– Tips for Managing Anxiety (Part 7 of 10): Giving Anxiety a Time-Out

HOW TO GET A BREAK FROM THE CONSTANT THOUGHTS RUNNING THROUGH YOUR HEAD.

References- “10 Best-Ever Anxiety Management Techniques” an article on Psychotherapy Networker by Margaret Wehrenberg

Anxiety in itself is a cruel enough master.  But the pace in which anxious thoughts can speed through a person’s brain can be just as overwhelming.  Many of those people experiencing anxiety also experience a consistent barrage of worries and fears that seem to be lined up around the corner just for the chance to over-stimulate your brain with their particular anxiety of the day.  And it seems the line never dwindles.  Learning anxiety management techniques can be a helpful way to address this issue.

One way to quell the constant stream of distressing thoughts is to picture a container in your mind that is open and eager to be filled.  Because the container is created by you in your mind, make it any size, shape and color you wish.  But most importantly, make it opaque so you can’t see through it and make it love to hold things inside of it.  Then, as worry-filled thoughts pop into your head slowly grab them with your hand and drop them into the container.  The exercise can last as long as you need it to.  Slow down your breathing, because there is no hurry.  As an anxiety thought comes up, look at it, then simply place it in the container.  When the pace of the thoughts seems to slow down, or they dry up all together, pick up the lid to the container and gently place it securely on top.  On some days, it may be enough to just slow down the stream of anxiety provoking thoughts.  On other days, you may want to stick with the exercise until it appears there are no more anxious thoughts in your queue.

Continuing this anxiety management strategy, take the container and place it up on a shelf, or in some other place that is out of the way, but not hidden.  Tell yourself that when you are ready, the thoughts will be waiting for you and you can return to them whenever you like.  In the meantime, take notice of other thoughts that may be passing your way.  If you are at home, decide on what could be an enjoyable or important way to spend your time and thoughts, like focusing on what your wife is saying, playing a game with your children, or planning a fun outing for the family.

The worries and fears running through your head are not your enemy.  At certain times and in certain situations, those fears are legitimate and need your attention and energy.  There is no need to be lock those fears in the container for a life sentence.  They will probably come back on their own anyways.  The point of the exercise is that a person feels they have some control over the pace and amount of worrisome thoughts that enter and exit the brain.  In her fantastic article on managing anxiety, Margaret Wehrenberg notes that bedtime is another situation where having the container ready is important.   A person needs to be able to put away the anxiety causing thoughts for the night and focus on more peaceful, restful thoughts as they try to drift off to sleep.