Anxiety support during lockdown
I’m sure a lot of us can relate to feeling anxious with all that’s going on in the world right now . Things are feeling quite uncertain, many people are feeling isolated and some are now dealing with the added worry of losing their job.
It’s a scary time for all of us but for people who struggle with anxiety on a daily basis it can feel almost impossible to get used to this new way of life . As someone who has suffered from anxiety for most of my adult life I was bracing myself for a depression relapse when I first heard that we were going into lockdown . I thought that having to stay indoors all of the time would put me back to square one with my mental health . But I’m happy to say that I’ve been managing to cope , thanks to some new things I’ve introduced to my life . Here are some of the things that have been helping to keep my mood stable during this time.
Running
Now, before you immediately cross this off your list , hear me out ! I used to absolutely HATE any form of cardio , especially running . It made me feel sick and dizzy , and I hadn’t once experienced that “ runners high” I had heard so many people talk about .
When lockdown started I downloaded the Couch to 5k app on my phone and decided to give it a try . ( I highly recommend this app if you are a complete beginner). When I started I could barely run for 30 seconds but now I can do a solid 5 minutes without stopping. Although it may not feel like much to some people, I feel so confident, happy and proud of myself every time I complete a run . It’s honestly one of the best things I’ve ever done for my mental health . For anyone unable to run, I’ve found walking in nature to be extremely calming also .
Switching off
As good as it is to stay up to date with the news, it can get a bit overwhelming at times, don’t you think ? At first I was reading and watching different news stories multiple times per day and I began to notice my mood dipping . I found it hard to cope with the conflicting headlines and constant updates of new deaths . I’m now only checking the news once every couple of days from reputable sources . I feel much more able to cope with what’s going on now , and know that I can keep in the loop in a way that feels good to me .
Journaling
I’ve been enjoying journaling more than ever over the past few weeks . I find it really helpful for organising my thoughts and feelings and figuring out how exactly I feel about certain things . Being able to reflect back on what I’ve written at a later date is also useful for problem solving .
I’ve made it a goal of mine to just write 2 lines in my journal each day . Most of the time I end up writing way more than that but even if it is just 2 lines , it’s a nice way to check in with myself at the end of the day .
Being kind to myself
Whatever I feel during this lockdown is ok . That’s what I’ve been telling myself . It’s a weird , confusing and challenging time and it’s completely reasonable to feel scared, worried or unmotivated .
If I sleep late , have an unproductive day or feel sad about something or nothing , I’m not beating myself up about it . I’m trying not to compare myself to others , and just accept that whatever I do or don’t achieve during this time is ok. I used to think that being easy on myself would make me lazy and enable my anxiety . But I’ve actually found quite the opposite . Anxiety is much easier to overcome when you are not constantly telling yourself how much of a failure you are .
3 Good Things
I used to always attempt to keep a gratitude diary , where I would write down things I was grateful for each day . This worked well on the days that I felt good but whenever I had a down day it felt fake and irritating to write down things I was thankful for .
I’ve found that reframing it to “ 3 good things” works better. If I’ve had a rotten day I can still acknowledge what went well that day . Even if it was as simple as showering , eating my breakfast and making my bed .
I really think it helps your brain to look for the good in everything . I’ve been feeling much more positive and I’m able to find my 3 good things a lot easier as the weeks go on .
If you have any questions or would like more information contact me through Facebook A New Chapter Life Coaching , email me donna@anewchaptercoaching.com or tel 07751959216 .
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