Anxiety is a state where we tend to be worrying about the past or the future- either we think “oh! I messed that up” or “I will definitely mess that up.” In the work environment this can be about messing up a presentation, being afraid of what the boss (or any concerned people) might think and so on. Anxiety manifests as a constant worry about either the future or the past.
So How Can I Calm Myself Down?
When you’re mid panic attack and someone tells you to calm down and your brain screams “HOW?!”...maybe try these :
- Count something- blinds in office, stairs in a staircase, seats at a theater- anything that is present and permanent
- Smell some perfume
- Use and external device to ground yourself- click a pen, play with your lip balm, type on your laptop
- Maybe even color or doodle something on an available surface
- However obvious it might seem, take deep breaths until you can breathe steady- people tend to forget to do so
- EFT Tapping; a tapping technique to create balance in the body. Check out this article on EFT tapping by healthline to know more.
Your anxiety feels like a mammoth emotion taking over every facet of your life and these small steps don’t seem like a solution...because they aren’t. These are just a few simple, easy and repetitive actions that you can carry out in the office space in order to help control your panic attack and bring it to a manageable level.
Why Can’t I Stop Worrying About What People Think?
Worrying about what people will say is a manifestation of our anxiety about things that are without proof and as such we think it cannot be anything but the worst.
When you begin to worry about it, ask yourself if there’s any evidence for the road your thoughts are going or are you just being taken for a ride by the meat slab in your skull. Often our worry is based on absolutely no evidence and while the solution is not as easy as it seems, it gets easier with practice.
Most people don’t just get anxious. Anxiety can be a result of trauma or traumatic events in your life. People don’t tend to realise that anxiety is a form of repression of this trauma. In order to get to the root of the problem and address the trauma, you should get in touch with a therapist and work on your wellness journey. Another Light has therapists experienced in dealing with anxiety and trauma who can help you with a plan for dealing with anxiety.