Tips for Coping With Christmas

Christmas can be a wonderful time. Catching up with friends and family and enjoying eating and drinking together.

But if you suffer from anxiety, it can be a very difficult time. There is a very useful article on the Mind website which gives tips on how to cope and suggestions for supporting someone else.

Looking after yourself

• Be gentle and patient with yourself. It might help to think about what is best for your wellbeing during Christmas, and prioritise what you need.
• Remind yourself that it won’t last forever. You could set a ‘start’ and ‘finish’ time for what you count as Christmas.
• Set your boundaries. Try to say no to things that aren’t helpful for you.
• Let yourself experience your own feelings. Even if they don’t match what’s going on around you, they’re still valid. For example, if you don’t feel like celebrating Christmas when everyone else does.
• Take time out. Do something to forget that it’s Christmas or distract yourself. For example, you could watch a film or read a book that’s set in the summer. Or you could try learning a new skill.
• Let yourself have the things you need. For example, if you need to take a break instead of doing an activity, or need a little bit of quiet time.
• If you can’t avoid doing something difficult, plan something for yourself afterwards to help reduce the stress or distress you might feel.

The article also deals with common worries around this time:

• Coping with money worries
• Planning ahead
• Managing relationships
• Talking to other people
• Getting support

Read the full article.

What is Anxiety?

anxiety (æŋˈzaɪɪtɪ) n. a state of uneasiness or tension caused by apprehension of possible future misfortune, danger, etc; worry
Collins English Dictionary

Anxiety is inbuilt into the fabric of who you are, regardless of what’s going on in your life. Unlike stress, the root causes of anxiety may be – and frustratingly remain – unknown but you have a constant and often debilitating feeling of impending doom accompanied by fear and apprehension. It can manifest itself in physical symptoms such as stomach aches, shaking, sweaty palms and panic attacks.

On one hand, anxiety can protect you from impending danger by releasing adrenalin which makes your heart beat faster; to carry the blood around your body your breathing quickens to produce the extra oxygen you need for energy; you sweat which prevents your body from overheating; more blood is sent to your muscles; your brain is more alert and your senses are heightened.

This is known as the ‘fight or flight reflex’. These physiological symptoms allow you to quickly react and either run away from danger (flight) or stay and take your chances (fight).

While this is useful against imminent physical dangers, it’s not particularly useful if you want to run away from making a presentation at work, taking exams, a driving test or going across a bridge. If there’s not a clearly defined physical threat, the ‘fight or flight’ reflex doesn’t manifest itself and your feelings of agitation continue for longer.

Anxiety comes in the form of phobias, a fear of social situations, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and panic attacks and like stress, you have different anxiety thresholds. What makes you highly anxious will be of little concern to someone else.

That’s where Behavioural Freedom comes in. Please go to my Anxiety page to find out more about the symptoms of anxiety and how I can free you from the unwanted behaviours that stop you from doing the things you really want to do.

Please contact me today to start the journey back to behavioural freedom.