Now we understand what depression and anxiety is from the last two blog posts. Now what can we do to protect, avoid, reverse, or control anxiety or depression we age?
There are some preventative things we can do that may even decrease or at least help control anxiety or depression.
Here are a few that are referred to as calming therapies:
1. Tai Chi: combines meditation, yoga, and breathing
2. Proper Breathing: The following is a direct excerpt from the book on an anxiety-reducing breathing technique:
" The following breath is adapted from yogic breathing techniques. This approach involves slow abdominal breathing, with the focus on an elongated exhale.
Sit comfortably with feet flat on the floor and eyes closed.
Exhale completely.
Take a deep, slow breath in through the nose to a count of four
Feel the stomach grow soft and expand with the deep inhalation.
Slowly release the deep breath and exhale very slowly through the mouth. to a count of six. Pull in the stomach to expel all the remaining breath.
Relax and let go, feeling the tension vanish.
Repeat for up to five minutes.
This breath is effective in calming panic and sleeplessness. Patients with phobic disorders can also use it to cope with stressful situations."
3. Biofeedback: Mind-body connection - Typically, attached device to finger connecting them to a machine that measures skin temperature or perspiration. It then produces a signal, like a beep or a light, wen tense teaching the person how to recognize anxiety.
4. Meditation /Prayer: Taking time out of your day to focus on something besides yourself and the world around you can relieve stress and anxiety. Closing your eyes and focusing on breathing, God, or your favorite place (beach, mountains, home) takes your mind away from the things that are creating the stress. It doesn't have to be a long time out, five minutes, 20 minutes, an hour, it doesn't matter....just do it.
5. Visualization: Visualization is one of the most helpful techniques available to relieve stress and anxiety. You can visualize a special place (a tropical island, a cabin on a mountain top, a hammock under a beautiful oak tree, etc.), a special moment (the birth of your child, your wedding day, etc.) or a dream you have (a future lover, losing weight, purchasing that hot sports car, etc). It is thought by many that if you can visualize something, you can make it happen.
6. Yoga: Yoga poses and the meditation portion of this technique is relaxing. Your body will thank you for it as well, as your mind. You can do only the poses that you feel comfortable with, as the important thing is to just do something. Also, taking your mind to another time or place helps to relieve stress. Yoga is an excellent activity for all ages as their are so many levels of this technique: Senior Yoga, Chair Yoga, Hot Yoga, Traditional Yoga, Couples Yoga, etc.
7. Accentuate the positive: Breaking the negative thought pattern can be a challenge. Menopause for one thing can make it very hard. If you want to recover from anxiety or depression, you need to learn to accentuate the positive. Think of the cup as half full instead of half empty, if you were able to rise from your bed without help – remember that some people need assistance, if you needed assistance rising from your bed this morning―remember, some people are not able to even get out of bed. There is always someone worse off than you are. Think on the positive!
8. Gratitude: Thankfulness (AKA gratitude) is a game changer no matter what ails you. You at your life and find all the positive and wonderful things about it. Express your gratitude to your family, friends, God, or yourself. Always, always, always be grateful for what you have.
9. Lifestyle Changes:
Accepting the inevitable:
Grow older is something we should hope to do as the alternative is death. However, accepting that death is coming should encourage us to live as much and as long as we can. We can't stop death, but we can stop wasting our lives and we can begin to enjoy every last minute of our lives.
Let's go out on fire!
I can't say this enough:
This is a wonderful book about
depression and anxiety as we grow older.
You should find a copy and read the whole book,
it will be worth it.
Have you ever tried any of the techniques to relieve stress? Did you find anything in this book review that helped you? Do you have any techniques that are not included in this review that you have used and helped you? Please share!
XOXO
There are some preventative things we can do that may even decrease or at least help control anxiety or depression.
Here are a few that are referred to as calming therapies:
1. Tai Chi: combines meditation, yoga, and breathing
2. Proper Breathing: The following is a direct excerpt from the book on an anxiety-reducing breathing technique:
" The following breath is adapted from yogic breathing techniques. This approach involves slow abdominal breathing, with the focus on an elongated exhale.
Sit comfortably with feet flat on the floor and eyes closed.
Exhale completely.
Take a deep, slow breath in through the nose to a count of four
Feel the stomach grow soft and expand with the deep inhalation.
Slowly release the deep breath and exhale very slowly through the mouth. to a count of six. Pull in the stomach to expel all the remaining breath.
Relax and let go, feeling the tension vanish.
Repeat for up to five minutes.
This breath is effective in calming panic and sleeplessness. Patients with phobic disorders can also use it to cope with stressful situations."
3. Biofeedback: Mind-body connection - Typically, attached device to finger connecting them to a machine that measures skin temperature or perspiration. It then produces a signal, like a beep or a light, wen tense teaching the person how to recognize anxiety.
4. Meditation /Prayer: Taking time out of your day to focus on something besides yourself and the world around you can relieve stress and anxiety. Closing your eyes and focusing on breathing, God, or your favorite place (beach, mountains, home) takes your mind away from the things that are creating the stress. It doesn't have to be a long time out, five minutes, 20 minutes, an hour, it doesn't matter....just do it.
5. Visualization: Visualization is one of the most helpful techniques available to relieve stress and anxiety. You can visualize a special place (a tropical island, a cabin on a mountain top, a hammock under a beautiful oak tree, etc.), a special moment (the birth of your child, your wedding day, etc.) or a dream you have (a future lover, losing weight, purchasing that hot sports car, etc). It is thought by many that if you can visualize something, you can make it happen.
6. Yoga: Yoga poses and the meditation portion of this technique is relaxing. Your body will thank you for it as well, as your mind. You can do only the poses that you feel comfortable with, as the important thing is to just do something. Also, taking your mind to another time or place helps to relieve stress. Yoga is an excellent activity for all ages as their are so many levels of this technique: Senior Yoga, Chair Yoga, Hot Yoga, Traditional Yoga, Couples Yoga, etc.
7. Accentuate the positive: Breaking the negative thought pattern can be a challenge. Menopause for one thing can make it very hard. If you want to recover from anxiety or depression, you need to learn to accentuate the positive. Think of the cup as half full instead of half empty, if you were able to rise from your bed without help – remember that some people need assistance, if you needed assistance rising from your bed this morning―remember, some people are not able to even get out of bed. There is always someone worse off than you are. Think on the positive!
8. Gratitude: Thankfulness (AKA gratitude) is a game changer no matter what ails you. You at your life and find all the positive and wonderful things about it. Express your gratitude to your family, friends, God, or yourself. Always, always, always be grateful for what you have.
9. Lifestyle Changes:
- Walkiing
- Exercise
- Creativity
- Support Groups
- Spiritual Practices
- Volunteering
- Nutrition
- Pets
- Sleep
- Laughter
Accepting the inevitable:
Grow older is something we should hope to do as the alternative is death. However, accepting that death is coming should encourage us to live as much and as long as we can. We can't stop death, but we can stop wasting our lives and we can begin to enjoy every last minute of our lives.
Let's go out on fire!
I can't say this enough:
This is a wonderful book about
depression and anxiety as we grow older.
You should find a copy and read the whole book,
it will be worth it.
Have you ever tried any of the techniques to relieve stress? Did you find anything in this book review that helped you? Do you have any techniques that are not included in this review that you have used and helped you? Please share!
XOXO
RSS Feed