Techniques to help you manage your fight or flight stress response
This is a good read about the impact of anxiety on the brain and body, with some techniques for helping manage your fight or flight stress response. I've pulled out a summary of the key suggestions for you. <3
1. Focus on the Present Moment: Research shows that a regular mindfulness practice significantly weakens the amygdala’s ability to hijack your emotions. This happens in two ways. First, the amygdala decreases in physical size. Second, connections between the amygdala and the parts of the cortex associated with fear are weakened, while connections associated with higher-order brain functions (i.e. self-awareness) are strengthened.
2. Be the Observer: Self-observation has helped me to become more self-aware. “Self” means your self-concept, your story — who you think you are. If you are suffering in some way, like I was with anxiety, disconnecting from “self” will give you the freedom to experience a greater sense of well-being.
The self-observation technique, which is a form of meditation, means mindfully observing your thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations.
3. Monitor and Change Your Self-Talk: We all have a story, and it is written with the words we use. If you tell yourself a virus is going to kill you, you’re going to act accordingly. If you tell yourself you’re struggling with anxiety, it’s likely that you will.
This is backed by research that shows that language is a vehicle for emotion. As a result, how you think, and the language that you use determines how you feel. It is therefore critical that you choose your words carefully, especially when talking to yourself.
4. Prioritise the Basics: The simplest solutions are often the most powerful. Sadly, because they’re so simple, most people tend to overlook them. For me, these basics include exercise, sleep, what we put into our bodies, and what we put into our minds.
Changing how you think and feel is there for anyone. Implementing these tools above on a regular basis can help.
