WHAT IS ANXIETY?
Anxiety tends to be defined as worry about the future. Fear tends to be in present time and Depression tends to focus on the past. They often interchange. It is hard as many do not understand anxiety or other mental problems for that matter.
It doesn’t help to be told ‘don’t be sad’, ‘be grateful you aren’t starving to death’, ‘ don’t take it to heart’, ‘it’s all in your head’, ‘life’s too short to worry like this’ and so on and on.
A listening ear is really what is required. Better still, would be a way to access how we are feeling, accept it and perhaps let go of some of the agro around it.
Often there is a history of trauma and current research is finding that energetic talking therapies that address this are having great success e.g. Matrix Reimprinting and EFT.
More and more research is showing the anxiety and depression are linked to early childhood traumas. These vary from difficult births, early hospitalisation, dysfunctional family environments, abuse, neglect and so on. These are called Adverse Child Experiences and include parents divorcing, moving house and so on. How we reacted at the time is highly informative as to how our health is in later years. Many addictive behaviours stem from these experiences. Parents did their best – the way we reacted in our reality is the important bit. Instead of remembering how we got to feel like this, we get signs and symptoms. We may not remember but our body does……..Indeed, our body does not forget.
Our emotions are stored in our bodies and so any therapy that encourages us to really feel into our bodies is helpful e.g. massage, EFT. If we add a therapy like Matrix Reimprinting, we can visit early childhood experiences and communicate with our younger selves in order to change the stored energy around that memory.
These stored memories/energies are really the ones that react when we really don’t feel in control. It is like the incident we are triggered by is the impetus for the explosion of emotions. The more we try to bury them, ignore them, drug them etc., the more they are going to try to get our attention.
Chronic conditions such as Autoimmune disorders, Chronic Pain, Arthritis, Asthma, ME, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Depression and many more are now believed to have their origins in these early childhood traumas and the healthy thing to do is to access them so that they can be healed. This allows the all important energy to flow – to help with healing and really, get your life back.
Feelings of worthlessness or guilt, fixating on past failures or blaming yourself for things that are not your responsibility or taking on too much responsibility are all signs of early childhood trauma. It is all interfering with our nervous system and how it controls body functions.
High levels of anxiety are prevalent in this fast paced, multi-tasking world where it is almost a sin to relax and do nothing.
I do feel the best way forward with chronic anxiety is to consult an EFT or Matrix Reimprinting Practitioner. Let’s start working on how you are feeling right now and using EFT, turn the setting down. Using EFT( also known as the tapping therapy), will help lower feelings of anxiety. There is guidance for you on our Emotional Freedom Technique page. It is a technique that you can use, even in public!
Accepting the way we feel is important. Hating the way we feel and resenting it, fighting it or trying to ignore it, all brings about more stress. More stress usually brings about more pain. There is much information out there and I would recommend Gabor Mate, Bruce Lipton and Irene Lyon who all have free youtube videos or books and articles.
Accepting ourselves and saying ‘yes’ to what we want and need, is honouring ourselves. Doing things that don’t feel right – all those ‘shoulds’ is not really honouring yourself. It’s kinda saying ‘no’ to yourself. While it is great to serve others, we need to serve ourselves first. The ratio should be 51% for me, leaving 49% for others.
Nurturing yourself is so important for health, wrapping your arms around yourself and giving yourself a hug is so soothing. Taking time to orient yourself to your surroundings and being fully present helps too. Scan your body for tensions and focus your breath on them.
MIND-BODY CONNECTIONS
Complementary and alternative medicine practitioners believe the mind and body must be in harmony for you to stay healthy. Examples of mind-body techniques that may be helpful for anxiety and depression (click on the highlighted ones for more info on this website) include:
- Matrix Reimprinting
- Emotional Freedom Technique
- Matrix Birth Reimprinting
- Metakinetics
- Acupuncture / Dry Needling
- Yoga,
- Qi Gong or Tai Chi
- Meditation
- Guided imagery
- Massage therapy
- Reflexology
- Relaxation and Relaxation Massage
- Music or art therapy
- Spirituality
- Exercise
- Open water swimming
- Breathing Techniques
MASSAGE THERAPY HELPS SOOTHE ANXIETY
Taking time for massage is as important for people dealing with anxiety and depression as it is for people dealing with arthritis, sports injuries and carpal tunnel syndrome.
Cortisol is the body’s response to stress, and massage therapy lowers it by as much as 50%. At the same time, massage also can increase the levels of serotonin and dopamine, which are both neurotransmitters that help stabilise your mood.
TREATING THE WHOLE PERSON
Sometimes it can be difficult to make time for taking care of yourself. Ongoing massage therapy promotes a relaxed state of mental alertness, which reinforces a positive attitude.There are many self-help techniques – see our ‘breathing’ and also our ‘relaxation and relaxation massage’ articles on this website.
Reserving some specific time for a massage, customised to address your personal needs, makes it easier to remember that you deserve to feel good and that you’re taking important steps to make it happen. You may need help with insomnia, headaches, migraine, back pain and more. Reducing these signs and symptoms should help your mood reducing your need for drugs and their side effects. We don’t advise stopping your medication, but telling your doctor that you are having physical therapy will allow him or her to monitor your needs.
Spinal health is important for all your body as the nerves from the spinal cord go everywhere including being linked to the electricals to your organs. Osteopathic adjustments help to release hormones including oxytocin (the social boding hormone).
Naturopathy and lifestyle advice may be necessary. A healthy diet is important for all. Fresh unprocessed foods are recommended and checking to see if you have sensitivities to certain foods can make a huge difference to mood.
More and more people are working with talking and energy therapies. Here at BCC we have EFT and Matrix Reimprinting to help.
Touch is essential for life so there is a direct link to that ‘feel better response’ to massage. Relaxation effects are so important for everyone but especially for anyone with depression.
Shiatsu is a whole body treatment that aims to regulate the flow of energy or ‘qi’ thus restoriing more balance and harmony in the body-mind. Qi is the vital energy in the body that underlies all functions.
Reflexology works on the feet or hands to bring balance in the body. Many BCC guests find this therapy very soothing for anxiety and when stressful events beocme overwhelming.
THERAPY OPTIONS AVAILABLE FOR THIS CONDITION AT BROOKS-CARTER CLINIC
- Osteopathy
- Naturopathy
- Advanced Remedial Massage
- Remedial & Sports Massage
- Swedish Massage
- Relaxation and Relaxation Massage
- Working with Children
- On-Site Massage
- Indian Head Massage
- Aroma Facial Massage
- Aromatherapy
- Baby Massage
- Reflexology
- Shiatsu
- Hot Stone Massage
- Pregnancy Massage
- Dry Needling
- Chinese Cupping
- Hopi Ear Candling
- Sports Event Massage
- Meta Kinetics
- Emotional Freedom Technique
- Matrix Reimprinting
- Matrix Birth Reimprinting
- Breathing Techniques
- Qi Gong
- Gift Vouchers
Suite 5 Braehead Way Shopping Centre, Bridge of Don,
Aberdeen AB22 8RR
01224 822960, 01224 822956
info@brookscarterclinic.co.uk