Dealing with anxiety can be difficult, especially when it appears as dissociation and derealisation. These feelings can make you feel unconnected from yourself and your surroundings, increasing feelings of fear and helplessness. However, there are ways to regain control and reality. This article explores key strategies to overcome dissociation related to anxiety.
Understanding Dissociation
Before exploring strategies, it’s essential to comprehend what dissociation and derealisation involve. Dissociation means feeling detached from yourself, your thoughts, feelings, or sense of identity. It’s that unsettling sensation of being out of touch with your environment or the people around you.
Grounding Techniques
Grounding techniques are vital tools for managing dissociation. These involve bringing your focus back to the present moment and your immediate environment. Simple exercises like deep breathing, concentrating on sensory experiences (such as touch or smell), or naming objects around you can help ground you in reality when you feel disconnected.
Ayurveda suggests that feelings of disconnection occur when the air and ether elements are heightened, meaning increased vata, which in turn heightens anxiety. Staying warm and still in a comforting environment can be beneficial. Creating a cosy “nest” with blankets and cushions to feel safe and warm, and adding weight can also help.
If staying still is difficult, as often seen in those with vata-provoked anxiety, try calming music and grounding essential oils. Use your sense of touch to connect with your environment, feeling the weight and texture of a blanket and warmth around you.
Restorative Yoga
Restorative yoga is also beneficial for grounding and finding calm. For Savasana, rest on your back with arms at your sides, palms upwards. Let yourself be supported by the ground, releasing all tension, reminding yourself with each breath that you are safe and supported.
Child’s Pose, a beginner’s yoga pose, is often used as a resting position during yoga practice. It supports feelings of safety, stretches the spine and shoulders, and calms anxiety. Guided practices for Savasana and Child’s Pose are available on various platforms.
Mindfulness and Meditation
Exercises that promote mindful movement with full awareness of your breath and body draw you into the present moment. Self-awareness is key to alleviating stress and anxiety that can lead to dissociation. Practice mindful walking by focusing on your breath and the connection between your feet and the ground.
Balanced vata benefits from stillness and is naturally inclined to meditation, but when vata is disturbed, stillness becomes challenging. The unsettled vata mind makes the body move and talk, adding to feelings of disconnection. Guided meditation helps soothe the vata mind into stillness. Use audio support for breathing exercises and other meditative practices for better results.
Start small and practice regularly. Routine is as important as the method chosen. Engaging in activities like walking, baking, crafts, reading, or gardening can also offer connection and calm.
A Grounding Practice for Anxiety and Dissociation
Find a comfortable spot to stand barefoot and follow these steps:
* Take a deep breath, drop and relax your shoulders.
* Shake your hands and arms, keeping your fingers loose and spaced.
* Bend your knees slightly and press your feet into the ground, feeling the connection.
* Raise your arms to shoulder height as if holding a large balloon to your chest.
* Visualise yourself rooted to the earth, feeling the strength and support in your legs.
* Stand for a few minutes, taking slow, deep breaths.
As you breathe, remind yourself: “I am right here, and I’m OK. I can feel myself right here, right now, and I’m OK.”
The more you practice this technique, the better you’ll feel, learning to remain calm, connected, and centred.
{tweet}Learn effective techniques to manage dissociation tied to anxiety. From grounding practices to restorative yoga and mindful activities, discover ways to reconnect. #AnxietyManagement #MentalHealth{/tweet} {imageprompt}An image of a serene individual practising mindfulness in a tranquil setting, perhaps engaging in yoga or deep breathing exercises, surrounded by nature. 16:9 aspect ratio.{/imageprompt} {primarykeyword}Strategies to Tackle Dissociation{/primarykeyword} {linkedInText}Discover effective strategies to manage dissociation linked to anxiety through grounding techniques, restorative yoga, and mindfulness. #MentalHealth #AnxietyRelief{/linkedInText} {description}Find out effective strategies to manage dissociation associated with anxiety, including grounding techniques, yoga, and mindful activities. Stay calm and connected.{/description}
Learn effective techniques to manage dissociation tied to anxiety. From grounding practices to restorative yoga and mindful activities, discover ways to reconnect. #AnxietyManagement #MentalHealth
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