"How to let go of anxious sensations" by Barry McDonagh

Here's sharing this article I came across recently which may be useful as a reference or reminder about learning to trust in our body to take care of anxious sensations that we experience at times. It is a reminder for me as well as I too experience anxiety symptoms such as palpitations before due to tensed situations or stressful circumstances such as at work over the years and so on, and I am learning to remember to breathe deeply where possible. 

http://www.panicaway.com/word/blog/letting-go-of-sensations-that-scare-you

I find some of the comments in the article encouraging.

"October 19,2013

Dil Mari @ 10:01 pm

I’m reading the comments with interest. I wake in the middle of the night with a severe epigastric pain. No one has diagnose or treated it, but at last the pain is so much less intense, plus it only lasts about 20 minutes now rather than the hours it used to. It used to happen if the phone or doorbell rang, or if I had even a slight surprise or shock. I’m accepting it now, and hoppe that, after having it for over 20 years, maybe it will now go away altogether. I hope so. hanks for all your good, sound advice. Dil Mari"

Another person commented below about how he or she learnt to deal with anxiety:

"January 8,2014

Lou Brown @ 12:23 pm

To all those who have commented that they feel ‘dizzy’—-I had the good fortune to watch the Dr Oz show last year where Depak Chopra was a guest. Depak suggested a natural remedy for headaches but I tried it the next time I felt dizzy from anxiety AND IT WORKED! It’s as simple as (sitting if possible) or just standing still and taking 2 or 3 long breaths in and out and then focusing all your attention on your heart-beat until you can really feel it and hear it… then you re-focus as hard as you can on your fingertips and try and FEEL your heartbeat in the very tips of your fingers. Apparently what this does is, it tells your brain to send the rush of blood from your head down to your fingertips – thereby taking the pressure out of your head. I’ve even done this while sitting at traffic lights or in a meeting and it’s quickly dispersed the dizzy feeling. Oh, I forgot to say that I am able to ‘feel’ my heartbeat in my fingertips after a while."

I suppose different people find different strategies work best for themselves. For me, when I experience anxious sensations such as stiff or tensed neck muscles and palpitations, I usually find listening to soothing music or taking a walk helpful to clear my mind, besides conscious breathing, and sometimes I would type mini journals in my office computer email program (and save them in the draft folder) as a form of therapeutic exercise - it also helps me to express or articulate my thoughts and feelings about things that cause anxiety.