Six ways to deal with anxiety

Self-medicating with alcohol or drugs isn’t a healthy or sustainable way to overcome anxious feelings. Instead, Delamere uses a range of therapeutic tools, one-to-one sessions and somatic healing experiences to help you work through the source of your problems and learn how to start coping with anxiety.

Meditation for anxiety

People sometimes say you need to ‘get out of your own head’ to cope with anxiety and guided meditation is a simple method of quietening your inner thoughts. This is because meditation can control the areas of the brain that play a major role in anxiety and stress. Scientific studies show 30 minutes of mindfulness meditation can be as beneficial as antidepressants on the anxious brain. (1)

Breathwork for anxiety

Deep, diaphragmatic breathing has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety. When we’re stressed, our breathing usually quickens and gets shallower. By taking slow, controlled breaths we can temper the part of the nervous system that controls the fight or flight response and help our body to physically relax. At Delamere, breathwork is one of the disruptive tools we use to help our guests conquer anxiety and any associated addiction. In particular, holotropic® breathwork is used to mimic a hallucinogenic state and allow deep healing to take place.

Grounding techniques for anxiety

Using a combination of different physical and mental techniques can help you quash unwanted emotions or negative thoughts. Whether it’s reciting a poem or playing a mind game, there are a number of grounding techniques that are useful for coping with anxiety or panic attacks. Focusing on something very specific for a short period of time can help you snap out of a negative mindset and switch your brain back to being calm and rational.

Exercising for anxiety

Exercise can help improve mental health by releasing feelgood chemicals in the brain called endorphins and controlling the region of the brain that deals with perceived threat. A recent meta-analysis found that people with anxiety disorders who reported high-level physical activity were better protected against developing anxiety symptoms than those who reported low physical activity. (2) At Delamere, we encourage guests to take part in regular exercise, from walks in our beautiful forest to yoga and dance.

Journaling to reduce anxiety

Writing a daily journal is an important part of coping with anxiety. It can help you to process your thoughts and emotions and reduce stressful feelings. At Delamere, we actively encourage regular journaling throughout your rehab programme to help you regain control and improve your overall mental health. Guests are asked to complete a range of written assignments to help them explore the reason for their anxiety and inform their future-proof care plan.

Talking to others about anxiety

It can really help to talk to other people who are also coping with anxiety and depression. One-to-one counselling, or psychotherapy, is a type of talking therapy that allows you to explore your feelings, thoughts and behaviours to understand what triggers your anxiety and try to develop coping strategies. All guests at Delamere have a dedicated focal therapist from the start of their journey and will also take place in regular group therapy sessions to connect with others experiencing similar challenges.