Lose The Emotional Crutches

Intrusive thoughts and a significant effort to ignore irrational thoughts. This is not to say that I completely rid myself of anxiety and as a matter of fact it still creeps up on me now and then and still to this present day. This method can be altered and tailored for the individual. I personally use this strategy too. No different from the average person. Usually represented by a feeling of anticipation or the feeling of impatience. Aware that there’s a generous amount of adrenaline in the body. Able to acknowledge that the feeling will pass. Symptoms prominent particularly depersonalisation. Breathless and aware of symptoms such as derealisation, feelings of dread, palpitations, dizziness, vertigo and any other that has been obsessed about. Unable to think clearly or operate at a normal level both physically and emotionally. Scanning for signs of disaster.

Emptiness Weighs The Most

No motivation except for escape. The feeling of complete derealisation, depersonalisation, confusion and imminent disaster. Panic symptoms aplenty. The feeling of no escape and impending doom. Common symptoms include a pounding chest, breathlessness, inability to focus and balance. Complete breakdown in attachment to surroundings. The scoring method is exactly how it presents. Instead of saying to yourself, Oh no it’s the anxiety again, you can actually score your anxiety and look at it comparatively. One day you may feel a bit uneasy, so instead of just folding to the assumption that it’s anxiety, you could actually say to yourself, ’well I feel quite uneasy and my anxiety feels at around a 4.’ You can begin to look at anxiety as measurable. By scoring your anxiety, you’re actually establishing a preventative process where you’ve acknowledged how you currently feel and can immediately start to ignore certain thoughts and symptoms that arise. Comparative scoring can also be helpful in situations that you may find difficult.

First Steps

You can begin to take encouragement when you notice the overall or average levels of your anxiety decreasing. Of course not every occasion will provide a positive result because anxiety can vary in intensity. It is important not to take any notice or attach any importance to this if it ever occurs. Just keep going and your overall anxiety average will slowly decrease. In any stressful life it’s common for someone to rely on little escapes and emotional crutches in order to get through the day. I’m not here to discuss the pros and cons of doing such things, but I do feel these things can act as a stumbling block when they’re completely relied upon as emotional escapes. To put it in basic terms, an emotional crutch is something we have irrationally concluded as something we couldn’t live without. Personally, I don’t see too many negatives in enjoying things such as drinking and smoking when in control and when they’re a clear, conscious choice. However, when they’re solely relied upon as a necessity for everyday life, then you’ll find that they are used for reasons that go beyond enjoyment. A more profound example of an emotional crutch is when anxiety sufferers place so much importance on confining themselves to the walls of their homes. Home is suddenly this overtly safe place, where the walls suddenly become the mechanics of our mind and body’s coping mechanisms. It’s common to view the outside of the home as this dangerous and overwhelming place that our minds and bodies could not cope with.

Behind Closed Doors

It’s also very common to think that we can deal with our problems within our homes and essentially come out when we’re ready. Emotional crutches are exclusive and subjective to the individual and I suggest that you take time out to distinguish between what you’re enjoying and what you’re actually relying on. On a personal note, I found that unhealthy habits such as smoking and binge drinking actually made my anxiety feel worse, with it only providing a short term level of enjoyment or escape. Alcohol and the hang over effect also cause similar symptoms and actually place us in states of vulnerability. Drinking alcohol drains our electrolyte levels which puts us at risk of experiencing chest palpitations. The best way to put yourself to the test with anxiety is to take yourself out of your comfort zone which, in most cases, is our homes. Lose the emotional crutches and see if you can go through a day without them. Of course losing them all at once is a bit much to ask of yourself, so try and cut down on the bad habits a little bit of a time and see how you feel after a week. If you’re feeling agoraphobic, try and spend an hour going for a walk or seeing a friend. Why not cut down the cigarettes or other habitual drugs by half? Cutting down and eventually not having to rely on these emotional crutches did wonders for me when overcoming anxiety. This applies to dealing with anxiety too. It also helps the brain to release chemicals such as endorphins, which aid the body to help experience the feeling of being happy and content. It also helps to provide an outlet for excessive adrenaline, which usually comes in abundance for the average anxiety sufferer. Furthermore, it helps to add structure to our daily lives. Going for a run, cooking a healthy meal, going to the gym, doing household jobs or even going for a walk gives us a daily outlet for any negative feelings and helps to pull us out of negative thought patterns. Doing this, alongside eating healthier foods, has a huge, positive effect on mental health and I seriously recommend it. The old saying of you are what you eat rings true when it comes to choosing the right food. Eating nutritious, healthy foods which contain vitamins, calcium, protein and other essentials, not only aid us physically, but have been proven to help us mentally too. You should take time out to analyse and record which foods have a profound effect on your mood and how they affect you physically too.