Corona Anxiety and How to Deal with It (A Hypnotherapist View)

It is estimated that the fall-out from the COVID-9 shutdown may cause more long-term damage than the virus itself in the form of anxiety and depression. If you’re one of the millions around the world suffering from stress-overload... anxiety... and panic attacks... you know how uncomfortable it can be...

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America... being over-anxious or having a panic attack is the sudden onset of intense fear... coupled with a variety of physical symptoms... You may experience a pounding heart, sweating, shaking, shortness of breath, chest pain, feeling dizzy, chills, tingling sensations, and fear of losing control or even feel like you’re dying.

Because of the intensity of the experience, many people head to the emergency room convinced that they are having a heart attack or breathing issues... However... it’s important to know that an anxiety attack... in and of itself... is not life-threatening... and subsides about 20 minutes after it peaks...

Even though it’s awful while it’s happening... anxiety actually serves an important function... it is actually an innate superpower you have within... but we need to learn how to manage it naturally...

So here’s the deal with anxiety...

First of all, without anxiety, we would not be here today. This is because when you sense that you’re in some kind of danger... the sympathetic nervous system gets activated... this is also known as the fight-flight-freeze response... and it is a basic survival mechanism from way back when our ancestors were hunting and gathering in the wilderness... when danger lurked everywhere...

The problem is... times have changed... and yet our nervous systems are still overreacting to things we perceive as threatening in the same manner... but instead of being chased by a tiger, for example, we now experience anxiety when we open up our email inbox... scroll through social media... get stuck in traffic... or think about doing something unusual or different... even something as simple as doing paperwork... studying... or going shopping can trigger a bout of anxiety... and though these things may not be life threatening... our bodies do not identify the difference... which paves the way for an endless cycle of anxiety... nervous system overload... and adrenal fatigue... which can eventually lead to more serious health issues...

 But that being said... anxiety is not something that should be fixed... it is an innate superpower we all have within... it just needs to be managed... in fact scientists say anxiety... in small doses... is actually a good thing... it keeps your fight or flight centre in tune...

So when our senses perceive we are in danger our brain and body automatically switches our body into one of three states... fight, flight or freeze. These different states are part of our natural ancestral survival instinct. However, these signals can be generated by real or imagined danger or a mix of both. Often times a perceived real danger... like the Coronavirus... can be fuelled by imagination due to main stream media hyping up the event to sell newspapers and keep you watching their news channel, panicky text messages from friends, and social media posts... all creating a vacuum of confusion as to what to do.

That is what so many of us are struggling within this moment of great transition, globally. Any narrative about what's going on which points to something we can't control as the cause of our worry leaves us feeling small, out of control, and afraid. Kinda like when we were kids.

 When we can react less and meet these anxious thoughts with a watchful eye, powerful internal shifts can happen. It is important to cultivate an inner compass... being willing to let go of the need to be in control and trusting in your inner guide... your intuition... and connecting without fear... to a trust in the unfolding of the universe. An unfolding we are here only to witness, not to manipulate. In this way, challenges, and distress are an invitation to look at what might be misaligned or out of balance.

None of what I am saying means you have to be a passive consumer of life or just accept what happens to you. The best kind of person, I think, will be proactive in trying to shape the life they want, but also be able to roll with the waves and swim rather than be drowned when calm waters get choppy. In this way, they are much more likely to get to their destination - which may be very different from what they'd imagined, but they can adapt to that, as well. : )

We may not have control over many things that come into our live... but we always have control over how we react to them.

One way to let go of the need to control all aspects of life and to have certainty where it doesn't apply is to understand the difference between control and possible influence. I can control some things, but potentially influence many things. For example, I may not be able to stop the Corona virus from spreading, but I can control how I respond and take precautions to protect me and my family.

Taking positive action in stressful times requires a clear, sharp mind. It is not achieved by focusing on what might happen. It is achieved by focusing on what steps you can take to protect yourself and your loved ones and taking appropriate action. A major key in this process is your ability to calm and relax your mind... and that is what we are going to do now... move you into a calm relaxed state... clear away the clutter... and allow you to see with a clear, sharp mind... the solutions you seek.

Stopping overwhelming anxious thoughts and panic episodes isn't about getting rid of all panic; it's about aligning it so it only happens when it really needs to.

The scary changes (fast breathing, raised heartbeat, adrenaline rush, shaking, sweating) would all feel perfectly natural if you were running in the gym. Really, a panic episode is the body behaving as if it's exercising when it's not... almost like involuntary exercise... an unnecessary expenditure of energy...

All the 'weird symptoms' are completely normal in the right circumstances...

Fast breathing, raised pulse: Your body produces these responses to help you exercise. It only feels weird if you are not exercising when they happen...

Stopping this involuntary exercise... the unnecessary expenditure of energy is all about taking back control... and to help do that I want you to think about them in a very specific way...

Panic is powerful but stupid. We're all born with the capacity to panic, but panic is 'blind'... That means it doesn't know what to fear, so it takes its lead from you... if you avoid or run from something (say the library in which the panic episode happens)... then your panic response will tag that place as threatening...

If the panic gets just one hint that a situation is really not dangerous, it will 'call back' it’s big investment of energy... Breathing will slow down again... blood pressure will return to normal... the sweat response will calm down... and clear thought will return... Like fire fighters returning to their depot after discovering that the fire they were called out to was a false alarm...

Your panic episodes can be stopped in their tracks; in fact, they want to be. Your body doesn't want to waste needless energy. Use these tips and techniques and before long, you'll have your first experience of stopping a panic episode before it even gets started. And that will be a very, very nice feeling indeed...

The truth is our emotions natural state is to be calm... like the calm water on a tranquil lake... sometimes the water level of the lake can lower... but soon rain comes and replenishes the water level... building it back up again... other times... during stormy weather... it’s surface can be rough and even... a confusion of wind and rain... blowing this way and that... but soon that too shall pass... the storm passes... and the lake returns to its natural calm state.

Our emotions are naturally calm... and like the lake... we experience times of low levels and sometimes turmoil... but like the lake... your unconscious mind eventually returns you back to calm... makes you feel better naturally... without the need for sedatives and medication... that’s right... your unconscious mind always has the ability to relax and calm your conscious mind... when you let go of control with your conscious mind... your unconscious mind leads you gently back to total relaxation and calm... right now!

When you give up control and allow things to flow... you will be amazed at how quickly you become calm and relaxed inside... just like the calm tranquil lake... and everything becomes clearer... and you are able to take action in a calm and relaxed way...

I am going to share with you now a very powerful technique which many successful actors use to their advantage. It is a technique which when you use it will allow you to relax in any situation. It is important that you only use this technique when you need it...

If at any time you should need a boost in your confidence or the ability to relax more deeply while performing, you should use this technique. And every time you use this technique it will become more powerful.

What I am about to tell you is a post-hypnotic suggestion, which means that you do not to consciously pay attention to what I am going to say, this information is for your subconscious mind and will work whether you pay attention now to what I am saying or not because these messages will go to your unconscious emotional mind.

Slow deep breathing is a powerful way to relax and let go... Any time that you need to return to a deeper level of relaxation and calm, you simply breathe in deeply through your nose only... deep down into your diaphragm... feel your stomach expand as you breathe deeply down into your diaphragm... hold for a second... and then open your mouth and exhale slowly... slower than the in breath... I am going to stop for a moment and allow you to do this 5 times now... and notice how more relaxed and calm you become after each breath...

When you find that there is something in your life that you need to deal with... take 5 deep breathes like this and let go... and the more you practice this... the more amazed you will be... with how quickly, easily and efficiently you can... handling any situation... easily... efficiently... smoothly... in a clear...focused... calm and relaxed way... creating a natural flow in your life. This allows you to be more and more relaxed... prepared for things in your life. You prepare in advance... because being prepared helps you relax and gives you security and confidence. And for those times when you need to relax even more you simply take a deep breath in... And out...

Your mind is at peace, at peace, calm, relaxed and so comfortable, so relaxed, so relaxed. Your breathing is now easy and gentle. You can feel yourself relaxing more and more. Your mind is calm. And starting now you can begin a new life, ready to live in a new way to enjoy every aspect of everything around you, to be aware of all the beauty of the earth, the beauty and the goodness of being alive.…

The trick is to catch yourself at the trigger point... and bring yourself back into the present... focus on what you are actually doing physically at that point... sitting, walking, doing the dishes... focusing on what you are physically doing at that present moment anchors you in the now... and alleviates the anxious thoughts... and gives you the space to see beyond the fear... and to discover actions you can take to resolve the situation that trigger the anxiety.

Identify and isolate where the anxiety is... is it in your head... your chest... your gut... in your hands... it could be in several places... identify and isolate each place where the anxiety resides... and just notice that... notice what is going on in those areas of your body... give it form... sweaty palms... tightness in the chest... confusion or brain fog...

Now increase the tension by giving it shape or form... a burning object... a lion... a snake... by giving it shape and form you are able to externalize it... and when you externalize anxiety you are better able to see if for what it is...

Now I want you to tense your body in some way... clench your fists... your face... or squeeze your knees tightly together... now take in a deep breath through your nostrils only... hold for a second... and then breathe out through your mouth only... and as you expel the air... let go of all the tension in your body... discharge it... let all the tension flow out with the air as you expel it... and r-e-l-a-x.

Now I want you to become aware of your breathing... the rhythm that is your breathing cycle... and become aware of any sounds in the environment your are in right now... what can you feel in your environment... is there a light breeze brushing your skin... where are your hands resting right now... what about your feet where are they resting right now... what angle are your arms bent at... now... notice your breathing... notice how it has slowed right down... as you relax more and more...

Now I want you to imagine a place where you felt safe... free... exhilarated... it could be a memory of a beautiful place you visited in the past... or it could just be a safe place in your mind... I want you to go there now... notice the colours in this place... the sounds... the temperature... reach out and touch something... feel its texture... and notice how wonderful you feel in this special place... now let go... and let these wonderful feelings and sensations flood your senses... really let go for a few moments now... those wonderful feelings saturating every inch of your body... that’s it...

I want you to remember that you will always have the ability to bring yourself back into the present whenever the triggers fire... even when you are out and about during your day... just stop and notice the things around you for a moment... notice your breathing... take at least 5 deep breathes through your nostrils right down into your diaphragm... hold for a second... then breath out through your mouth... and let the tension go... let it dissipate... if you do this your mind and body has no choice but to calm right down... you get out of your mind and come to your senses... and can come up with an effect action plan for the future... what precautions do you need to take... and what positive safe action you need to take...

 Remember this: You may not have control over what comes into your life... but you will always have control over how you react to it...