Huff and Puff the Anxiety Away

You’ve been diagnosed with a panic/anxiety disorder and you are well into a course of treatment. Do you have the feeling then that there’s more you could be doing to help yourself get better? Apart from following the doctor’s prescription and the therapist’s suggestions perhaps you could be.

This is an all-time favorite—exercise. Yes, I know it’s difficult for you to step out the door sometimes because of your agoraphobia and you’d rather not go down to the gym because you’d have to meet people. But if you set yourself some small–very small–goals then you could pep yourself up and not even notice that you are taking giant strides. Just take it one day at a time.

First start off by walking around the house for just five minutes. Do this for a few days. Then give yourself the gift of time, and walk to the store for just one day and buy something. Walk back. Don’t think of it as exercise. Think of it as a pocket of time to go somewhere and back to your home. Then don’t think of it till the next day. If you miss a couple of days in between don’t worry about it. Nothing earth shattering is going to happen. Give yourself the time off and then resume the very next time you can. Do this for ten days only and there you are—you have formed a habit. This habit might very well take over your thinking and instead of panicking you could be planning—the next goal, the subscription to the gym, swimming.

If you are able to make it to the gym but are afraid of panicking, promise yourself that you can go home the minute you feel the attack coming on. Then do what you can. Trainers at the gym will draw up a regimen for you. Don’t panic. Tell yourself you’ll do what you can and no more. Then do this leisurely for ten days. Go to the gym at a specific time but don’t be bound by it. Keep it flexible—your goal for that day is to step out of the house, that’s all. Do this for ten days and your body will be craving the exercise. After this you won’t have to think about it, it will become something you would like to do and look forward to doing.

In the meanwhile, your body has been benefiting and so has your mind. Exercise releases feel-good hormones and improves blood flow to the brain. Exercise will also relax you or even tire you out pleasantly. All this will improve your mood and help with the therapy you are undergoing.

You can choose any form of exercise–even yoga or kickboxing–as long as it helps you get going. The trick is to do it without feeling bound to it or allowing yourself to become anxious about it. Start small and take it from there.