Happiful May 2020

More documents

Recommendations

Info

16 seconds to de-stress Psychotherapist Lesley shares the technique she uses with clients who experience highfunctioning anxiety: • Observe your breath. Slowly inhale through your nose, mentally counting to four. • Gently hold your breath for a count of four. • Release your breath for four seconds. • Hold your breath once more, counting to four. • Return to regular breathing. • By repeating this four times, you can reverse stress responses into a relaxation response.
Those with HFA will typically appear successful, together, and calm, often excelling in different areas of work and life or gastrointestinal disorders due to the enduring effect of stress on the body, or as a result of the unhealthy behaviours they have employed as a way of managing their internal distress.” Why do we experience HFA? “People can have high-functioning anxiety due to stressful events, such as a difficult childhood, biological causes such as food insensitivities, or other reasons,” Peter explains. “High-functioning anxiety can be beneficial when growing up in a stressful environment, as it makes it easier to anticipate threats before they occur, and therefore implement measures to avoid or control perceived danger.” While those with HFA will typically appear successful, together, and calm, often excelling in different areas of work and life, this can conflict with how they feel on the inside. What can we do to cope with symptoms? Just as anxiety can affect us all in different ways, so too can different ways of coping help us to varying degrees. If you’re worried that you may be experiencing high-functioning anxiety, it’s important to seek help and support. Trying different methods of coping with how you are feeling is key; the first method you try may not be quite right for you and your situation, but by exploring your other options, you’re more likely to find the best way for you. “Often people will try to choose the ‘rather safe than sorry’ approach,” Peter warns. “This means that they will try to avoid things that they perceive as threatening. The problem here is that anxiety can make certain things appear as a threat even though they aren’t. It’s therefore important to recount in a more calm state of mind, where and when this applies. “The next step is to plan how to adjust behaviour in a way that indicates that there is no threat. For example, an employee who avoids eye contact during meetings with their boss can readjust their gaze. This can initially be scary, but the fear subsides after time, as the mind starts to learn that a ‘rather safe than sorry’ approach is not necessary. “It’s important to generally embrace symptoms a little more, without trying to lessen them. People avoid anxiety symptoms by checking social media or the news on their phones. Behaviour geared towards avoiding symptoms can make them worse, as the brain recognises this behaviour as an indicator of threat – meaning we run the risk of developing anxiety over anxiety.” Raising your awareness of your physical feelings of anxiety and accompanying thoughts can help you to stop when the symptoms begin, and learn how to intercept the cycle of anxiety. The STOP technique is just one option that can help you to break the cycle. Lesley explains: “Your body is the compass with anxiety, so learn to pay attention to it. Notice if the feeling isn’t so good. Shift the focus of that attention to your thoughts. Ask: what am I thinking right now? Does it feel good to think the things I’m thinking? “If you notice it doesn’t feel good, even if you believe them, say the magic word STOP. Imagine swatting the thoughts away like a pesky little fly. Now, mentally shift your focus to slowing your breath down. Take three long, slow, deep breaths. Focus your attention on all of the sounds in the room or your immediate surroundings. Anchor yourself in sound.” Over time, anxiety can eventually become worse if your stressors keep building, or if you struggle to reach out and talk to others about what you are struggling with, and how you are feeling. Working with a counsellor can help you to understand the root causes of your anxiety, as well as to learn coping techniques. To find out more about how working with a therapist could help you, visit counselling-directory.org.uk <strong>May</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • happiful.com • 33
Page 1 and 2: THE MAGAZINE DEVOTED TO MENTAL HEAL
Page 3 and 4: Here for you In unprecedented times
Page 5 and 6: Our team EDITORIAL Rebecca Thair |
Page 7 and 8: Find help CRISIS SUPPORT If you are
Page 9: Spitzer the very socialable cat PET
Page 12 and 13: Take 5 1 S 18 26 26 E R 20 14 23 12
Page 14 and 15: What is skin positivty? There’s a
Page 16 and 17: Sleep scenarios and how to put them
Page 18 and 19: Eat your way to a better night’s
Page 20 and 21: Science-backed methods to send you
Page 22 and 23: Reignite your passion for work...wi
Page 24 and 25: HAPPIFUL TOP 10 May Make the month
Page 26 and 27: “ Sometimes you will never know t
Page 28 and 29: In the spotlight: 4th The tricky fo
Page 30 and 31: GET OUT AND ABOUT Venturing to baby
Page 34 and 35: Self-care quiz Answer the following
Page 36 and 37: “ Let us make our future now, and
Page 38 and 39: There were times when I looked at m
Page 40 and 41: Ask the experts Hypnotherapist John
Page 42 and 43: How to make meditating easy Do you
Page 45 and 46: WORKING IT OUT Energy and personali
Page 47 and 48: For more information about Wellfest
Page 49 and 50: Photography | Ocean Taylor Sharing
Page 51 and 52: BREAKING THE HABIT It’s easy to f
Page 53 and 54: track’ with their new behaviours,
Page 55 and 56: Try this at home Scents can have an
Page 57 and 58: Strong Mentality From truly traumat
Page 59 and 60: Dan on ‘SAS: Who Dares Wins’ in
Page 61 and 62: All the issues from my waking day w
Page 63 and 64: However you are feeling is valid, a
Page 65 and 66: ten Writing | Jenna Farmer 10 energ
Page 67 and 68: We need carbs to provide energy, bu
Page 69 and 70: nightmare to dreaming that your tee
Page 71 and 72: I’ve been harbouring hatred for t
Page 73 and 74: “ You look so well.” I remember
Page 75 and 76: We’ve all been hoodwinked by this
Page 77 and 78: Whether you live to work or work to
Page 79 and 80: Panic attacks: KNOW YOUR TRIGGERS P
Page 81 and 82: COPING STRATEGIES: Feel a panic att
Page 83 and 84:
As Nature Intended As we all adopt
Page 85 and 86:
There are some brilliant gardening
Page 87 and 88:
TRUE LIFE From confidence crisis to
Page 89 and 90:
Hayley is an NLP life transformatio
Page 91 and 92:
“ Some people look for a beautifu
show all

Happiful May 2020

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?