Anxiety | Martha Alvarez - Part 2

CREATING METHODS OF HAPPINESS, PEACE & SUCCESS

Posts Tagged ‘anxiety’

ADHD and Anxiety: Episode 016

“You are always one decision away from a totally different life.”

ADHD and anxiety can co-occur. Both conditions share overlapping symptoms and can be easily misdiagnosed. Getting an accurate diagnosis is essential in developing a treatment plan. This week’s episode encourages you to dig a bit deeper to gain clarity on what you or a loved one is really struggling with, so you can start making changes in order to live your best life.

Have you already subscribed to my podcast? If not, I’m encouraging you to do that today. I wouldn’t want you to miss an episode.

And, if you’re feeling extra loving, please share it and leave a review; it makes it easier to find. We can all benefit from a little nudge to start making small shifts towards increased health and happiness 🙂

Benefits of Natural Vagus Nerve Stimulation : Episode 014

“Your body is a self healing organism, but you can help it along the way”

Natural stimulation your vagus nerve helps improve your brain-body communication. Learn simple techniques to increase your vagal tone so your body can relax faster after stress.

Have you already subscribed to my podcast? If not, I’m encouraging you to do that today. I wouldn’t want you to miss an episode.

And, if you’re feeling extra loving, please share it and leave a review; it makes it easier to find. We can all benefit from a little nudge to start making small shifts towards increased health and happiness 🙂

Declutter Your Thinking : Episode 008

“Your mind is like water. When it’s turbulent, its difficult to see. When its calm, everything becomes clear.” ~ Prasad Mahes

We each have so much stuff going on daily. As a result, the mind can start getting really cluttered. Today’s episode explores 3 thought patterns that can disrupt your clarity and interfere in your mental and emotional functioning.

Have you already subscribed to my podcast? If not, I’m encouraging you to do that today. I wouldn’t want you to miss an episode.

And, if you’re feeling extra loving, please share it and leave a review; it makes it easier to find. We can all benefit from a little nudge to start making small shifts towards increased health and happiness 🙂

Covid-19 Psychological Distress: Episode 006

“Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of overcoming it” – Hellen Keller

There has been a shift from everyday “normal” to extreme uncertainty and loss due to the covid-19 virus, and for some, this will be traumatic. Emotional distress shows up in different ways; emotionally, cognitively, physically, spiritually and socially. There is no right or wrong way to feel; however it’s important to find healthy ways to cope. This episode offers a few things to consider to help you or a loved one cope in a healthy way.

Have you already subscribed to my podcast? If not, I’m encouraging you to do that today. I wouldn’t want you to miss an episode.

And, if you’re feeling extra loving, please share it and leave a review; it makes it easier to find. We can all benefit from a little nudge to start making small shifts towards increased health and happiness 🙂

Ground Yourself: Episode 003

Grounding is a technique you can use to connect with the present moment, the here and now. It is especially useful during heightened anxiety or when you are having spiraling thoughts. It is a mindfulness technique that gets you out of your head and back into your body. There are many ways to ground yourself, including using your body, your five senses, breath, self-soothing, observing and distracting.
Grounding is not about making an emotion go away, rather it is allowing the experience to exist as you stay present in the moment, while you lower the intensity of distress.

Tune into episode #3 of HMHS show for examples on how to use grounding techniques.

Have you already subscribed to my podcast? If not, I’m encouraging you to do that today. I wouldn’t want you to miss an episode.

And, if you’re feeling extra loving, please share it and leave a review; it makes it easier to find. We can all benefit from a little nudge to start making small shifts towards increased health and happiness 🙂

Behaviors that might suggest a teenager is experiencing difficulties

Parents often worry about their teens behavior. It is the norm for teenagers to sometimes appear withdrawn and moody and in their own world, but this shouldn’t last for a long time or interfere with their functioning.

We all have needs, such as feeling safe, liked, understood, and supported and they show up in different ways. There are times, however, when mental health issues can arise when things don’t seem to be going as expected. Your child may be experiencing lack of confidence, anxiety, perhaps even being bullied. Talk to them and help them express their feelings and come up with solutions.

The following is a list of behaviors that might suggest a teenager is experiencing difficulties.

If you are concerned about any of them, talk to your child and get professional help.

Becoming withdrawn and losing interest in friends, sports or favorite activities.
Having changes in sleep patterns such as not sleeping or sleeping for long periods.
Avoiding food, overeating or exercising excessively.
Seeming to be preoccupied or obsessed over a particular issue.
Having a change in mood such as becoming hostile or having feelings of anxiety or depression.
Having a sudden drop in schoolwork.
Doing things that don’t make sense to others.
Seeing or hearing things that nobody else sees or hears.
Being excessively tired or neglecting personal hygiene.
Wearing long sleeve clothes in hot weather. It may suggest they are hiding signs of self-harm.

Managing a panic attack

A panic attack is a sudden episode of overwhelming fear that occurs spontaneously. It is a short period of intense anxiety, often lasting several minutes. It can happen at any moment, whether asleep or awake. It can be emotionally debilitating and terrifying, but not life threatening.

A panic attack is due to high levels of adrenaline. Adrenaline, also known as epinephrine, is a hormone and neurotransmitter that activates the fight or flight mechanism in your body. When excess adrenaline is pumped into your bloodstream, you may start to feel the symptoms of a panic attack until all the adrenaline released is used up by your autonomic nervous system. When there is no more surplus adrenaline in your bloodstream, the panic attack subsides.

These are some symptoms that you may experience during a panic attack:

Light-headedness
Numbness
Nausea
Sweating
Tingling
Shortness of breath or smothering
Stomach problems
Shaking
Chills/heat
Dizziness
Flushes
Fear of dying
Chest pains
Racing heart/palpitations
Feeling of unreality
Feeling of choking
Fear of losing control

What can you do?

Sit or lay down. Ground yourself.
Think, “This will pass” “Even though I am very scared and uncomfortable, I am going to be ok”, “ I am not in danger”, “ This is not life-threatening”
Concentrate on your breathing, and breathe deeply and slowly in through your nose for four seconds and out through your mouth for six seconds. Keep doing this for a few minutes. This will bring the needed oxygen back into your body. It is best to practice this first while you are feeling calm rather than wait until you are anxious
Some people prefer to close their eyes and others prefer to look around and notice all the typical things happening around them to distract themselves.
Cold water and ice works well with panic attacks. Sip cold water, put a cold cloth on the base of your neck, splash ice water on your face\
As a lifestyle, cut out coffee, tea, soda and start a stress reduction practice. Your nervous system will thank you for it.
Diet can affect anxiety levels. Talk to your doctor about nutrition therapy and how vitamins and minerals can support your autonomic nervous system
If panic attacks occur often, you may want to consider medication.

Back To School Stress Busters

A new school year can be an exciting, yet stressful time in your child’s life.
Numerous thoughts cross their minds about the possibilities that await them, both academically and socially. For parents, there are stressors too, such as adjusting to schedules, additional demands and having your child out of your care. As a family, this is a great opportunity to strengthen your connection as you support each other through this journey. Here are some tips to help you manage the stress:

1. Talk about their school day everyday. Ask questions and really listen. Sometimes, your child may want help brainstorming solutions to a situation and other times they may just want you to listen. During this time give your child your undivided attention. Also remember to share their enthusiasm for all the good things that they experienced.

2. Make sure your child has at least 8-10 hours sleep and all the electronics, including TV are shut off 30 minutes prior to bedtime. Mornings can be easy by creating a morning routine, having them set out their clothes or uniforms, getting backpacks ready and breakfast chosen the night before goes a long way.

3. The best way to immediately tone down your stress level is a few deep breaths. The breath is best inhaled through the nose and exhaled through the mouth. Try this as soon as you feel a stressor.

4. Have your child develop a new mantra “I’ve got this.” This mantra will be useful every time they feel uncertain about something. It is used as a simple reminder that it’s ok, they are going to be fine, they can do it! So, before that test that they studied for- “I’ve got this” – before they go talk to that new someone – “I’ve got this”.

5. Social concerns are high for kids. Remind them that not everyone is going to see eye to eye with them and may not even like them and that’s OK! We are all unique and special and the most important thing is that we like ourselves and are nice and respectful to others. Encourage your child to find a group of friends that they feel comfortable with and remind them that over time they can always choose to develop more friendships.

5 Lifestyle Habits that Will Improve Symptoms of Both Depression and Anxiety

1. Exercise– Endorphins, which are feel good hormones, are released during exercise. Exercise can include many activities and does not have to be limited to going to a gym or running or walking. Try going for a bike ride or swimming, dancing and even gardening. The point is to get your body moving.

2. Sleep– Getting enough quality sleep is essential. Sleep has a significant effect on your mood as well as your cognition. People are grumpy and don’t think straight when they are tired. Implement a good sleep hygiene habit and get some ZZZ’s.

3. Sunshine– Let the sun shine in! Get out into the sun everyday for 20 minutes. Research indicates that 20 minutes of sunlight into your eyes improves the levels of feel good neurotransmitters.

4. Smile– Stress shows up in our face. Smiling can help reduce stress and change your mood. Smiling also releases endorphins, boosts your immune system, makes you look younger and is contagious. So, what are you waiting for 🙂

5. Eat more whole foods– Nutritional imbalances can make you prone to depression and anxiety. Some of the most common levels that may be off and can contribute to mental health issues are: essential fats, homocysteine, serotonin, blood sugar, calcium, vitamin, D, B12, magnesium and food intolerances. So tap into food’s healing properties and stay away from processed foods.