Dealing with anxiety in a more relaxed way

pme life situation coach Matthias K�nning describes a way to get out of the powerlessness of fear.

Fear of a virus, of falling, of too much or too little closeness, of loss: we can perceive life in such a way that the label fear is constantly attached to it. Luckily, we are masters at coping, pushing things away, distracting ourselves, down-regulating them with medication, complaining and ignoring them. And great are those who have mastered a wide range of coping strategies. pme life coach Matthias K�nning describes a way to get out of the powerlessness of anxiety.

There is usually a situation such as the appearance of a virus, a steep slope in front of me or a human threat with a voice or fist. Our autonomic nervous system reacts very quickly with fight, flight or freeze. Then there is a thought: How can I stop this now? How dangerous is it? Do I still have time to react appropriately? At the same time, something is triggered in our body that we quickly label with a feeling: Fear!

Gr�bel carousel of fear

We are then often preoccupied with the thought of what we should do and how we can get rid of the unpleasant feeling. At some point, the anxiety carousel, the recurring feeling of anxiety and the fear of anxiety develops. This thick package has become very familiar to us over the years and we do a lot to avoid it.

First aid: Consciously controlling anxiety in the body

How would it be if we let go of our thoughts for a moment and not let ourselves be immediately engulfed by fear, but stay with the body itself? More precisely, with what is happening in our body right now. How does this work, what happens and how can it be helpful?

Sweating, congested throat, stagnant breathing

There is always a reaction in the body. We sweat, stop breathing, something can tighten in the chest area, the throat can feel tight. There is a knocking or throbbing, it becomes warm or cold. It feels particularly unpleasant when there is danger. Instead of thinking, we can feel into the body.

You close your eyes and think briefly about your topic. Then your body reacts and you observe and perceive what is happening. Imagine that you simply sit next to it at a distance that feels better. Perhaps you want to be very close or perhaps you prefer to be further away. Then observe what appears in your body. How big is it? Does it have a color or a shape? Is it changing or moving?

Sp�ren helps against fainting

You can make contact with what is emerging. You can say hello and wait to see if this part of your body reacts. Then an impulse may emerge. You may want to breathe more deeply or sigh. Or put your hand there and feel whether this makes it easier. You can change the position of your perception by moving closer or further away. You simply stay there without doing anything with it. You may find that the unpleasantness recedes a little. That it feels a little more pleasant. That it does you good to be able to do something when you are powerless.

Bodywork makes us capable of acting again

An anxiety-inducing situation often leads to helplessness. Working with your body helps you to regain your ability to act. The body reveals the whole truth in a completely honest way. It is worth sp�ring rather than constantly thinking the same thoughts and then getting unpleasant feelings. So the idea is not to move away from fear, attack or freeze. Instead, sit next to it in a friendly way and see if more and more space can be created.