Treatment of Anxiety at Mindful Mind and Body
As the name of our practice may tell you, we take a holistic approach in addressing our clients’ needs. The interplay of multiple factors is at the root of the most significant emotional issues in our lives. The bio-psychosocial theory (nature and nurture) is an integral part of improving distressing emotions such as anxiety.
The biological pre-disposition to anxiety can be seen in our family of origin and their similar emotional challenges. Furthermore, humans were in many ways born to be anxious as a means of survival. So it is a perfectly reasonable emotion for us to be experiencing fairly regularly. However, anxiety can be severe enough to be debilitating and our reactions to this intense emotion can create real problems in functioning.
Let’s look at some ways that dysfunctional reactions can occur. Infants and children seek comfort and reassurance in this unfamiliar and at times frightening world through their caregivers. If that comfort was not forthcoming or was inconsistent, the child learns to be even more anxious. Or if trauma, abuse, neglect or addiction were a part of the child’s life, then the anxiety can lead to the very valid belief that anxiety means a life-or-death situation.
Typically children learn ways to soothe themselves regardless of the quality of parenting or the nature of the experiences in their lives. Unfortunately, sometimes we learn methods of comfort that actually hurt more than help. Consider thoughts we create to understand our world, such as “I am bad or unlovable, that is why these things happen” or “if I were just better in this way or that, then I would not feel anxious”. These are considered cognitive distortions and they give us a sense of comfort and control but can create a perspective that causes more anxiety and problematic behaviors.
Severe anxiety can trigger a survival instinct, such as its either me or them, which leads to other emotions like anger with sometimes offensive, accusing or even violent behaviors. But more often, anxiety leads to soothing behaviors such as excessive worry, procrastination, physical habits such as nail biting, or substance use. Which brings us to the topic of compulsive and addictive behaviors. These behaviors do two things to help the anxious mind. First, getting lost in a compulsive pursuit creates a direction for that anxious energy. Second the actual use or acquisition of the desired moment (ie shopping, skin picking, eating, mind-altering substance, etc.) creates a calming chemical in the brain.
Anxiety can show up in many physical ways, aka stress reactions: difficulty sleeping, loss of appetite, increased appetite, muscle tightness, headaches, GI distress, hair and skin problems, sexual dysfunction and more. Since the body and mind are so closely connected, therapists are finding physical approaches to anxiety to be very helpful to their clients. EMDR (eye movement), tapping, yoga, changes in diet and exercise and more have all been found to help mitigate anxious emotions.
Lifestyle changes and changes in any faulty beliefs are two of the biggest things we can do to help calm our anxious mind, while improving the quality of our lives. The trouble is that many of these behaviors and thoughts are “hard-wired” at this point and may require much “re-wiring” to make lasting change. Practicing new habits to manage anxiety takes time and patience.
Anxiety makes it very difficult to be patient, so it is often helpful to work with someone for encouragement and motivation. But also, to stay mindful of the pleasure of healthy changes in the moment, not just the long term. A mindfulness-based focus allows us to be present and experience the moment. If we create positive moments and allow our mind to stay present for it, we can experience that instant gratification that will comfort the anxiety.
In summary, mindfulness practice, along with cognitive and behavioral changes address the bio-psychosocial nature of emotional challenges. With support and a realistic plan of action, you can find relief from the anxiety that may have been controlling you and limiting you for many years.