MANAGING ANXIETY IN ANXIOUS TIMES JEANNINE MOGA, MA, MSW, LCSW Chief Happiness Officer, VETgirl, LLC
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7 LIMIT WORRY TIME Give yourself 10 minutes to worry about a problem inside out and upside down. Treat it like an Olympic sport. When those 10 minutes are up, STOP IT. Shift your attention to something neutral, positive, or meaningful for at least 10 minutes, which will give your brain a break. 8 CONSUME QUALITY FUEL Refined sugar and caffeine are not your friend when it comes to anxiety, folks – they are stimulants that act like lighter fuel on a fire. And when we’ve consumed them all day and finally need to rest, what do we do? We reach for depressants (as in, “Hi, Cabernet! How nice to see you again!”). Being aware of this all-too-common cycle is the first step toward interrupting it and making healthier choices. Do better for your body and brain. Treat these substances like treats instead of the foundation of your anxiety diet. Overall, the key to reducing the grip of anxiety is learning how to mobilize our biology to work for us, not against us. Anxiety can be useful when it directs our problem-solving and planning in a clear, focused way. But anxiety can be a fickle ally, and we can slide
4 FOCUS ON WHAT YOU CAN CONTROL
Stay in your lane, do what you can, and resist the urge to fret about the countless things you can’t predict or control. Also stop doing other people’s work, physical, emotional, and otherwise. Boundaries are critical to managing your anxiety and your energy. Limit your exposure to social media and the news cycle. Your brain doesn’t need more “data” when it is already overwhelmed. It is possible to stay informed without flooding ourselves with bad news and constant social comparison. 6 CHECK YOUR STORIES Ask yourself, “do I have enough information to freak out?” Follow with, “will freaking out help me manage this?” Also, useful: “How much of what I’m telling myself is accurate?” If you can’t answer these questions on your own, process them with one of your witnesses. Once you check your stories, you can start problem-solving in earnest, which will enhance your sense of control. 5 CURB SCREEN TIME AND DOOM-SCROLLING
from positive to negative returns the moment anxiety takes the wheel of the bus. Listen to what your worry is telling you, and remember to keep it in the back seat.
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