According to Linda Esposito, it only takes a few minutes a day to get on the right side of calm. Calm is an inside job, similar to following a new dinner recipe. Calm people weren't necessarily born with a calm central nervous system, but they've learned what works. Namely, three common traps that keep many people stuck on an anxiety treadmill have been identified by Linda:
1. Getting stuck in Rumination
Rumination is about mulling over an issue excessively. Obsessing over every possible scenario can increase anxiety and depression, as pointed out by numerous longitudinal studies on negative effects from rumination.
2. Procrastination
Nothing compounds anxiety like avoiding the underlying issues of the problem. The best way around anxiety is through action, to get unstuck and get moving.
3. Unhealthy Coping Skills
Stressful events causes worried thoughts, which then activates the area of the brain responsible for fear response, which leads to increased physical arousal, which leads to more worrisome thoughts, and more intense physical reactions. Internalizing stress, over-reacting, or self-medicating with food, drugs, or alcohol are just a few destructive behaviors.
Mindfulness practice can be a way to slow the mind and body, which can then create space between our problems and reactions.
Anxiety is, in a nutshell, over-attention to worries and under-attention to problem-solving. Be more mindful of these traps that can get you stuck in anxiety - you can do better the next time you are caught in a stressful situation.
Category(s):Anxiety
Source material from Psychology Today
