Anxiety Resource Center, LLC

06/27/2022

Having a consistent gratitude practice can get you through some pretty tough times (It got me through ALL of 2020 with just a few mental breakdowns!)

You don't have to list the big things, much like stressors, sometimes the small things count the most. Being able to list three to five things that you are grateful for when your symptoms are coming for you does a lot to help.

Studies show that it can even help with your SLEEP. So, remember, instead of focusing on what you lack, focus on what you have and where you are in the moment.

06/22/2022

Some days it's much easier said than done, but we can all use the reminder to use that Q-TIP!

06/21/2022

If you read the blog post last week (and if you haven't, why not?), you noticed the breathing gif.

I like to pull one of these up on my computer screen from time to time when I'm feeling stressed, or in some cases, lethargic, in order to get myself where I need to be on my Arc of Anxiety (Which you know all about if you read our blogs!)

You can find any number of these easy-to-follow techniques online that you can utilize to quickly move along your own arc.

Quick, portable, and free! What more could you want?

06/15/2022

We're halfway through the week, so how about a little happiness to brighten up your feed.

Listening to music and dancing are great ways to increase endorphins, and let's face it, it's just fun!

Whether you are grooving out like this lil one, having a silly dance party in your living room, or jamming out to your favorite song, you're doing your brain good!!!

06/15/2022

As followers of our page, we know that you are intentional in learning how to recognize and soothe your anxiety symptoms when they arise.

We also realize that you have probably been doing this for a while; learning, implementing, practicing...

Lather, rinse, repeat.

Just like any other aspect of your health, there are no quick fixes when it comes to mental health. There are techniques that you can use in the moment, but the journey to coexisting with your anxiety symptoms is long, and the terrain can be challenging.

This post may not resonate with you, but for anyone who may be feeling frustrated by the process, know that you are not alone and that it is a PROCESS. There are no shortcuts.

https://www.anxietyresourcecenter.net/what-the-self-help-industry-doesnt-want-you-to-know/

06/06/2022

05/25/2022

We have been going THROUGH it for a while. It's okay to admit that you may not have much more to give mentally.

Dr. Huser played a big role in the creation of this blog post. So We hope that it is informative and helpful in getting you through the tough emotions that tragedy brings.

Here are some things to do in order to change fear into courage. To go from helplessness or being a helper.

https://www.anxietyresourcecenter.net/when-the-going-gets-tough/

05/03/2022

Let's talk about doom scrolling!

It's ironic that we want to discuss mindlessly scrolling on a platform that is notorious for mindless scrolling, but here we are!

According to psychotherapist and coach Tess Brigham, MFT, doomscrolling is mindlessly scrolling through negative news articles, social media posts, or other content-sharing platforms. Essentially, it's reading one negative story after another.

We've all done it a time or 40, especially in the last couple of years, and guess what? It's not good for us.

We are wired for survival so there is an inherent need to be aware of threats. People with anxiety or anxiety-related disorders are prone to scroll because anxiety is about control and lack of control.

But what you are doing is simply adding more threats which will increase your anxiety symptoms. Think about the times you read something and you knew about the same after you read it as you did before, by now, your pulse is racing, your heart is beating faster and you are quick to 'lose it' on people.

Tell me you've been doom scrolling without telling me you've been doom scrolling, right?

If you find yourself down a social media rabbit hole of very bad news, there are things that you can do. The most obvious first choice is to get off of your phone and enjoy another activity.

You can also set a time limit for your scrolling. It's easy to get onto social media to see pictures of cute animals or catch the latest celebrity gossip and before you know it, you're in the muck of negativity. Make an intention to only spend a certain amount of time on your phone and stick to it.

Seek out positivity. We know a lot of folks who spent the last couple of years 'cleaning up' their newsfeeds to get rid of exploitative, divisive, and negative posts. Practice the KonMarie method. If it doesn't bring you joy, get it off your page!

If you are someone who gets their news and information primarily online (and who doesn't?) practice discernment. Remember, the goal of most posts that you see online is to generate income. That income is generated through clicks, and nothing will make you click faster than a catchy headline or picture.

Remember this nugget of wisdom from Dr. Fielder, "We get a lot of INFORMATION but not a lot of FACTS." be on the lookout for words like 'possible,' 'may,' 'could' and 'it is predicted.' in articles that you are reading and remember what we have all been taught since elementary school, CONSIDER THE SOURCE.''

And lastly, but definitely not least, don't forget to check in with yourself. If you find that you are more agitated, distracted, or 'in your limbic system' after scrolling, ask yourself why.

Do some grounding exercises and/or start listing things that you are grateful for and remember that a lot of the 'news' that you are reading online is meant to be consumed in much the same manner as fast food.

And we all know what happens when we eat too much fas food,

05/02/2022

May is National Mental Health Awareness month. Now, more than ever, mental health needs to not just be part of the national conversation, but also something that we are comfortable with talking about with the people we love.

There is no shame in admitting that you are struggling. There is no shame in admitting you need help.

Mental health needs to be a priority in every workplace. It needs to be a focus in school, at every level. It needs to be something that can be openly discussed amongst family and friends.

It needs to continue to be normalized.

04/25/2022

Dr. Daniel Amen was a guest on the "Add Heart" podcast. He was discussing happiness and he had a lot of fascinating insight. First ad foremost, he stated that happiness is a right and not a privilege. You should not be ashamed to chase happiness (Happiness, not hedonism, which does more harm than good!)

He went through the techniques and strategies that he uses to increase his happiness and "Learning not to believe every stupid thing that I think." was near the top of his list.

Dr. Amen is tops in his field. He is constantly looking to evolve the field of psychiatry and psychology. It goes without saying that he's also brilliant, but even HE has to practice questioning the Automatic Negative Thoughts that creep into his head.

You cannot 'outlearn' or 'outsmart' them, but you can question them until you understand that they are not valid and that they are, in fact, "stupid."

Our brains will go negative to protect us, and that's amazing, but we don't have to stay there. The minute we realize that the garden hose on the front lawn is not a snake, we can calm down our anxiety. Calming down those negative thoughts can take a little longer.

03/22/2022

Happy Try IT Tuesday!

This is our most popular/favorite handout in the office. Katy and Laura use it for every presentation and talk that they give, and I have been known to follow the circles a time or five myself when I find myself ruminating over a situation.

Problem-Focused Coping is one of the ways to help lessen anxiety symptoms. It's a mindset shift that involves looking at a situation that is causing you to stress through a different lens

Do not confuse this with "toxic positivity"! You are not trying to GET RID of the thoughts that are causing your anxiety symptoms to flare up.

Not only is that not possible, but it also adds to your brain, it's adding yet another threat. It's counterintuitive!

What you are doing is acknowledging the problem while offering a silver lining of sorts.

Remember, your brain is designed to automatically go negative as a form of protection. Countering an automatic negative thought (Or ANT, as we call it in the biz) is something that becomes easier the more that you do it and then all of those B3 (Brain, Body, and Behavior) symptoms will start to calm down.

It sounds like magic, but it's better. It's SCIENCE!

Let us know in the comments if you like these sorts of worksheets!

03/21/2022

Spring has sprung!! Can you feel it?
The days are longer.
The weather is warmer
The allergies are more severe…

I’ve been riding my bike along the canal on the way to work, eagerly anticipating the appearance of what I consider to be the first official sign of spring…ducklings.

This morning I was greeted by no less than eight of the little cuties swimming across the canal, one of them struggling to keep up. (I always name the stragglers “Stephanie” ) It was motoring as fast as its little legs could take it so it could keep up with its siblings.

A kindred spirit, indeed.

I slowed down to watch it all unfold, and maybe to encourage the duckling a little.

I took it all in, and in that moment, I forgot that it was Monday. I forgot about the news. I forgot about everything other than these new little lives who were barely older than the season itself.

Let’s take it all in.
Let’s take walks or ride bikes, or rollerblade.
Let’s blow bubbles.
Let’s plan picnics or lunch on a patio with friends
Let’s celebrate making it to another spring.

Maybe we got here a little battered and worse for wear. Maybe we got here by the skin of our teeth.

Maybe we’ve been churning our little legs as fast as we can while appearing to glide across the water with ease.

But we’re here!