What goes through your mind when you’re get anxious or afraid?
Margaret arrived at my office this particular Wednesday morning day. Her hands trembled as she handed me the hospital report: She shared with me in a quiet but unnerved sort of way, “I felt like I was having a heart attack. I get terrified at the thought of dying and leaving Roger (husband) and my girls (two daughters).”
She huddled on my couch, wrapped her arms around her thin body, and waited for my response.
“Thankfully, that is not what was going on. You’re not dying.” I reassured her, as I scanned her medical record. “Your report indicates high blood pressure, which can be managed through medication and making some lifestyle changes.
“However, you were found to have had a full blown anxiety or panic attack which can sometimes look and feel like a heart attack.”
Did you know that belly breathing is one of the most powerful tools for reducing anxiety, fear and stress in real time?
Abdominal or belly breathing initiates the parasympathetic nervous system, which induces a relaxation response—almost immediately.
Anxiety and relaxation are incompatible responses. That means that anxiety and relaxation cannot occur at the same time. One of these states invariably overrides the other.
So which one do you want to tap into on a more consistent basis in your life?
