When we are in a state of panic or anxiety, the brain is in an irrational place and we’re not able to make clear decisions. When we direct our breath, we can direct our minds. Deep breathing disengages the nervous system and allows us to relax.That’s why everyone says ‘take a deep breath’, because it really does work! Take 2–3 minutes, put both feet on the ground, close your eyes and direct your breath – fully in and fully out – and feel the panic start to melt away. Is it shallow – high up in your chest and collarbone area? Or is it deeper – in your rib-cage area? Or deeper still – in the tummy? Shallow breathing engages the nervous system. Find reliable sources with truthful and professional information.Did you look for all the facts, or was it hearsay? Did you ask questions to clear up any uncertainty? Did you Google it? Did you jump on social media and come across scare posts? The information we take in will directly affect our response. When we are in the assessment phase, we need facts. A fired-up nervous system feels like panic, which isn’t pleasant, but it is a valid response.However, it’s important to look back on how we assessed the situation because that’s what sent the signal to the brain in the first place. If we see the situation or information as threatening to us, our brain will send a signal to our nervous system, telling it to fire up so that we can survive. When we come into contact with a situation (or information about a situation), we assess what that means for us and respond accordingly. So have a read and stick them in your toolkit. What’s really great about them is that they apply to any scenario that worries you. We’ve come up with some tips to help with stress and worry. It can be easy to ge t swept along with the tide of panicor to develop your own internal panic, which isn’t a nice feeling. There is a lot of scary or stressful information swirling around out there at the moment. We asked for her advice on staying calm when the world keeps spinning… Steph Golds is a valued member of the Shona team, a counselling psychotherapist, who has spent countless hours working with young girls.
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