Conquering Anxiety: Learning from others

@exuberantBlackberry9105 @unassumingEyes @WeEarth @CordialDancer @YourCaringConfidant @daydreammemories @yellowPineapple3652 @BaklavaBaby @CalmRosebud  @Gettingbettertoday @GregariousSky @mytwistedsoul @sincereZebra2546 @pamharley003 @Sugarapplefairy5 @orangish @NovaIsNB @Blahblah1805 @KateDoskocilova @iloveyouxx

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@Hope 

For members

Can you think of anything sail did that may be beneficial to apply in your life?

I think the leaves on a stream meditation may be beneficial to apply in my life. Was considering the 30 day meditation by Lavendaire but tried it today and it went very badly. So I will explore the leaves on a stream meditation.

For listeners

How can you support someone who is struggling with anxiety and wishes to use exposure therapy to overcome it?

I can support someone who is struggling with anxiety and wishes to use exposure therapy to overcome it by filling my cup first and helping from the overflow instead of being in a chronic state of being drained and never full.

@communicativePond1728

Hopefully the leaves on the stream will prove beneficial!

@Hope totes

@Hope thanks

@Hope Thank you for sharing your experience

Does any of the points mentioned by sail resonate with you? The leaf meditation. Although I often do visualizations with balloons that help sometimes 

Can you think of anything sail did that may be beneficial to apply in your life? I do pay more attention to my breathing and it helps to slow it down

I need to work on hope and believing in myself more

@mytwistedsoul

It looks like you know what you need to do more of and have some ideas on how to get there!

@Hope

• How can you support someone who is struggling with anxiety and wishes to use exposure therapy to overcome it?
• I would let them know I am here for them anytime and do the exposure therapy with them so their not feeling alone and have someone to connect with 

@pamharley003

That is a good approach!

@Hope

• How can you support someone who is struggling with anxiety and wishes to use exposure therapy to overcome it? By being there for them, checking in with them frequently, and being encouraging!
• You are welcome to share words of encouragement with sail. it is very brave of you, sail, to manage this! i am proud of you <3

@KateDoskocilova

Being there for them seems like a perfect way!

@Hope

How can you support someone who is struggling with anxiety and wishes to use exposure therapy to overcome it?

I can support them by asking what areas they want to work on regarding anxiety and exposure therapy. Once I know, I can say or act out scenarios that we can work through together. We can have a safe word or action to let me know that they need to take a break if it is getting too overwhelming. 

You are welcome to share words of encouragement with sail. 

Sail, you really are inspiring as you have developed so many skills regarding anxiety! I wish I had your level of knowledge when I was a teenager. Keep up the great work!

@CordialDancer

Creating a support plan is a wonderful way of knowing how exactly to support them!

@Hope One thing I loved that Sail mentioned was when they said they started going on walks. I've tried meditation and deep breathing to try and ease up anxiety, but nothing works. When I'm in a funk, quiet walks definitely do the trick. There's something about just being in nature and I love that Sail brought walking up. It can help ease up on anxiety. I am so proud of Sail and hearing about the things that work for them! 

@TheGeminiInMe

Quiet walks are so powerful! 

@Hope

• How can you support someone who is struggling with anxiety and wishes to use exposure therapy to overcome it? I think giving them space for them to figure out if it's a good fit for them is the point. since it's not always a good fit for everyone. 
• You are welcome to share words of encouragement with sail. 
  anxiety is tough, dealing with it can sometimes be discouraging, but as someone who's still dealing with it, it's not impossible! you're brave to come here and you're brave for trying. you got this!💚

@daydreammemories

Thank you for taking part!!

1. I agree with the bit about controlling your breathing.

2. I guess the bits about avoiding rumination.

@Hope

Many of the points sail made absolutely resonated with me.  I feel like the cycle of trying so hard to be hopeful and break patterns of anxiety and fear, having ups and downs, and subsequently fearing that hope was futile is a VERY common pattern in those of us who struggle with this.  

I think continuing to try each day and not give up is important.  I also want to give the Leaves on a Stream meditation a try.  I have tried meditating many times, and my mind is so preoccupied that I never feel very successful with it.  It's like there's ten squirrels bouncing around inside my head bringing up 742 topics, and I have to constantly remind myself that I'm meditating or I'll just be marinating my whole brain in thought.

@yellowPineapple3652

That is a good point! Having hope and consistently trying is so important. 

Yellow you have a way with your words! 

@Hope 

• Does any of the points mentioned by sail resonate with you? 

Sail's description of living in anxiety and feeling crushed by it really struck a chord. I too am sick of overthinking almost everything and holding myself back out of irrational fear.

• Can you think of anything sail did that may be beneficial to apply in your life?

I think taking walks when anxious might help me too. 

@unassumingEyes

Anxiety can feel exhausting. Walks sound like a great idea!

@Hope  In supporting someone with anxiety, I think it's important to reassure them that 1.  They are not alone and 2.  Nothing is "wrong" with them.  As a listener I would direct them to the resources & Cups has on anxiety.  If permissible, I would also direct them to the YouTube channel Psych2Go.  they have some great - short videos on anxiety that have helped me.  I would encourage them to keep talking because getting the thoughts out sometimes makes them less scary.  I like the idea of the "Calm Kit" and I might suggest making one and asking what kinds of things they could put in one etc. 

About rumination - what has helped me is labeling what I'm doing as ruminating- and again asking myself what is real?  Because many times I'm worrying about things that haven't happened - or I'm ruminating about something I've done with negative self talk - which is a lie - and I tell myself that.  

@Hope 

Does any of the points mentioned by sail resonate with you? 

No, I don't think I resonate anywhere with sail.

Can you think of anything sail did that may be beneficial to apply in your life?

The leaves on stream meditation. I have to be consistent with it so that it can help me. 

Thank you for this series Hope❤

@Hope

I can support others by providing a safe environment to share their feelings, validate, encourage, and help them acknowledge even the smallest achievements. I will encourage them to be consistent.

Progress is Progress: Every step forward, no matter how small, is progress.

@Hope

1. The first thing to do would be to talk to someone who experiences anxiety

2. The second thing would be to give them the referral link to 7Cups and encourage them to work with "Getting Unstuck" self-help guide and maybe try the path.    I would also recommend that they try the anxiety self-help guide.

3. I would probably also refer them to resources with credible backgrounds 

@Hope

Does any of the points mentioned by sail resonate with you?

I think I can resonate with not being able to stop ruminating. I think I do that a lot and I overthink things and it makes me a lot more worried and scared about simple stuff.

Can you think of anything sail did that may be beneficial to apply in your life?

It'd probably be beneficial if I could just trust myself and be more hopeful and believe in myself more. I guess it might also be helpful if I work on controlling my breath when I feel anxious.