Have you ever been watching a movie, or listening to music, or seen someone doing something very mundane like folding laundry — and suddenly been struck by nice feeling tingles? Did it make you feel relaxed and relieve your anxiety? Congratulations! You’ve experienced a phenomenon called ASMR. Autonomous sensory meridian […]
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“Breathing in, I calm body and mind. Breathing out, I smile. Dwelling in the present moment, I know this is the only moment.”– Thich Nhat Hanh I was reading a post about anxiety on another blog recently, and it made me think about this short breathing meditation exercise for anxiety. […]
The more I learn about anxiety, the more I realize just how widespread a problem it really is. There are millions upon millions of people all over the globe struggling with some sort of chronic anxiety disorder, often more than one type. Seeing how much people are suffering makes me really […]
A Driving Peace customer emailed me the other day, asking about tunnel phobia. If you’ve never heard of this, “tunnel phobia” is the fear brought on by having to drive through a tunnel. I have to admit, I’d never had much reason to think about this type of driving fear, […]
Last week I wrote about “common negative thought distortions” and how they can contribute to anxiety and depression. Cognitive distortions are just what they sound like — ways of thinking that distort reality. They’re subtle, usually subconscious untruths we tell ourselves about the world, ourselves, and other people. They’re messages […]
One of the more hellish aspects of anxiety disorder is what it does to your self-esteem. Famous people with anxiety struggle with this, too. By its very nature, anxiety is an isolating condition. It’s a natural response to withdraw when you’re constantly afraid. And in that state of withdrawal, it’s […]
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) is a type of cognitive behavioral therapy originally developed to treat borderline personality disorder. The simple mindfulness exercises from DBT have since proven effective for treating people in the grips of suicidal depression and self-harming behaviors like cutting. DBT has also proven useful for treating anxiety because of […]
What is tapping for anxiety?Have you heard of tapping before? I hadn’t either until about four years ago. Also called Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), tapping for anxiety is…well, exactly what it sounds like. It’s a brain/body/emotions reprogramming technique where you tap gently on different parts of the body with your fingertips […]
Mindfulness exercises. The term conjures up an image of a monk meditating in a forest, doesn’t it? Many people have an instant negative reaction to this mental picture. It sounds hard, or like it takes lots of training. It sounds like something only hermits do. Or just plain weirdos. But […]
Let me give you a quick tip for stress free driving. Do you battle rush hour traffic twice a day, sitting bolt upright with a death grip on the steering wheel and sweat pouring down your face? You’re not alone. The drive to and from work is often the most stressful […]