STOP anxiety from permanently high-jacking your nervous system

How do we contain anxiety for those situations when the worry is constantly present and we have minimal if any control over it? This tip will help keep you grounded whilst creating time to acknowledge the source of the worry.

There are some circumstances in life that are naturally going to cause concern and stress, of which we have no control over and there is no evident resolution. This can be especially prevalent when it comes to:

• worrying about other people and the circumstances that they are, or may be in
• or ongoing situations
• or generalised background anxiety.

With these concerns we need to learn to find a way to contain them so that we can continue to function and keep ourselves well. If we don’t, we are constantly re-stimulating our nervous system and keeping our ‘fight and flight’ activated, trapping us in a cycle of anxiety. I’m constantly asked by clients I work with – how do I contain anxiety, for these types of situation. Let’s cover simple way that honours the cause of the worry but also frees up time around it so our nervous system can recover and stay resilient.

THE Container technique for anxiety

 Use the following technique to find a way to ‘contain’ our concerns, freeing up our nervous system the rest of the day to what is known as ‘down-regulate’.

You are going to be creating a ritual so select a time where you can spend 10 minutes per day reliably sitting and not being distracted. This is can be your time to focus on those thoughts and any other people that are involved.

1. Decide on a noise that is going to signify the start and the end of these 10 minutes.

2. Focus your mind wholly on the problems and worries with an emphasis on trying to work through a solution to them if that is possible, and when the time is up, it is over for the day.

3. Any worries that are out of your control and there is genuinely nothing you can do to affect them and get a different result, such as worrying about a relative that is abroad or someone that is sick, then use this time to acknowledge the worry.

4. When a thought comes at any other time you reply “yes, and I’ll worry about you at ‘X’ time again tomorrow”. Put it in that container (literally if you want to get one and add notes into it as they come up during the day, or metaphorically in your mind’s eye).  Contain it in time.

You’ll notice the image on this page  – the glass house within a calmer environment. This is about honouring the purpose of the anxiety, it’s presence and why what or who you’re worrying about matters. If we’re able to use this time to focus on working through the worry, then a sense of calm will ensue, but for those that you have no control over, they can remain gently contained by the glasshouse (or your own similar metaphor), freeing you from their constant fret.