I was once advised that reading the news can be an effective method of alleviating anxiety as it helps to provide the bigger picture. This can be true, but current news reports on the Coronavirus death toll, economic downturn, police brutality against black people, and the individual suffering of many in the UK and around the globe only seem to aggravate my anxious feelings. A feeling of self-criticism bites away at me as I chastise myself for worrying about things that immediately appear insignificant.
This is not to say that we shouldn’t read the news; remaining engaged with current affairs has never been more important in our society, and is crucial to sustain a sense of development beyond the four corners of our homes. But, it is important to remain aware of how news and discussions about the world can incite feelings of anxiety. All problems are relative, and we should not condemn ourselves for the problems of our personal bubble.
“Find the sources of creativity that quieten your mental worries and physical agitations”
Anxiety and anxiety disorders are two different things; the former is a normal reaction to events and situations in our lives, the latter occurs when the feelings become unmanageable and develop into a more severe mental illness. Both conditions are currently under strain as a result of our world climate. Your feelings of anxiety may not be a diagnosed disorder, but this does not mean that they should be under-estimated.
I finished my university exams two weeks ago and, having been focused on work for so long, I was suddenly overcome by a feeling of dread as the prospect of empty days and weeks spread before me. With work experience postponed and job searches proving unsuccessful, I could feel the anxiety tugging away at my stomach and in my head. Fortunately, I was prepared for this – before finishing exams I had made a list of activities and methods to soothe any panic. It was confusing; no longer having to worry about exams and essays was blissful, but also left a space to fill.
People feel most anxious at different times of the day. For some, it is most intense in the evening and can disturb sleep. For me, it is first thing in the morning and in the hours after lunch. Intuiting when your feelings of anxiety peak comes with self-reflection, listening to how you are feeling at different points in the day. It is helpful to develop a tool-kit of activities to do when you start to feel anxious, keeping them written on your phone or on a piece of paper.
“All problems are relative, and we should not condemn ourselves for the problems of our personal bubble”
For my birthday I was given a masterpiece paint-by-numbers and it has become my go-to release from anxious feelings. I am not an artist, but I love to be creative and productive. Sitting down with a cup of tea and a Netflix show playing whilst I paint away has become one of my favourite things to do in the evening. I noticed that one of my university housemates was particularly intrigued as I sat painting, standing behind my shoulder and watching. His brain is very methodological and I knew that a masterpiece paint-by-numbers would help him to relax when he feels tense, recommending that he buy one on the Masterpiece by Numbers website. Some may find the activity frustrating, or childish, but as a combination of creativity and logicality I find that it is a great way to focus on one thing and feel like you are achieving something. The activity does not enhance my CV, earn money, or develop a particular skill, but it helps to soothe the tremors of anxiety inside me.
Other activities in my tool-kit include putting my phone away and reading a book, writing letters to friends and family members, and listening to a podcast whilst on a walk. Louis Theroux’s Grounded episodes are brilliant, offering an insight into the lives of a diversity of famous people who are in the same lockdown situation as us, and The High Low by Pandora Sykes and Dolly Alderton is a wonderful hour of educated but relaxed chatter and recommendations. Clearing out mine and my mum’s closets to find clothes that we can give away or sell has become an ongoing activity. The process of culling, organising, and selling is reassuring in a time when making plans has become difficult. Printing off photos and arranging them in scrapbooks is also very therapeutic and allows time to reminisce over amazing memories, reminding myself to be grateful for the friendships in my life.
“It is helpful to develop a tool-kit of activities to do when you start to feel anxious, keeping them written on your phone or on a piece of paper”
Appreciating other forms of creativity is also key. I am not a sporty person, but I have found following @ktfitness_m workouts on Instagram a great way to sweat and release inner tension or restlessness. Her creativity involves cultivating the page and a diversity of workouts, from full-body HIT to ab-sessions, for followers to engage with. You can follow her 5-day workouts on Instagram live but if you are busy she posts them to her page so you can exercise later. I love her friendly chatter, the fact that she doesn’t act as if working out is easy, and the variety of workouts she offers, now embedded into my anxiety tool-kit.
The BBC website has created its own sub-section for Coronavirus news. We can take a lesson from this – read, absorb, and engage with the news, but compartmentalise it in your brain. If you feel overwhelmed by the state of our world, structure it as a sub-section of your mind which is readily accessible but not all-consuming. This also applies to other more personal worries like relationships, future careers, or money. Recognise them, explore them, and then try to maintain them as a section that is part, but not the whole, of yourself. When you start to feel anxious sit down, take three deep breaths in and out, and go over your tool-kit. What do you feel like doing? I might pick up a book or a brush, but for you it might be something different. Find the sources of creativity that quieten your mental worries and physical agitations.
Immy Higgins
Image courtesy of @Skitterphoto on Pixabay.