We all experience anxiety or other negative emotions from time to time. There is no need to fear this – it can help us to get things done, it can be a useful prompt to slow down or adapt your behaviour and it can even alert us to danger.
Jessica Till explains how yoga can help deal with negative anxieties: “Yoga can be massively beneficial in lowering stress levels through controlled breathing techniques (or Pranayama) that will lower heart rate and slow breathing. Practising Pranayama can bring us into a more mediative state by focusing and clearing our minds of racing thoughts.
“Your breathing muscles consist of the diaphragm and muscles in the abdomen, chest, neck and shoulders. Around 70–80 per cent of inhalations should be done by the diaphragm so that your breathing is steady and deep. When we are stressed or anxious, we tend to take smaller and more shallow breaths.
Another effective way to address stress-related issues is through hyponotherapy. Practitioner Christian Dunham sees more and more young people every year suffering with anxiety. “Exam stress is probably top of the list of anxiety issues. The pressure to succeed in an environment that is constantly being assessed can be very intense.
So how can hypnotherapy help? “Hypnosis is simply a state of deep relaxation that brings the mind back to a calm and balanced state,” Christian explains. “Solution-focused hypnotherapists like myself are trained in a unique method that combines psychotherapy and clinical hypnotherapy. It is based on the latest neuroscience and how the brain works. Each session follows a clear structure where we focus very much on an individual’s unique strengths.
Another solution-focused hypnotherapist and psychotherapist Andrea Kelly has noticed the same increase in those with stress disorders where there is a negative link with social media. “A big problem with Facebook and other social media is discontent. People are comparing their lives with other people’s, which is just a tiny glimpse of their best bits.
“The brain we now know is made up of plasticity and we can work towards changing our unhelpful patterns and behaviours and make positive changes, using the client’s strengths and abilities and helping them work out what it is they really want.
“When angry, a chain reaction happens in our brain that finally results in stress hormones being released such as cortisol, adrenaline and noradrenaline. The effects are negative on one’s wellbeing.
“Each session is tailored to the individual, but there is no need to separate out road rage from work frustrations, it’s all coming from the same place, just manifesting in a different way.