Stress and anxiety, two terrifying words that are more common in our lives than what we allow ourselves to believe. They can be even more terrifying and draining after a traumatic experience.
It’s important to recognise that having a bit of stress and/or anxiety is normal, we are actually living in a crazy and unpredictable world.
The most important thing is to be aware of the sensations we perceive, specially when they exceed the normal amount of tolerable stress. This is in order to tackle these feelings as soon as possible, and that amount can differ from person to person.
The sensations can vary from excess of ventilation when breathing, repetitive negative thoughts, overwhelming emotions, muscle knots and general body discomfort. Change in appetite (eating too little or in excess, mostly the wrong foods and drinks), disrupted sleep and mood swings. Even our energy levels and sexual activity can be affected.
Stressful situations and post-traumatic effects can trigger different reactions, lets mention the five more common F’s: Fight, Flight, Freeze, Fog or ‘Fornication’.
Fight: Aggressive, snapping, angry and argumentative at anything ...
Flight: Escapism, denial, hiding, avoidance, burying one’s head in the sand ...
Freeze: Inability to take any sort of action, numb, or so fearful to the point of inertia ...
Fog: Can’t think, can’t communicate properly, loss of real time awareness ...
Fornication: I do not refer to the negative concept that some ideologies and religions have give to this term, but I do refer to sexual affairs or behaviours that can put our health and / or our relationships at risk. Indulging in decadent / self-gratification acts via sex, food, alcohol, drugs, gambling and / or shopping. That, or quite the opposite.
These reactions and non-actions can have an impact to our biorhythms and therefore affect our daily routines and normal interactions.
We all know how it feels to be anxious and stressed out, so let's get hands on with what we can do to deal with it as best as we can.
“Anxiety: Not trusting the flow and the process of life ...
New thought pattern: I love and approve of myself and I trust the process of life. I am safe.”**
Louise L. Hay - You Can Heal Your Life. Hay House, 1984.
The ‘holistic toolkit’ to deal with stress and anxiety:
• Conscious Breathing
• Meditation Techniques
• Journaling: Expressive Writing
• Sleeping Well
• Nourishing and Hydrating
• Connecting with Nature
• Grounding Rituals
On my next post I will cover Consciouss Breathing.
Love,
Maje