Suffering from anxiety and panic can take a massive toll on our bodies and minds. Anxiety can dictate each action and cause our perception of the world to change. Over time, it reframes our outlook, skewing our perception through a lens of pure fear. This causes those suffering to process sounds and images incorrectly or out of the context of reality.
During times of elevated panic or anxiety, a rumbling of a washing machine can suddenly sound like a pack of dogs. The ticking of a clock can become a hidden timer counting down to consequences unknown. Cars driving by can feel like they are not just passing through, but keeping eyes on you and your home. Feeling lost in a familiar world that is quickly becoming foreign is a downright terrifying experience. So how do you reform your reality during these times?
Where to Begin?
Beginning to cope during a time of crisis is the most challenging step. Before anything, establish where it is you are currently located in a broad sense. This can be as simple as knowing “I am home” or “in the kitchen.” Knowing this will be the first step in recollecting the rest of your reality.
Reestablishing Reality
Next, find simple objects and identify them. Anxiety and panic can cause your entire environment to seem overwhelming and threatening. Begin by identifying small, visible objects in your immediate vicinity to break down the illusion that anxiety is creating. Identifying a television remote, then naming and announcing it as such is the first step in breaking back into reality. Knowing that a chair is a chair, and nothing more is a stepping stone to eliminating all misconceptions and tricks that your mind may be playing on you.
Say Your Findings Out Loud, Even to Nobody
Verbally saying the names of these objects also helps in reestablishing a breathing pattern. The hyperventilation that accompanies times of extreme anxiety and panic can be mitigated in this step, helping to ground yourself during these trying times.
At Alta Loma Transformational Living, you will meet knowledgeable, compassionate professionals that understand addiction in all its forms. Alta Loma uses an integrative and holistic approach to treat addiction and mental health issues. No treatment is one-size-fits-all, where you will have a team of experts prepared to create your customized treatment plan. We offer care for your mind, body, and spirit, so that you can heal from the inside out and look forward to a lifetime of sobriety and wellness. If you are ready to take the first step in your recovery, please call us at 866-457-3843.
