Claire Weekes for General Anxiety

I've been experiencing an increase in my anxiety lately and I've been finding Claire Weekes some what helpful. However she talks a lot about agoraphobia and it just doesn't apply to me since I have no problem leaving my house or being out in public. I've just been having a lot of thoughts recently that cause me to tense up and experience a few uncomfortable sensations. For example I will have thoughts that I'm going to be experiencing anxiety forever and then I get shaky and my heart beats harder. I've been listening to Claire Weekes audios to help me understand that I need to stop fighting the physical symptoms and just let them be. However in her audio she says if you have trouble going to the supermarket, start small and just go to the corner to build your confidence. I can't just decide how long to have worry thoughts for. Does anyone recommend a certain section of her audio tapes that don't mention agoraphobia? I also don't want my brain thinking, "So I should be scared of leaving my house?"

 

Hi, Aurora. Your post tells me you don't have agoraphobia, "just" general anxiety, which most if not all of us have at times or all the time. We can worry ourselves into having anxiety. Deep breathing is probably the most helpful to relieve anxiety, while thinking positively that this too will pass. Don't let yourself fear that you will always have feelings of anxiety. Think the opposite.

I hope you're finding ways to be happy and also to laugh. Laughing has wonderful calming effects on the mind and body. There are many good videos on Youtube that can make you laugh. Some of my favorites are skits from the old Sid Caesar show.

I also recommend meditation. My favorite is the Relaxation Response.

Meditation is a time-honored way of relaxing the mind and relieving anxiety, mental stress, headaches, and even physical pain. There are many ways to practice meditation, but many consider the most successful to be a technique called the Relaxation Response (RR).

It is a wonderful way to practice TMS Mindbody Healing because it changes harmful thinking in the subconscious mind which Dr. John Sarno says causes pain that is not caused by anything structural.

The RR, practiced once or twice a day for 10, 15, or 20 minutes has a profound positive effect on the subconscious mind, relieving or curing everything from anxiety, hypertension, headaches, fatigue, nervousness, dizziness, high blood pressure, insomnia, stomach problems, all forms of pain including backaches, abdominal pain, muscle pain, neck, arm, and leg pain, and relieves side affects from cancer and AIDS.

RR is like Transcendental Meditation which is taught by TM specialists who charge hundreds or thousands of dollars. But the RR is free and you can do it yourself.

It is practiced, before a meal, and works best if not practiced within two hours after a meal. I do it in bed before arising in the morning and again in bed before falling sleep. Often, I only do it 5 or 10 minutes and it works to calm me and put me to sleep.

Just sit in a chair (or lie in bed in the morning or at bedtime), close your eyes, don’t listen to any music, and try to avoid outside noises. Let your mind think of a word such as

"One " which has no real meaning or association. Or say a calming word such as “Calm” or “Peace,” or add the faith or spiritual element by saying a favorite religious word or prayer. Breathe naturally or incorporate Deep Breathing by breathing in through the mouth to inflate the stomach, suck in the stomach while holding the breath for a few seconds, then say the word when you exhale through the mouth.

Say the word silently over and over. At the end of the 10 to 20 minutes, picture and feel yourself as you were when you felt your best, and in a place where you felt that way.

When distracting thoughts arise during the RR, as they will, just tell yourself, “Oh, well,” and go back to repeating your chosen word.

My "word" is a prayer: "God loves me and is protecting me." I say it a few times and go right to sleep. If my mind wanders onto other things, I tell myself"Oh, well," and repeat my mantra silently while deep breathing.

There are several free videos on Youtube about the Relaxation Response. I especially recommend these two by Dr. Benson:

 

OMG Walt totally love this guy and have been looking at his work for the last hour amazing , thanks for that.