Originally published 11 November 2013.
One of the most frustrating things about anxiety is the way it keeps creeping back up on you when you least expect it. You could have been fine for weeks, months, or even years, and then BAM! Anxiety smacks you upside the head.
There are a lot of this can happen, some of which are completely out of our control.
Weather/Seasons: The change in seasons can cause anxiety spikes in many people. Autumn, in particular, can be a difficult transitional season. I was speaking to some friends about it this weekend, and one of them said that autumn is a time of “drawing inward.” The trees are pulling in the necessary nutrients in preparation for winter, so the leaves dry up and fall off. This process of drawing inward can occur in us as well, in a way. Also, the days are becoming shorter, so we get less sunlight. That can affect our moods and cause anxiety spikes as well.
Nutrition: The way we eat can affect our state of mind. Alcohol, caffeine, and cigarettes can all heighten our sense of anxiety. Also, we eat a lot of processed foods (at least we do here in the United States), and there are probably chemicals in our foods that are messing with our body chemistry. It’s best of eat as naturally as possible. Also try to eat foods that are in season. Right now is a great time for squash. Yum.
Hormones: Even our own bodies can mess with us! Hormonal changes can affect our state of mind and cause anxiety.
Circumstances: This is probably the most obvious cause of anxiety. Stuff happens and it makes us anxious. In a way, I like this cause the best, simply because if you know exactly what’s making you anxious, it’s easier to deal with. When it’s just a vague sense of unease for no apparent reason, well, that makes me cranky.
So, when you’re blindsided by anxiety, the best thing to do is probably to ask yourself what may have caused it. Is there a circumstance you’re reacting to? If so, half the problem is solved. You can now focus your prayers and/or meditations on affirmations to reassure yourself about those circumstances. You can make lists about things you can change about the circumstances or about the way you’re reacting to them.
If there is no circumstance that you know of, or if there was a circumstance but you’re pretty sure the anxiety spike isn’t completely related to it, then you’re dealing with other causes. Anxiety can build up in us slowly without us noticing. Then it just takes one thing to put us over the edge into a spike. Here are two ways to fight anxiety in the moment that will also help you avoid being blindsided in the first place.
Meditation: Meditation is a good way to calm the mind and put you in a relaxed state. Anxiety and relaxation cannot coexist at the same time, so making time to regularly focus on relaxation can keep your anxiety levels from rising too high, or stop it in its tracks when you feel it beginning to rise. The major component of meditation seems to be focusing on your breathing. Start by just closing your eyes and breathing slowly and deeply. Stay in the moment by focusing your mind on each breath as you breathe in and breathe out. Then you can try reciting affirmations, a mantra, scripture, and/or prayers in your head. (In your head because you can’t talk and do deep breathing at the same time.) Consider listening to soothing music, nature sounds, or an audio version of the Bible, Koran, or whatever religious text you prefer. You may also try a guided meditation mp3 or podcast. There are a lot of those available online.
Mindfulness: Mindfulness is something I’m just learning about. It means staying in the moment. My mind tends to go 100 mph in all directions at all times. When practicing mindfulness, I’m focusing only on what I am doing and where I am right that moment. I find this extremely difficult, so it’s something I’ll be working on. I can only get better with practice!
By practicing these techniques on a regular basis (not just when you’ve having an anxiety spike) you can begin to take back some control ore your anxiety levels. It doesn’t mean your anxiety will disappear! The ladies at axietyslayer.com (one of my favorite anxiety resources) say to think of anxiety the same way you do a cold. There are things you can do to decrease your chances of catching a cold, but you will eventually catch one. When you do, you take care of yourself for a few days and ride it out until it goes away. You know you’ll catch another one in the future despite your best efforts, but that’s okay. You don’t dread it, you accept it. It won’t last forever and you’ll get through it once again.
So the next time you’re blindsided by anxiety, give yourself a break. You’ve caught a cold, that’s all. Bundle up, have some chicken soup. You’ll be fine.
