Catching a Breath

Anxiety at times can feel like a forceful, debilitating power. A sensation of drowning in our own bodies that instills fear; a feeling that we're falling deeper into an abyss.

Today’s current global pandemic is affecting us all in different and similar ways; some of us may have been wrestling with anxiety before the pandemic. What is comforting is when we hear on the news and in social media that when it comes to anxiety: we are NOT alone. 

Anxiety is another feeling on the spectrum that we are all bound to feel in some shape, way, or form because we are HUMAN. Some of us experience this feeling more intensely and more frequently than others — and that’s OK.

So what can we do to manage this feeling? When we feel threatened, our innate instinct is to flight or fight but when it comes to our feelings, ignoring them or fighting against them is not the most effective approach. Therapy is definitely a resource that can help us learn ways to cope with anxiety but may not always be an option for some of us. Deep breathing exercises have shown to be helpful for some as well as grounding techniques that we can introduce into our every day lives to begin regaining control.