Strategies for managing trauma-related anxiety

Five Tips for Managing Trauma Related Anxiety

1. Weighted Blanket

Weighted blankets are thought to work by providing deep pressure stimulation, which can help to calm the nervous system. There is some scientific evidence to support the use of weighted blankets for anxiety. For example, one study found that people who used a weighted blanket for 30 minutes before bed reported feeling less anxious and had better sleep quality than those who did not use a weighted blanket.

If you are considering using a weighted blanket, it is important to choose one that is the right weight for you. The weight of the blanket should be about 10% of your body weight. You should also start by using the blanket for short periods of time and gradually increase the amount of time you use it.

Here are some other tips for using a weighted blanket for anxiety:

§  Use the blanket in a quiet room with minimal light

§  Cover your entire body with the blanket

§  Breathe deeply and slowly

§  Focus on your body sensations and how the blanket is making you feel

§  If you start to feel anxious, take a few deep breaths and remind yourself that the blanket is helping you to relax

If you find that the weighted blanket is not helping you to manage your anxiety, or if it is making you feel worse, stop using it and talk to your doctor.

2. Identifying a Safe Place in Your Mind

A safe place is a place where you feel calm, relaxed, and secure. It can be a real place, such as place you found calming in nature or a family member or friend who you feel safe with, or it can be a place that you create in your imagination.

Here are some tips for identifying a safe place:

§  Think about places where you have felt calm and relaxed in the past

§  What about those places made you feel safe

§  Close your eyes and imagine a place where you feel safe

§  What do you see, hear, smell, taste, and feel in this place

Once you have identified a safe place, you can use it as a way to help manage your anxiety. When you start to feel anxious, take a few deep breaths and imagine yourself in your safe place. Focus on the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and feelings of your safe place. This can help you to calm down and feel more relaxed.

Further tips for using a safe place:

§  create a visual representation of your safe place. This could be a painting, a drawing, or a collage

§  write a story about your safe place

§  create a music playlist that reminds you of your safe place

§  create a scent that reminds you of your safe place

Having a safe place can be a helpful tool for managing anxiety. By identifying a safe place and using it regularly, it can help to reduce and/or manage anxiety symptoms.

3. Practice Self Compassion

Self-compassion is the practice of being kind and understanding to oneself, just as one would be to a friend. It is about accepting our own flaws and mistakes, and being there for ourselves when we are struggling.

Here are some tips for practicing self-compassion:

§  Be kind to yourself. When you make a mistake, don't beat yourself up about it. Instead, try to be kind and understanding to yourself. Remind yourself that everyone makes mistakes, and that you are not alone.

§  Be patient with yourself. Change takes time. Don't expect to be perfect overnight. Instead, be patient with yourself and give yourself time to learn and grow.

§  Be present with your emotions. When you are feeling anxious, don't try to push your emotions away. Instead, allow yourself to feel your emotions fully. This doesn't mean that you have to like your emotions, but it does mean that you need to accept them.

§  Be mindful of your thoughts. When you are feeling anxious, your mind might be filled with negative thoughts. Try to be mindful of your thoughts and challenge any negative thoughts that you have.

§  Take care of yourself. Make sure that you are getting enough sleep, eating a healthy diet, and exercising regularly. Taking care of yourself will help you to feel better physically and mentally.

Practicing self-compassion can be a helpful way to manage anxiety. By being kind and understanding to ourselves, we can help to reduce our anxiety and improve our overall well-being.

Additional tips for practicing self-compassion:

§  Talk to yourself the way you would talk to a friend. Would you ever tell a friend that they are stupid or worthless? Of course not! So why would you say those things to yourself? Be kind and understanding to yourself, just as you would be to a friend.

§  Do something nice for yourself. When you are feeling down, do something nice for yourself. This could be anything from taking a hot bath to reading a book. Doing something nice for yourself can help to boost your mood and make you feel better about yourself.

§  Spend time with people who make you feel good about yourself. Surround yourself with people who are kind, supportive, and understanding. These people will help you to feel better about yourself and make it easier to practice self-compassion.

Practicing self-compassion takes time and effort, but it is worth it. By being kind and understanding to ourselves, we can help to reduce our anxiety and improve our overall well-being.

4. Internal Parts Meditation

Internal parts meditation is a type of meditation that focuses on the different parts of our personality. It can be a helpful way to understand ourselves better and manage difficult emotions.

Here are the steps on how to do internal parts meditation:

§  Find a quiet place where you will not be disturbed.

§  Sit in a comfortable position and close your eyes.

§  Take a few deep breaths and relax your body.

§  Imagine that you are standing in front of a mirror.

§  Look at yourself in the mirror and notice the different parts of your personality.

§  See if you can identify any parts of your personality that are struggling.

§  Talk to these parts of your personality with compassion and understanding.

§  Let them know that you are there for them and that you want to help them.

§  Once you have talked to the parts of your personality, thank them for sharing their thoughts and feelings with you.

Open your eyes and take a few deep breaths.

Internal parts meditation can be a helpful way to understand ourselves better and to manage difficult emotions. If you are struggling with anxiety, depression, or other mental health issues, internal parts meditation can be a helpful tool to add to your treatment plan.

Additional tips when doing internal parts meditation:

§  Be patient. It may take some time to get to know the different parts of your personality.

§  Be kind. Treat the different parts of your personality with compassion and understanding.

§  Be present. When you are meditating, focus on the present moment and on the different parts of your personality.

§  Be consistent. The more you practice internal parts meditation, the more effective it will be.

If you are new to internal parts meditation, it is a good idea to start with a short meditation. Once you are comfortable with the process, you can gradually increase the length of your meditations.

5. Grounding Techniques

Grounding is a technique that helps you to focus on the present moment and to feel more grounded. It can be a helpful way to reduce anxiety and to cope with panic attacks.  It can help by focusing your mind on your surroundings and being in the present moment.

Here are some grounding techniques:

§  Name five things you can see

§  Name five things you can hear

§  Name five things you can touch

§  Name five things you can smell

§  Taste something

§  Touch the earth and/or plants

Grounding techniques can be a helpful way to manage anxiety. If you are feeling anxious, try one of these techniques to help you to calm down and to feel more grounded.

Further tips for grounding:

§  Find a quiet place where you will not be disturbed.

§  Sit or lie down in a comfortable position.

§  Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths.

§  Focus on your surroundings. Notice what you can see, hear, touch, smell, and taste.

§  If your mind wanders, gently bring it back to your surroundings.

§  Continue grounding for a few minutes or until you feel calmer.

If you are new to grounding, it is a good idea to start with a short grounding session. Once you are comfortable with the process, you can gradually increase the length of your grounding sessions.