AWARE Method

One way you can reach a state of relaxation is by learning how to personally manage your symptoms and cope with the anxiety. Paradoxically, learning to accept your anxiety is an easy way to help you overcome it. Dr. Aaron Beck and colleagues developed a cognitive therapy tool for managing anxiety known as the AWARE method.

A W A R E

• Accept the anxiety – Accept the anxious thoughts and feelings as natural.  Focus on feeling anxiety without becoming annoyed or frustrated with yourself. Greet it by saying “hello” out loud or to yourself when the anxiety appears.  Challenge yourself to be with the experience, not fight it. If you resist the anxiety you’re essentially prolonging the unpleasantness of it. Instead, you should just flow with it.
• Watch your anxiety –  Look at it objectively, without judgement, and rate it on a zero to ten scale. Record the scores and see how your anxiety goes up and down. The more you can separate yourself from the experience, the more you can just watch it. Dissociate your basic self from the anxiety; be in the anxiety state, but not of it.
• Act with your anxiety – Normalize the situation and function with it. Slow things down if you have to, but keep going and breathe slowly and normally.
• Repeat as much as possible – Continue to work on accepting your anxiety, watch it, and act with it until it goes down to a comfortable level
• Expect the best – Anticipate that your worried thoughts and fears won’t happen, because they rarely ever do. Expect that you will accomplish your goal, and if you experience anxiety along the way remember to accept, watch, and act with it. Don’t be surprised the next time you have anxiety but rather surprise yourself with how you handle it. Being aware of future anxiety will help place you in a better position to accept it when it comes again.

Meditation

Meditation exercises produce deep physiological relaxation and feelings of peace and tranquility [5]. It involves an active process of focusing your attention on your breathing to the point where you abandon the constant loop of stress provoking thoughts.

For example, think of a time when you were totally absorbed in a sensory experience such as listening to a beautiful piece of music or receiving a massage. You weren’t trying to analyze or manipulate the experience, you were just living it. This is similar to how your psychological posture should be during meditation.

• Start by making yourself as comfortable as possible
• Close your eyes
• Relax your breathing and allow it to naturally find its rhythm
• Next, focus your attention on the movements of your chest and stomach as you’re breathing
• Once you are aware of your attention wandering, bring it back to your breathing
• Continue to let your mind wander as you breathe by using a mantra to keep your breathing natural

credit: https://redd.it/1xsu1a

Visualization

Visualization practice combines a 4-4-8 breathing pattern with meditation practice. To do so:

• start by inhaling for 4 seconds
• holding for 4 seconds
• and exhaling for 8 seconds
• Repeat

Use your mind’s eye create a picture of a pleasant scene (your happy place).  For example, imagine you are walking on the beach. A cool fresh breeze blowing across your face and through your hair. As you are listening to the sounds of waves, you hear the birds singing across the beach.

Just imagine some experience that you personally find relaxing.  Focus on the details of the experience (sights, sounds, smells, feelings, etc.) and continue to breathe evenly and deeply. Open your eyes once you’ve reach a calm and relaxed state.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Another technique you can try is the Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) relaxation method that involves tensing muscle groups and releasing them. Contrasting muscle tension with release can be very effective in managing the symptoms of stress, anxiety, and moments of panic/intense anxiety [4]. Begin in sequence and work progressively throughout all major muscle groups, tensing and relaxing them one at a time. It is helpful to practice this technique several times (when not anxious) so you can more easily cue yourself to the relaxed state.

TO BEGIN: Sit with your back fairly straight or lie down on a comfortable surface. Try keeping your eyes closed and take a deep breathing in through your nose. Feel free to listen to relaxing music, if desired.

As you breathe deeply, focus your attention on your feet.

Toes – Curl your toes as tightly as you can and hold for five seconds. Relax.

Calves – Flex feet to tighten calves and hold for five seconds. Relax.

Thighs – Tighten your thigh muscles by pressing your knees together as tightly as you can for five seconds.

Hips and buttocks – Flex your hip and buttock muscles for five seconds. Relax.

Stomach – Focus on your belly button, take a deep breath in, release that breath, and tighten stomach muscles.

Shoulders – Move your shoulders forward, squeeze chest muscles and hold for five seconds. Relax.

Hands – Extend your arms in front of you. Clench your fists tightly for five seconds. Relax. Feel the warmth and calmness in your hands as you release.

Upper arms – Bend your elbows. Tense your biceps for five seconds. Relax. Feel the tension leave your arms.

Back – Squeeze shoulder blades together and hold for five seconds. Relax. Feel the anxiety and tension leave your body as you relax.

Forehead – Wrinkle your forehead; try to make your eyebrows touch your hairline for five seconds. Relax.

Eyes and nose – Close your eyes as tightly as you can for five seconds. Relax.

Lips, cheeks, and jaw – Tighten your lips, cheeks, and jaw and hold for five seconds. Relax. Feel the warmth and calmness in your face.

Focus on any muscles that may still feel tense. Breathe in for three seconds, hold for three seconds, and release for five seconds – releasing any remaining tension.

Once you begin to feel relaxed, focus your attention on feeling warm or as if you were on a sunny beach. Let the light and warmth travel throughout your relaxed body. Feel the waves come in and out with your breathing. Stay in this moment.

TO END: Slowly become aware and active. Become aware of your feet pressing on the floor, feel your body on the chair. Take five deep breaths with each breath becoming more alert. Wiggle your fingers and your toes [4].

Autogenic Relaxation

Once you’ve learned to relax your muscle groups using the progressive muscle technique you can begin autogenic relaxation. This method teaches your body to respond to verbal commands so that you can achieve relaxation and reduce anxiety. Once you assume a comfortable position, close your eyes and slowly recite these instructions:

1. My hands and arms are heavy and warm (5 times)
2. My feet and legs are heavy and warm (5 times)
3. My abdomen is warm and comfortable (omit if you have ulcers) (5 times)
4. My breathing is deep and even (5 times)
5. My breathing is calm and regular (10 times)
6. My forehead is cool (5 times)
7. When I open my eyes I will remain relaxed and refreshed (3 times)
8. Perform the following sequence of body movements:
   • Move hands and arms about
   • Move feet and legs about
   • Rotate head
   • Open eyes and sit up

Diaphragmatic Breathing

You can also manage your anxiety with this intentional breathing technique. Most people aren’t aware that deep breathing actually makes use of the body’s built-in natural relaxation response, which occurs when we exhale. You can use a deep diaphragmatic breathing technique to reduce your anxiety with deep breathes. This method uses a 3-3-5 breathing pattern:

• Inhale for 3 seconds
• Hold for 3 seconds
• Exhale for 5 seconds

Make sure to breathe slowly and evenly with your mouth closed. Take notice of what you’re feeling throughout your body while exhaling; your muscles might feel warm and begin to feel light or heavy. Try and let yourself enjoy whatever sensations you’re experiencing. Repeat the diaphragmatic breathing exercise until you feel relaxed.