Anti Anxiety Toolbox

Anti Anxiety Toolbox - The Art of Ignoring

Don't try to calm your anxiety, get on with your day instead

Part of ignoring anxious thoughts and symptoms is not interacting with them. We tend to spend a significant amount of time trying to reason out our anxious thoughts and often try to fight back at them. We sit trying to appease our anxious minds and calm our anxiety. All this does is continue the red flag brain cycle. What you're doing is signalling to the brain that this is still something that is significant to you. What you need to do to break this cycle is just leave it be and continue with your day. Go on with whatever you were doing before the anxiety struck. Do something different. Do something interesting or fun.

Its kinda like not worrying about the anxious thoughts and symptoms. As if they're just some pesky mosquito. Shoo it away, move to a different area. Not so bothered by them. This breaks the cycle in the brain that red flags certain thoughts and sensations, which trigger the fight-or-flight response.

So don't try to calm your anxiety. Don't try to reason out the thoughts in your head. Don't try to argue with them. Just ignore them and get on with your day. (Remember in the beginning you will have to do this with the symptoms and probably a very loud mind. But as you go about your day, these will quieten).

Have fun with choosing different things to do that are more fun than sitting butting heads with your anxiety. Perhaps when you have a moment, make a list of things you would rather be doing. Then when anxiety hits, do those things on your list. I like taking a walk outside, watching the blue in the sky, the birds, the trees or maybe curling up with a good book. Let those feelings of excitement and relaxation flow through you.

Why this works: Remember that when you feel anxious, don't interact with the anxiety, instead cast it aside and do something else. What this does is:

1. Signals to the brain that this thought or symptoms is no longer something that bothers you so it is now insignificant. The brain will then begin to stop the red flagging.

2. Shifts your attention so you're not focusing on the anxiety. Again this helps to stop the red flagging.

In the beginning this is difficult because you will feel torn. But as always stick with the ignoring, stick with the not interacting. And you will soon find the symptoms becoming milder, your mind quietening. Plus you get a lot more done that you wanted to do for the day and you begin to include more things that are pleasant into your day.

We got this guys. To pleasant and bright days