DIY Mental Health: Using Hand Gripper for Anxiety Management

This is not some amazing discovery I chanced upon – keeping your mind, hands, and feet busy is one of the oldest tips from the game called controlling your anxiety levels. However, it is not often understood. Many folks believe that anxiety levels can be controlled when you are really busy. When your mind and body are totally occupied by something that does not leave any room to obsess with thoughts that take a toll. Anxiety is something that builds up in quiet, yet-to-be-described, and loud ways. One common factor along these many ways of anxiety symptoms surfacing is that you are in a state of agitation, somewhat irritated, perhaps a bit angry too, and you are trying to control the thoughts that are overtaking your mind. You don’t want an explosion of emotions at the workplace or when driving during rush hours. This is when some people try the easy way out, i.e., taking medicines like Valium, which slow down the thinking patterns, creating a false sense of calm.

Uncluttering to Gain Composure: Is it really so simple?

Minimalism & De-cluttering Helps |
Gain Better Mental Health

I had read about this many times but never took the initiative to actually try it. Cluttered surroundings, filled with things we might need and usually never need, is the source of much anxiety. I have discovered this rather late in my life, realizing that my desk, from where I am blogging right now, is totally clobbered. It is filled with things that I usually don’t need. They continue to occupy more space but serve very little purpose. I am prone to getting anxious without an accurate reason. Sometimes, the feeling just overcomes me in the most unexplained manner.

Don’t Plan Life, Just a Week Can Do!

Plan Shorter. Plan Simpler. Plan the Doable

I have come across lots of blogs about planning your life. However, my success with this strategy is abysmally low. I am not saying that planning your life is a bad choice but to me, it seems like something that consumes too much time and energy and doesn’t serve the purpose. Some people say that they live in the moment. Some choose to structure their entire life in blocks of what they should do and achieve. I believe that the better approach is somewhere in between—planning your life but not more than a week ahead. I had been a chronic life planner all along. Even when I was in school, I was apprehensive about how my practice in Medicine would shape up or by what time I would be able to practice individually.

That Heavy Anxious Feeling: Exhaling Away the Blues, with a Thrust

You must have heard about breathing correctly. More and more lifestyle coaches and wellness instructors are talking about the need for our breathing patterns. Even Ramdev has repeatedly emphasized that breathing out or exhaling is more calming for the entire body, helping you stay more relaxed. In comparison, inhaling takes a toll on our mind and body. While I don't know why inhaling can be so villainous, I am certain that breathing out, with some effort, keeps you calmer.

[Suggested Reading: Me, Anxiety & Mornings]

Breathing Deep: the Simplest Way to Calm Yourself

Call this Anxiety Management in a jiffy but yes it is true and comes without the fear of side-effects or addiction fears - the things we associate with conventional and modern prescription drugs for anxiety, IBS, depression, obsessive thinking...



Personal Anxiety Management Experiences

I have to confess that I am an anxious soul. I don’t get flustered easily but a sense of uneasiness often overcomes me. I have tried anti-anxiety medications too. Called anxiolytics, these medications are supposed to slow down the release of chemicals that induce a sense of anxiousness. However, I didn’t find these to be too helpful. What has helped is a very simple change I have made to my everyday existence—breathing in a more relaxed manner.

Read about Anxiety Management in the Easiest Way: No Meds, Just Pinch Yourself

Browsing the web, I realized that most of us don’t breathe right. When anxious, this problem worsens as we breathe even more shallowly. I decoded this pattern in my daily life too. Every time I got into an over-thinking mode, my breathing was laboured. I would inhale air in huge bouts and gasps. The consistent smooth breathing pattern was missing. According to researchers, shallow breathing is both a result and cause of anxiety.

Read about Defeating Anxiety Using the Exhale Quick & Strong Approach - It Works!!

It starts when you feel anxious and it also stimulates anxiety symptoms like headaches, acidity or that burning feeling in the stomach. I have put a simple practice into motion. Whenever I feel overworked or getting restless, I shun my work for a minute and start breathing deeper, drawing in more air and exhaling it slowly. The idea is to make your breathing more relaxed. The results are better than depending upon Valium or Prozac.

To take this discussion further, you might want to read about my anxiety management approach during Mornings