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The Stress Express

Anxiety can be perplexing. Sometimes anxiety helps out by motivating us to plan ahead and be thorough when arranging a trip or completing an assignment at work. Other times it can sabotage us with fear and keep us from asking for a raise or from going out to meet new people.

Most of the time we do whatever we can to avoid or lessen our anxiety. And why wouldn’t we? Anxiety isn’t a pleasant feeling. Nobody wakes up and thinks “I sure hope I experience anxiety today!” Some people experience relatively mild anxiety that doesn’t get in the way of them doing what’s important to them. For others, anxiety is a serious problem that calls for treatment. Most of us recognize that completely avoiding anxiety is impossible. It’s part of the human experience. Nevertheless, people will go to great lengths to try.

Just Ignore the Problem?

The ways people will try to reduce their anxiety range considerably. Some learn breathing techniques and relaxation skills. Others turn to powerful and often dangerous illicit drugs (Turner, Mota, Bolton, Sareen, 2018). Some take prescription drugs prescribed to them by a physician or more socially accepted substances such as alcohol or cannabis. Many avoid thinking about sources of anxiety whether intentionally or unconsciously.

To an extent, avoiding anxiety can be healthy. But sometimes the avoidance results in problems greater than the anxiety itself. This could look like a student who is anxious about an upcoming test and distracts themself from the stress by partying instead of studying. Or a person nearing the end of their life who is in denial of that fact refuses to discuss their last wishes with their children, leaving them to make hard choices on their own. Often, anxiety isn’t the problem but rather what we do in response to it.

Survival of the Most Anxious

‍So what’s the alternative to avoiding anxiety? First, let’s try to understand the purpose of anxiety better by looking back to the days of prehistoric humans. Anxiety is a warning system that humans evolved to keep us safe (Bateson, Brilot, & Nettle, 2011). The rustling of a bush might be a sign of a wild animal about to pounce. Humans who expected trouble were more likely to survive. Of course, a rustling bush doesn’t always mean danger. But a human who continued to be relaxed and at ease whenever they walked by a rustling bush probably didn’t live long enough to pass on those carefree genes. As a result, humans prone to expecting the worst survived to reproduce and pass on those anxious genes (Bateson, Brilot, & Nettle, 2011).
Our brains haven't changed very much since the days of early humans. One part of our brain that gets us ready to deal with danger (often referred to as the fight-or-flight response) is called the amygdala (Rauch, Shin & Wright, 2003). And since it is an old piece of equipment, it doesn’t know the difference between the danger of a salivating tiger and the danger of an upset spouse. Most of us don’t live in constant physical danger the way early humans did, so the amygdala doesn’t have to alert us to life threatening dangers very often. But we can’t just turn it off, so it continues doing its best to keep us safe from the modern day dangers of school projects, difficult conversations with partners, medical appointments, meeting new people, etc (Rauch, Shin & Wright, 2003).

Anxiety is a Toddler

One of the first steps we can take to change how we relate to our anxiety and how much it impacts us is to see it as a flawed source of information trying its best to be of help. I often encourage my clients to think of their thoughts as if they’re coming from an inner child. Children aren’t a reliable source of information but that doesn’t mean they should always be ignored. If a child you know runs up to you and starts telling you that they’re concerned about the aliens they saw outside their window last night, you may not take them very seriously. But if they tell you that there’s a fire in a nearby building and that they’re scared, you’d probably pay attention. Even in the first situation, you probably wouldn’t tell the child that they’re an idiot and to leave you alone. Chances are you’d be polite and listen even though you’re quite certain that the story is fiction. You might even offer the child a hug to comfort them and thank them for sharing with you. You can try doing the same by giving the anxious part of your brain a hug and thanking it for doing its best to help you. By recognizing that your thoughts and feelings are trying to keep you safe and that they have their limitations, you can start to hold onto them more loosely, seeing them as suggestions rather than absolute truths.

Welcome to the Anxiety Radio Show!

This idea of holding your thoughts loosely is discussed in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). ACT encourages people to recognize that our automatic anxious thoughts come from a part of us that is constantly and automatically producing judgements, stories, etc. No matter how hard we try, we can’t turn it off for long (Harris, 2019). You can also think of it as a radio show that is always playing and trying to keep you up to date on all the latest news. If you become too absorbed in the show, you can find yourself believing everything it says. Even though we know that radio shows are a mix of helpful and unhelpful information.

Of course, we don’t have to give the radio our full attention. If you’re out with friends or focused on a project, you may not even notice the nearby radio until it starts playing your favorite song or an important piece of news. You can learn to keep your attention on what’s important to you: your friends, your work, your family, etc by letting the radio drone on in the background. Our thoughts don’t stop, but that doesn’t have to stop you from being present where it matters. And it’s much easier to stay present when you understand the purpose and limitations of those thoughts.

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Written by Andrew Listvinsky, LCSW

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Sources:

Turner, S., Mota, N., Bolton, J., & Sareen, J. (2018). Self‐medication with alcohol or drugs for mood and anxiety disorders: A narrative review of the epidemiological literature. Depression and anxiety, 35(9), 851-860.

Bateson, M., Brilot, B., & Nettle, D. (2011). Anxiety: an evolutionary approach. The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 56(12), 707-715.

Rauch, S. L., Shin, L. M., & Wright, C. I. (2003). Neuroimaging studies of amygdala function in anxiety disorders. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 985(1), 389-410.

Harris, R. (2019). ACT made simple: An easy-to-read primer on acceptance and commitment therapy. New Harbinger Publications.

When we hear the word “mindfulness,” most of us first think of a Buddhist monk sitting atop a mountain for hours at a time in total silence with his legs crossed. We think of a lifelong practice of meditation that requires incredible dedication and time. And if you’re anything like me, you think “that sounds like torture.”

Research shows that practicing mindfulness can come with many benefits. These include better emotional regulation, increased empathy, and decreased anxiety and depression (David & Hayes, 2011). It’s been shown to benefit people’s cognitive abilities as well, resulting in better impulse control, memory, and concentration (Van Vugt, 2015). Fortunately, there are several ways to get the benefits described in the research without committing time for lengthy meditation.

While it’s true that the origins of mindfulness can be traced back to Buddhist practices and India, the term “mindfulness” has a much broader meaning (Singla, 2011). It has been defined by mindfulness researcher Dr. Jon Kabat Zinn (1994) as “paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgementally.” Worth noting is that this definition doesn’t say anything about time requirements. Mindfulness practice can be something short that you sprinkle in throughout your day. This is great news for those of us whose brains start internally groaning after five minutes without something interesting to engage in.

But how can you tell if you’re being mindful? Mindfulness is often divided into two types, “focused attention,” and “open awareness” (Van Vugt, 2015). Words do a poor job of describing the state of mindfulness. So instead, I invite you to think back to a time when you were “in the zone”, focused on a single task, and for that brief time nothing else existed except for you and the activity at hand. Perhaps you were snowboarding, or playing a video game, or reading a book. Chances are you weren’t thinking much about the past or the future or concerned with what might be happening on the other side of the world. This can be a form of focused attention. To recognize open awareness, think back to a time you enjoyed a gorgeous view or listened to music that spoke to you. That experience of openly taking in the situation with your senses is another way one might be mindful.

‍We’ve already identified ways to practice mindfulness day-to-day. The first is to find ways to make activities that fully engage your attention part of your life. Sports or hobbies or even work that calls for you to be present and focused entirely on the task at hand provide a great opportunity. In order to benefit, we let go of thoughts about weekend plans or problems at work, acknowledge those thoughts, and then return to being fully engaged.

You can practice mindfulness by taking even just a few seconds out of your day to notice what your five senses are telling you. The classic example that is often talked of in books on mindfulness involves using all your senses one by one to examine a raisin with curiosity, treating it as the first time you’ve ever experienced a raisin. People are first asked to describe the raisin’s appearance, then its smell, until finally you eat the raisin while taking conscious note of the sensations (Baer & Krietemeyer, 2006). I’m not a fan of raisins, but you can apply this to any experience. Whether you’re taking a walk or enjoying a meal, you can take time out to consciously take note of your experience. What does the air smell like? What kind of rustling sounds are the trees making as the wind blows past them? What ingredients do you recognize in the food? You might find joy in noticing something new about an object or sensation that has become part of your every day.

For those seeking some more structure there are exercises like “dropping anchor” which comes from acceptance and commitment therapy. There are three steps. The first step is to take note of what’s going on in your mind. Notice the thoughts, the feelings, and label them for yourself. Next, turn your attention to your body, taking note of sensations on your skin, your muscles, how the chair you’re sitting in feels, etc. Then return your attention to the outside world by taking note of what your five senses are telling you about the space you are in (Harris, 2019). This exercise can take as long or as little time as you need. When I guide my clients through dropping anchor, we’re usually done within five minutes. An even simpler exercise is making a habit of taking a deep breath and using that time to take note of your thoughts and feelings. This also has the added benefit of slowing your mind down and providing a sense of calm.

Try your best not to judge whatever you’re noticing during your mindfulness practice. When thoughts you’d prefer not to have float through your mind, acknowledge them and then let them go. Next, try not to judge yourself for judging what you’re noticing, as you inevitably will. If you practice mindfulness with the expectation that you will be able to completely clear your mind, or focus only on what you’d like to focus on, then I encourage you to let go of that idea. It is similar to working out your body. The goal is gradual improvement, not to perform a single feat of strength and then declare that you have completed the process of working out. The struggle to maintain your attention without judgment towards what you observe or towards yourself is the whole point of mindfulness practice.

Try your best not to judge whatever you’re noticing during your mindfulness practice. When distracting thoughts float through your mind, acknowledge them and then let them go. Then, try not to judge yourself for judging what you’re noticing, as you inevitably will. If you practice mindfulness with the expectation that you will be able to completely clear your mind, or focus only on what you’d like to focus on, then I encourage you to let go of that idea. It is similar to working out your body. The goal is gradual improvement, not to perform a single feat of strength and then declare that you have completed the process of working out. The struggle to maintain your attention without judgment towards what you observe or towards yourself IS mindfulness practice.

While there is evidence to suggest that the more you engage in mindfulness practices the more benefits you get, there is also research suggesting that people new to mindfulness benefit most by starting off small (Strohmaier, Jones, & Cane, 2021). So, consider trying one of the strategies mentioned here. And if you have a therapist, I encourage you to share your experiences with them, as mindfulness can be a rich source of useful insights.
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Written by Andrew Listvinsky, LCSW

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Sources:

Singla, R. (2011). Origins of mindfulness & meditation interplay of eastern & western psychology. Psyke & Logos, 32(1), 20.

Black, D. S. (2011). A brief definition of mindfulness. Behavioral Neuroscience, 7(2), 109.

Davis, D. M., & Hayes, J. A. (2011). What are the benefits of mindfulness? A practice review of psychotherapy-related research. Psychotherapy, 48(2), 198.

Van Vugt, M. K. (2015). Cognitive benefits of mindfulness meditation. Handbook of mindfulness: Theory, research, and practice, 190-207.

Baer, R. A., & Krietemeyer, J. (2006). Overview of mindfulness-and acceptance-based treatment approaches. Mindfulness-based treatment approaches: Clinician’s guide to evidence base and applications, 3-27.

Harris, R. (2019). ACT made simple: An easy-to-read primer on acceptance and commitment therapy. New Harbinger Publications.

Strohmaier, S., Jones, F. W., & Cane, J. E. (2021). Effects of length of mindfulness practice on mindfulness, depression, anxiety, and stress: A randomized controlled experiment. Mindfulness, 12, 198-214.