How I Found My Way Out of Chronic Anxiety
“Consider these six transformative steps to take your life back from fear, trauma, and anxiety.”
By Rachel Dunne, Guest Contributor
By Rachel Dunne, Guest Contributor
I’ve had anxiety for as long as I can remember, but it wasn’t until after the birth of my second son that it hit me so fast and so hard, I thought I had reached the point of no return.
Looking back, I realize it was actually a slow fade, I just never recognized it until it got to the point where I could no longer function in my day-to-day life.
It felt like my brain had just switched off and I’d entered into an alternate world of confusion, terror and despair.
Almost overnight, I had become scared of literally everything.
I was scared to eat. Scared to drive. Scared to look in the mirror. For weeks, I refused to even leave my house.
Intellectually I knew it was irrational, but the fear was so overwhelming and all-consuming that I felt completely powerless against it. I didn’t feel safe anywhere, not even inside my own body.
I couldn't even remember what the past 33 years of "normal" life had looked or felt like.
Deep down, I knew it wasn't just Postpartum Anxiety or Depression.
It was something much more complex, something that had been building up for years and finally reached its breaking point. Desperate and determined to understand what was happening to me, I researched anything and everything I could find on anxiety and it didn’t take long before the answer became crystal clear.
This was trauma.
I had almost every single symptom of (complex) PTSD even though I had not fought in a war or survived a tsunami.
Research confirmed my suspicion that conventional talk therapy was just not going to cut it this time. So, I set out on my own healing journey and after much trial and error, found what worked for me.
As I learned to regulate my nervous system and process my emotions in a healthy way, I slowly began to trust myself again and felt my sanity, sense of self and safety returning little by little.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that healing from trauma is a slow and grueling process; one that is unique for each individual. It takes hard work, dedication and patience but I can promise you that it is absolutely worth it.
Here are 6 simple but effective strategies for getting your life back:
BREATHWORK
Breathwork is God’s natural remedy to relax an anxious mind and body. My go-to breathwork practice uses “voo” breathing. To do this, breathe in for four seconds, hold for two and say the word “voo” while you exhale for eight. This type of humming, along with the vibrations and deep breathing stimulate the vagus nerve and restores equilibrium to your nervous system.
Start with three minutes a day and work your way up each week. You might even find yourself looking forward to it!
MEDITATION
Part of processing trauma involves giving space to toxic thoughts and emotions. To do this, you must become the observer of your thoughts and feelings without reacting to them. This takes consistency, so find a meditation app or recording and commit to a daily meditation practice.
With time, you will learn that you are not your thoughts and feelings and that you are able to focus on the present moment without being overwhelmed.
YOGA/BODY WORK
With trauma, we are typically dissociated from both our surroundings and our own bodies. It’s vital that we learn to navigate our inner landscape and become more in-tune with the body’s felt sense. We do this by reconnecting with our bodies. Yoga is one of the best ways to reconnect with your body and stay grounded as you focus on both the breath and the way the body feels in each movement.
Another exercise you can try is going through each body part and tapping it with your finger. Notice the way the body part feels after you tap it and focus on the sensations. You can even say, “This is my hand. This hand belongs to me.” I would even add in, “I love my hand.” It sounds strange, but it really works!
INNER CHILD WORK
I realized there were a lot of emotions I had been refusing to deal with since childhood and I knew that what little Rachel had used to cope with those emotions was no longer working for adult Rachel. It was time to grow little Rachel up.
Slowly, I learned to be still long enough to allow my mind to bring up the memories and feelings that I had stuffed for so long. I journaled my feelings and wrote letters to my inner child as I began to process and integrate the experiences. I gave myself the understanding and compassion I needed as a child. I finally understood what it really meant to love myself.
WALKING
Not only does walking release feel good hormones that counteract the stress hormones flooding your body, but it also reintegrates your brain and nervous system.
When you walk, it helps connect the two hemispheres of your brain which helps you to to focus and think more clearly and creatively and process things more easily. Walking is an instant mood booster, especially when it’s in nature.
GIVE TIME, TIME
Time is the ultimate healer. This part is the hardest because it takes patience and surrender. You just want to be normal again. You want a quick fix. But healing the nervous system doesn’t work that way.
Small changes add up and you eventually you see big changes. Recovery is full of ups and downs and setbacks, but little by little the healing happens.
Although it’s been over a year now, I can still remember what it was like to wonder how I was going to survive another day. But I am here to tell you I survived and came out on the other side and you can, too.
Trauma can not only be healed, but it can be transformed into a strength and resiliency that will carry you through the hard times for the rest of your life here on this earth.
Trust God. Trust the innate healing ability He gave your mind and body. Trust the process. And never give up.
“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”
1 Peter 5:10