KEEPING SANE & PSYCHOLOGICALLY SAFE THROUGH ANXIOUS TIMES

 How to keep sane during anxious times... 

1st publ. during Coronavirus 2022 

Courtesy of Dreamstime and Mohammed Alfian licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

(A similar post was incorporated into Getting Through Winter 2022, including Blackouts)

We have to learn to accept that 'it's not what happens in life but how you handle it that matters.'

Too often, our lives feel out of control - especially in the area of international affairs - but not letting anxiety/stress get the better of us is possible.  

There is nothing worse than to find yourself in the trap of 'circling' thoughts -- fears and ideas that repeat like a tape recorder that has no off button.  You know the kind of thing:

'We can't cope', 'we're going to be homeless' 'the kids will starve and end up as uneducated louts' 'I'll end my life as a bad lady pushing a wonky trolly full of my mangy belongings.'   Or on a more global level, 'is democracy/ civilisation at risk?"

While these are legitimate fears, allowing your mind to continually reinforce negativity and anxiety reduces chances of dealing with what is facing you iindividually and the world in general, and preventing a worse case scenario.   

Resilience, calm, some preparation in the face of events is the only option available.  But there are plenty of practical tips for reducing general anxiety/stress.

They fall broadly into 3 categories: mind work, taking care of your body and self-help for keeping sane. 

1. Mind Work: don't clutter up your thoughts with ifs and mights
2. Physical: regular exercise and a good diet calms anxiety
3. Keep Sane: with complementary therapies 

1.  MIND WORK:  KEEP YOUR MIND CLEAR 

Deal with facts as they arrive; don't clutter up your mind with ifs and mights.

a) Be careful where you get your news.  Try to watch/listen with intelligence. Beware the words 'might', 'could' 'is likely's' but remember that the world can tuirn on a dime.  'Is likely' can - and does - morph into something that has begun to happen.

 

Classic journalism is founded on the principles of informing, educating and entertaining.  Informing means facts, ie a piece of information confirmed by at least two separate sources.  Educating means telling the public something they didn't already know, usually involving context, ie all the circumstances involved in a story.  Entertaining usually meant making us laugh but today often means dwelling on gruesome details to get a visceral reaction. 

A great deal of Contemporary journalism involves speculation, character assassination, fear-mongering and outright lies.

Alarm bells rightly ring when a reputable broadsheet bases an 'analytic' article on a rumour (not a fact) picked up from 2 separate sources.  

Fear-mongering often focuses on a projected scenario or one individual's tragic set of circumstance to imply that 'the sky is falling in' when, really, it is one scenario among many, many others.  This warped focus often encourages members of the public to fall into the 'me, too' frame of mind.  

And then there are outright lies posing as journalism, for which this blog has no recommended solutions.  Governments around the world have been looking into the matter, and work is ongoing but when a solution can be agreed is still under consideration   

To avoid media contamination: 

• Decide on 1-2 news programmes a day; watch/listen to something educational or relaxing/soothing at all other times
• Set aside an hour a day to discuss cost-of-living/government/ politicians then put your mind to other things
• Social media is great for keeping in touch but create a What's App group to bypass fake news, rumours, rage and anti-government carping which dominates some sites
• Limit time on your devices; turn off notifications for periods of time
• You need to be well informed in order to do your duty as a voter in a democratic society.  Forming a political discussion group is ideal.  Ensure that either each of the main political groups is represented OR that some members will regularly read a specific newspaper with a known political viewpoint and summarise its coverage of events to the group to give a broad variety of views for discussion.  

Some Programmes 67goingon50 watches/listens to:  (5/24)

Never Misses:

• 10 o'clock news: usually Sky incl Press Review  ( Freeview 237) 
• Spectator TV: The Week in 60 minutes, Thursdays plus You Tube; usually best use of an hour ever
• Sunday Morning: Adam Boulton & Kate McCann: 10-1300, Times Radio (DAB or App) - always interesting & informative
• Laura Kuenssberg, BBC 1 Sun 9am - who'd dare to miss it?

Regularly:

• Politics Live with Jo Coburn
• Sky News, esp Anna Botting
• BBC Newscast: on iPlayer BBC 1, Thurs late with Adam Fleming & Chris Mason
• Ayesha Hazarika: Times Radio, Sat/Sun 4-7pm; different in-depth approaches to news, in a good way
• Jordan Peterson (podcasts & Telegraph articles)
• Any Questions/Answers (When I remember): R.4, Fri pm/Sat Noon: brilliant when Adam Fleming is host

Favourite Journalists:

All those on Spectator TV's The World in 60 minutes, esp, the '3    Graces':  Katy Balls, Kate Andrews & Cindy Yu 

Adam Boulton & Kate McCann (together) 

Adam Fleming (really great for those educating themselves in political matters)

b) Don't be afraid to ask for help from banks, councils, charities and local communities; it could be the first step on the road to easing your fears

2. TAKE CARE OF YOUR BODY WITH PHYSICAL ACTIVITY & DIET

EXERCISE

Regular, preferably daily, exercise is a great weapon for easing stress and anxiety. 

Everyone will find their own individual pace but a 30-minute walk a day (ideally in a park but can be a round trip to the supermarket) clears the head, helps you (and children)  sleep better and boosts immunity.  If daily walks are too difficult, 2-3 one-hour walks a week will also work,but is slightly less effective.

Vigorous exercise: jogging, intense physical workouts with weights or weight bearing machines are brilliant for taking the mind off anxieties,  While you're concentrating on just getting to the end of the workout without collapsing, circling thoughts just peel away.

• Find a nearby park and walk there.  If you don't feel safe, walk around the park close to the trees.  If you're worried about catching covid or flu from others, get outside close to sunrise - there will be fewer people around (but plenty of loveable dogs) - and the light grows stronger quickly.  Welcome the cold; so long as you are dressed warmly in layers, it's bracing and reviving.  Being surrounded by greenery and majestic trees is profoundly calming; it helps stop catastrophising or habitually going straight to a worse case scenario

• If you can't get out, try one of the many home exercise programmes on the telly or net.  Joe Wicks has taken home exercising by storm and includes kids' workouts on YouTube. Adrienne, also on You Tube, offers free yoga classes.  The Blogger's own yoga teacher, Diana Broad, offers excellent reasonably priced yoga on Zoom for oldies/the slightly worn plus relative youngsters aiming to age gracefully.  Diana is available in some US states
• Variety of exercise is best for the body: walk part of the time, do weights or dancing some of the time and stretching/yoga the rest of the time.

Free exercise programmes the (70+ Blogger) regularly enjoys: 

• Jane Fonda Be Fit 2 (Pinterest): best half-hour ever of all-over exercise; includes light weights.  Other free Fonda programmes include a snappy 15 min dance-a-thon and an easier Be Fit 1 on You Tube. (A one-hour low-impact programme for oldies, in which one foot is on the floor at all times, is available to buy on Apple TV for - I think - £6.99)
• Ballet Barre by Sleek: You Tube, 15 min workout of not-too-difficult ballet exercises which effortlessly whittle down the thighs, waist & tum 

DIET

Simply: Reduce fat, sugar & salt; eat plenty of fresh vegetables and fruit; if your body doesn't thrive on a vegetarian/vegan diet, return to animal protein, but choose higher welfare, in smaller quantities (see how to calculate daily protein needs).  AVOID where possible highly processed foods with multiple additives and e-numbers.  

3.  SELF HELP, SELF DISCIPLINE, ALTERNATIVE REMEDIES 

• MEDITATION: there are dozens of meditation classes available; try it; you could find a deeper understanding of yourself and arm yourself with the tools to live your best life
• Put distance between you and the stresses of the Cost of Living Crisis, Ukraine, politics etc with cooking, hobbies, playtime.  There are plenty of great cooking shows on BBC 2, Channel 4, ITV and Food Network (Channel 43 on Freeview).  Also look for free activities: community events, museums, exhibitions; hikes along canals or rivers; forest walks
• Find things to laugh at: old films, animals, kids.  Laughter eases tension and though it may not make you forget, it could leave you with a smile
• If you haven't already, structure your day.  Set up a routine, make a timetable, follow a schedule so that, at the end of the day, you will have engaged in productive activity 

• Get up when you wake up...or as near as possible.  (During freezing temperatures, if you're WFH, remain under the duvet for an extra half hour until the flat warms up.) 

• If not going out to work, jump into the shower and get dressed in clean clothes; casual, ok, sloppiness, not.  No jammies/p-jays as daytime wear. 

• POTENTIAL BLACKOUTS: Get ready (see Blackout section of  Getting Through Winter 2022) but once you have  everything you need, make a Blackout fun.  Dinner by candlelight (but be very careful with naked flames!).  Hot chocolate with marshmallows.  Eating on the floor of a makeshift tent, wrapped in EFBs (Emergency Foil  Blankets).   Those of us who survived the 3-day week in the 1970's were fine; we are hardy people on these islands and will get through any scary  winter, too.

Self-Medication (no, I don't mean recreational drugs or alcohol!)

• MEDITATION: (see above)
• If you can afford it, an hour's massage every fortnight does absolute wonders.  Even if you can only afford a shoulder massage once a week, it will help release muscle tension in the neck and face.  The difficulty is in finding the right therapist; ask friends for recommendations.  Consider becoming a massage therapist yourself...ask about courses at your local council.
• Rescue Remedy, made from the essence of flowers, is a cure-all for shock, stress, anxiety and/or grief, well known in the complementary health community since the late 20th century.  Initially sold as bottles with a dropper,  it is now available in sprays with or without additional vitamins.  Also useful for 3 am wake-ups - often (not always) puts you back to sleep. From Boots, Mr Mistry (South End Green), alternative pharmacies like Helios in Covent Garden.   (A special version for insomnia is now available in some major outlets. (5/24))

Complementary Therapies tested by the Blogger:

1. The Blogger has an honours degree in Health Sciences: Homoeopathy and has treated patients in the past.  The process is not wallet-friendly unless you're prepared to act as a guinea pig for senior homoeopathy students.  It is also difficult to decide without guidance which of the main schools of homoeopathy to choose.  You'll have to do some research.  But after an initial 2-hour consultation and regular visits every 3 months, many patients find life and health greatly improved.   
2. The Metamorphic Technique: a form of light, non-invasive massage on the feet, hands and head.  The Blogger has been both patient and practitioner of the Metamorphic Technique.  Many clients report deep relaxation and releasing of old habits (including addiction) after treatment.  The Association offers slightly woo-woo explanations of how it works, but work it definitely does.  Session prices vary depending on the Practitioner. Try out free treatments at Complementary Therapies conventions.  Contact the Metamorphic Association in Hastings for more details.
3. Deep Breathing Therapy: usually associated with Yoga, breathing therapy has been scientifically proven to reduce anxiety.  It is currently one of the in-demand personal self-learned therapies, so much so that Apple Inc at 1   time offered free classes in its Knightsbridge branch.  Check with Apple for upcoming sessions.  Yes there is a plug for Apple Watch but the session itself includes breathing exercises, mindfulness, and how to make them a daily habit to de-stress.  Practitioner James Wong has an App 'JustBreathe' and also offers occasional free community sessions.
4. Reflexology: Oddly painful but the body is relaxed the day after.  A bit pricy.  

 

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