Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) Bundle (312 pages)

MANAGING SYMPTOMS

Why targeting the physical symptoms of anxiety is crucial

One of the body’s reactions to fear and anxiety is a change in breathing patterns, along with muscle tension. This can result in feeling “tense”, and can often lead to muscle aches and pains, as well as leaving some people feeling exhausted. Additionally, fast and shallow breathing can increase a persons sense of panic and may further reinforce the feeling of anxiety and fear when experienced for extended periods. Think about how you respond to anxiety. Do you “tense up” when feeling anxious? Perhaps you get frequent headaches or end up with pain in your neck, shoulders or back. The reality is that although we consider anxiety to be a psychological condition, it simultaneously manifests very much physically in the body for most people. It is not unusual to actually have the experience that anxiety is more physical in nature rather than psychological when dealing with chronic anxiety. With this in mind, it is important to have strategies in place to manage the physical symptoms of anxiety. This is often even more important while we are working through worry as strong physical experiences often cause us to feel like we want to run away from and avoid anxiety due to the difficult nature of sitting through these types of symptoms. As part of any good anxiety management routine, I would recommend getting in to the habit of practicing controlled breathing and muscle relaxation exercises as these can be particularly helpful when addressing anxiety.

This following two pages will guide you through a simple, controlled breathing exercise, along with a common form of relaxation designed to reduce muscle tension.