Here’s a quick blog post to give you a quick intervention for getting rid of basic level anxiety.
In my experience the vast amount of anxiety has a structure (strategy, even ‘recipe’) where there is a stimulus (for example thinking about public speaking), which brings on a bit of self-talk (such as “oh-my-god-everyone-is-looking-at-me!”), which leads to the emotion of fear, which brings on the feelings of anxiety. The feelings then feed back into the thought process that feeds the fear and the circle continues and can spiral down into panic.
This brief and simple intervention targets the self-talk and collapses the structure.
Take your tongue and place it firmly on the roof of your mouth, just behind your teeth. When you do this, notice what happens to your self-talk. For most people, the self-talk will be impossible or at least becomes very hard to do.
(This is because of the way that the brain is wired and the
way that neurologically we develop self-talk, though I’m not going into it here!)
Now, keeping your tongue on the roof of your mouth behind
your teeth, think about the thing that was giving you anxiety. Notice what is
different now?
Many people won’t be able to access the anxiety. If this is you, repeat the process several times so you can lean to think of that thing and remain calm and anxiety-free.
Without the self-talk there is nothing to create and sustain the anxiety. Simple.
My forthcoming book on anxiety “No Worries” is nearing completion. It is written, edited, and the final overall package is being put together as I post this blog. It highlights the complete system that I use with my clients to banish their anxiety forever.
In the meantime, I wonder how many applications of the above little intervention you can think of and put to use? Self-talk getting in the way? Just position your tongue and turn it off.
Let me know how you get on!
And if it doesn't work, here's a picture of my huskies, Harley and Max. As you look at these pictures notice how you start to relax and have warm feelings inside...and you are free from anxiety... ;
