your brain to come back to the Now. Because Right Now, it is safe.”
Anxiety Tip #4 - Name what you are feeling. “When you have a word for what you are feeling, that makes the emotional external. It’s not just internal, swamping you. A word helps you manage the emotion & take some control of it.”
Anxiety Tip #5 - Talk to your brain. “You can just say to your brain: ‘I recognise you are trying to keep me safe, but right now we are already safe.’ Brains can go into overdrive in their search for safety.” 6/10
Anxiety Tip #6 - Clothe yourself in love. “Dress yourself in clothing that speaks to you of people you love. The clothes become transitional objects that help you feel connected to them, boosting your sense of belonging, inclusion & safety.” 7/10
Anxiety Tip #7 - Remember to make up. “It doesn’t matter if there are tensions & irritation in your household. What matters is that you are able to make up afterward. The science of the Rupture-Repair Cycle shows that what matters most is repair.” 8/10
Anxiety Tip #8 - Seek out gratitude. “Gratitude helps you see what feels safe in your world - like the sun coming up. That’s predictable. At least that hasn’t changed too!! Noticing with gratitude boosts calm in your body.” 9/10
We hope these 8 simple tips for reducing anxiety will be of help in the coming weeks as we all tackle coronavirus. Please share them widely. If you would like to see the full webinar w/ @suzannezeedyk, check our social media channels. Stay safe. 10/10
