977: Overwhelming Anxiety Strategies for Coping and Distraction
The Anxiety Coaches Podcast
Gina Ryan
4.6 • 1.9K Ratings
🗓️ 12 November 2023
⏱️ 23 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In today's episode, Gina discusses key strategies for coping with intense anxiety. Radical acceptance and realizing our power in the present moment in particular are discussed. The appropriate use of distraction is also considered, and it is suggested to develop a personal distraction plan for those times when distraction is our best choice. Listen in for these key anxiety coping skills today!
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Quote:
You are the sky. Everything else – it's just the weather.
-Pema Chödrön
Chapters0:00:24 Finding Peace and Calm Amid Overwhelming Anxiety
0:02:13 Strategies for Coping and Regaining Control of Stress
0:03:15 Embracing Radical Acceptance for Emotional Freedom
0:04:32 Letting Go of Self-Judgment and Self-Criticism
0:05:52 Overcoming the Spiral of Self-Judgment and Criticism
0:07:38 Embracing Coping Statements and Radical Acceptance
0:10:32 Understanding the Impact of Past Events on Present Circumstances
0:11:56 Focusing on the Present Moment for Control and Action
0:13:20 Embracing the Imperfect Perfection of the Present Moment
0:15:12 Shifting Perspective to Focus on the Now
0:17:02 Radical Acceptance and Letting Go
0:22:34 Finding Peace: Embracing the Sky Within
SummaryIn this episode of the Anxiety Coaches Podcast, we dive into strategies for coping with overwhelming anxiety and distressing emotions. It's important to acknowledge that not everyone experiences the same level of distress, but for those who do, it can be quite challenging. Often, people turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms because they feel overwhelmed and can't access other options.
To break free from this cycle, we introduce the concept of radical acceptance. It's a combination of cognitive restructuring, acceptance, and mindfulness. By recognizing the reality of our current situation without blame or anger, we can regain control and make better decisions. Letting go of self-judgment and self-criticism is essential, as it only perpetuates the cycle of anxiety. Instead, we suggest using coping statements like "this is what it is" and "I can't change what has already happened" to shift our focus and find ways to move forward.
We often find ourselves dwelling on the past, wishing we could change things and blaming ourselves for our mistakes. But radical acceptance teaches us to let go of blame and anger and understand that our present circumstances are the result of a series of events, not a single situation. When we fight with the past, we only fuel our stress response and drain our energy. Instead, we need to focus on the present moment, because that's where we have control and the power to take action.
Even if we don't like what's happening, we have to accept that this moment is perfect because it's happening. We can't change the past or predict the future, but we can make clear decisions and take action in the present. It's important to avoid getting caught up in worrying about what might happen and instead bring ourselves back to what is happening now.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Welcome to the Anxiety Coaches |
| 0:08.9 | Coaches podcast, a relaxing and informative show where we explore anxiety, panic and PTSD sharing how you can overcome them for life. |
| 0:22.0 | Aloha, welcome back to the Anxiety Coaches Podcast. I'm your host and coach Gina Ryan, |
| 0:30.6 | and I am so happy to be with you again today as together we can consider the many ways to bring your mind and body back to its natural peace and calm. In today's episode I'm talking about overwhelming |
| 0:47.0 | anxiety and some strategies for coping with it and a little bit on distraction. |
| 0:54.0 | Dealing with overwhelming anxiety or distressing emotions can really be challenging. |
| 1:02.0 | Of course, nobody likes that feeling. But not everybody with |
| 1:06.6 | anxiety or anybody who goes down the wormhole experiences the same levels of |
| 1:12.1 | distress and some people that I work with don't even report a |
| 1:16.7 | sense of being overwhelmed. They have more of the dull roar of anxiety on a constant basis. |
| 1:26.2 | But if you have that sense of overwhelm |
| 1:29.3 | with your anxiety, keep listening. |
| 1:33.0 | Many individuals resort to unhealthy coping mechanisms because they don't know better. |
| 1:41.0 | These are things that we may have just fallen into. It worked one time, so we keep doing it. |
| 1:47.0 | Or sometimes, we're so cognitively overwhelmed by the stress that we are in, that we cannot access anything else. |
| 1:59.1 | Today I have some insights into coping and distraction strategies to help you guys navigate |
| 2:06.4 | these difficult emotions and regain control of your stress during challenging times because this is key right if we could just |
| 2:16.8 | get grounded enough get our sense of self enough catch our breath so to speak then maybe we can make a better |
| 2:26.9 | decision because it all comes down to this moment and the decisions that we're making. |
| 2:34.0 | When we're faced with intense anxiety or distress, |
| 2:38.0 | it's essential that we have effective coping strategies already in place. So we want to kind of plan ahead. |
| 2:46.1 | Unhealthy coping mechanisms such as ruminating about the past mistakes, |
... |
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