Top Tips To Calm Anxious Thoughts
The most important take home message about worry driven thoughts is that we cannot be worried and relaxed at the same time. Worry thoughts are generally threatening in nature and trigger physiological responses that will lead to fight, flight or freeze.
This is why breathing techniques are very effective in helping us to slow down. This in turn will help us to think more clearly.
Create a relaxation toolkit with bubbles, playdoh, soothing scents, cotton wool or soft fabrics, drawing books. Then blow bubbles, or squeeze playdoh, or draw: the focus on these activities will divert thoughts away from worry. Such thoughts can be explored at a later stage in psychotherapy.
Physical Relaxation
Think about two colours, one for breathing in and one for breathing out. Breathe in for three seconds with colour of choice – pause for one second – breathe out for three seconds. Alternatively, blow bubbles and just breathe out.
Mind Journeys
Mind Journeys can be fact or fictional. Use your senses to develop your journey script. Visualise pleasant calming scenes – you can create these with scrap books and there are lots of calming apps and programs such as Calm or Headspace.
Visualisation – identify a place that makes you feel safe
When I close my eyes I am at the place which makes me feel happy, safe and relaxed.
My Garden – I look out of my window and I see a blackbird on my fence.
I can see the robins keeping him company.
There are small blue birds that appear too.
I can see their vivid colours
I can hear their sounds
I can smell grass in my garden
I am happy.
I am safe.
I am relaxed.
Using the five senses (Grounding)
Grounding means to focus on present moment and on our five senses at a very basic levels. It is usually utilised when difficult memories and events in the past are relived.
It is useful to remind ourselves that we are in 2022 and the difficult events happened in the past.
Breathe, as above
Smell essential oils, or your favourite fragrance
Choose a grounding statement, record it and listen to it
Focus on a soothing instrument sound, or a sound of nature
Use fairy lights or bring something with your favourite colour for you to look at
