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GROUNDING

If you feel an anxiety attack coming, there are 5 steps to take to help create progress towards finding symptom reduction and/or relief. These steps might not be overnight magic but can significantly help reduce symptoms of anxiety, trauma triggers, and other unwanted emotions or thoughts. Start with deep breathing as the introduction to any coping skills. Then go through the numbers in order to help ground yourself in present thinking through external factors: 5) Acknowledge FIVE things you see around you. Maybe it is a bird, maybe it is Read more…

By Christophe Courtin, ago

And breathe…

I keep going on and on about breathing and how it can help you calm down and be more settled. How can such a simple tip even work? What is the biological explanation behind it? The answer is the vagus nerve.   First, let me remind you of the “fight-or-fight” (or freeze) response that is triggered by what is called the sympathetic nervous system. It gets you ready to act and fight. Your heart rate increases, you get a boost of adrenaline and cortisol, and non-essential bodily functions are reduced Read more…

By Christophe Courtin, ago

Why use hypnotherapy to help stop smoking

Good news! Smoking has been in a steady decline for the last few years. However, nearly 80,000 people in the UK die from smoking-related illnesses each year and one in five adults are still regular smokers. So, what is so good about smoking? Before I get to that, let’s get the negative part out of the way. You know that smoking is bad, and it’s the major cause of lung cancer, but a lot of people are only vaguely aware of all the other risks: many other types of cancers Read more…

By Christophe Courtin, ago

Anxiety and lack of sleep

Anxiety and lack of sleep feed off each other — they are natural bedfellows. Many people are familiar with this frustrating situation: your mind starts racing as soon as your head hits the pillow. Many things pop into your head: your to-do list, that thing you should (or shouldn’t) have said to your boss, the bills that need paying, that weird pain you can’t explain, etc. Then you catch a glimpse of the clock and realise how late it already is. It becomes hard to tell whether you can’t sleep because you’re anxious, or you’re Read more…

By Christophe Courtin, ago

There is no such thing as a negative emotion.

Emotions that create unpleasant feelings are often labelled “negative emotions.” Generally, people want to avoid them, push them away, or silence them as soon as they pop up. The thing is that each emotion has its own role and purpose. We have the ability to experience a wide range of emotions, from “feeling great” to “dreadful“. Every single emotion within this range has a role, and gives us important information about ourselves and our environment. For example, fear warns us about potential danger, anxiety can indicate insecurities or unpreparedness, anger Read more…

By Christophe Courtin, ago

Actions Against Anxiety

A lot of people struggle with anxiety disorders, stuck for too long in an unhealthy state, ending up with no motivation for anything. To get unstuck, do something. I know first-hand that the suggestions below can help you more than you might think. You might have to get over that bump of increased anxiety (“Doing something new! Aaaaarrrgh!”). Trust me, it will be worth it! IMPROV CLASSES When I mention this to clients, they think I might have gone mad and am not listening to them talk about their anxiety. Read more…

By Christophe Courtin, ago

Why is “Why” a question to avoid?

When you’re stuck or struggling with anxiety, addiction, etc, asking yourself why is not that important. Why? Let me explain. You may often ask yourself things like: “Why do I feel so low? Why do I always drink too much? Why can’t I stop smoking?” Your brain is an answer-making machine. Ask yourself some questions, and you will be compelled to answer. The problem with “Why” is that, very often, the answer you get is simply “I don’t know”. An easy cop-out. If you get another answer, it is rarely Read more…

By Christophe Courtin, ago

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