How to Overcome Disconnection with Anxiety Therapy

You are anxious and find yourself being taken away by your what ifs and I shoulds.

It seems as if you can’t get a break and are on the first train to burnout ville.

You feel absent and have a difficult time staying present for what matters.

If this resonates with you, keep on reading!

Why am I so disconnected?

Honestly, our society tends to make many of us feel disconnected. The grind and late-stage capitalism sends us on a path that leaves us feeling disconnected.

Working hard to make ends meet and being separated from nature can throw us off balance. Lacking time to connect with ourselves, our loved ones, and mother earth may leave us floating in smog.

Then, throw in anxiety as well as personal and societal issues. Now you have a whirlwind separating you from what you hold dear from time to time.

Luckily, there are actions you can take to feel connected to yourself, others, and the world.

How can I feel connected to myself and the world with anxiety therapy?

It is challenging to feel present and connected when we are anxious and on edge. Here are some ways to increase your connection with yourself and the world. 

1.       Grounding. Grounding helps us feel connected to the world. It tethers us and keeps us from floating away with our worries, thoughts, and intense emotions. 

When I practice grounding I visualize roots connecting me to the Earth. This keeps me from floating away from myself and the world around me like a balloon.

You can learn grounding techniques and practice exercises during anxiety therapy. 

2.       Schedule me time. They are right when they say we can’t pour from an empty cup. You deserve to do what feeds you.

What gives you energy? Is it going for a walk alone or spending time with friends?

Identify what fuels you, recharges you, and gives you joy. Then, make time to do it regularly. I schedule me time in my calendar.

3.       Go outside. Often, when we are experiencing depression and/or anxiety we don’t want to venture out. But that may be exactly what you need!

Going outside and drinking in nature can allow us to connect with the Earth. Maybe try drinking some tea and going out in your backyard today.

4.       Pick up a hobby. During the pandemic many of us embraced hobbies. Getting into a hobby and feeling the joy that comes with it can go a long way.

I became a matcha tea enthusiast and started to grow herbs. Matcha tea and herbs made me happy and allowed me to feel connected to Earth. These hobbies empowered me to take care of my body and mind too!

5.       Calm the nervous system. The recent events such as Roe v Wade being overturned can throw us off kilter. Our nervous system may be reacting and putting us in a fight, fight, freeze, or fawn response.

When our nervous system is reacting to a threat, we may feel disconnected. Read on to see ways to calm your nervous system. An anxiety therapist can help you calm your nervous system.

How can I calm my nervous system and reduce my anxiety with anxiety therapy?

When we are anxious our nervous system reacts and makes our body react. Your sympathetic nervous system is activated when you have physical reactions to stress.

You may sweat, tense your body, experience temperature changes, and more. Here are a few ways to calm your nervous system and anxiety.

1.       Belly breathing. Diaphragmatic breathing, aka belly breathing, presses on the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve calms our body and nervous system. 

Yes, believe it or not, belly breathing can calm your body and mind. Put your hand on your stomach. You are doing it right if your belly expands as you breathe in and contracts as you breathe out. 

2.       Visualize a safe space. What place makes you feel calm and secure? For me, it is the beach. You can take a mini vacation by imagining being at your safe space.

Engage all of your senses. How does it feel to have your toes in the sand? What do the crashing waves sound like?

3.       Use a container. Sometimes, worries pop up when we don’t have the time or energy to give it our attention. You can create and visualize a container to put worries in. 

These worries are not to be stored and never seen again. It is a temporary holding space until we can bring it back out and attend to it. 

An anxiety therapist can help you develop a container and use it in therapy.

4.       Mindfulness. Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention to our experience in a non judgemental way. You may be mindful of the way a blanket feels or the sensation of the sun on your skin.

You can practice mindfulness by using all five of your senses. What can you hear? Can you describe the sounds in a non judgemental way?

Being mindful can help us be in the present moment and connect with our environment. You can practice mindfulness skills in anxiety therapy. 

growgood psychology has a team of  anxiety therapists that are dedicated to supporting you during these wild and tumultuous times

At growgood psychology we will create a safe space for you to develop tools to manage anxiety. At growgood psychology you can develop skills to release anxiety. Our therapists can help you tap into joy and calm your nervous system.

Finally,  connect with us now to begin the healing process and embrace growth with our holistic therapists!