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Author Topic: 321 anti-anxiety exercise  (Read 153397 times)

Bette

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321 anti-anxiety exercise
« on: November 05, 2010, 04:12:59 PM »

Here's the exercise my hynotherapist taught me last year to help me with anxiety and panic attacks. Think it's a NLP exercise as she was also qualified in that.I found it very helpful although haven't needed to use it for a while. Bear with me as will be a bit long-winded to explain.

You're going to be using 3 senses - sight (peripheral vision), hearing and touch. You can say it aloud but I always found doing it silently worked. It gets better with practice but it's the "doing" of it that's important not being good at it. If you lose the thread at any point, just start again.

Sit or lie comfortably and fix your gaze on a certain object. Start by noticing what you can see in your peripheral vision.

Here's an example of what you might say to yourself:-

I can see -

My tea mug on the table
The computer keyboard
A book

I can hear -

The hum of the computer
The wind in the trees
A car engine

I can feel -

My left forearm resting on the table
My bottom on the chair
My right big toe touching the inside of my slipper

I can see -

A picture on the wall
The wardrobe

I can hear -

The radio downstairs
The dog snoring

I can feel -

My left thigh pressing into the table
My tongue touching tne inside of my lower teeth

I can see -

The headphones on the desk

I can hear -

My breathing

I can feel -

My left thumb touching my index finger.


That's it! It takes a lot of concentration which is probably why it works. I find it gets harder to find the words as you go on - it's like your brain (and breathing) slow down and I suppose that's why it's relaxing. I used to do it lying in bed sometimes or even in the car (as a passenger!) Because my house is very quiet, I sometimes had to repeat the same sounds but that's not a problem. The "feel" one is fascinating as you're not moving and have to notice tiny sensations. My hypno said one of her clients used to go to the loos at work and do it if she was struggling.

Hope it helps - please give it a go. Even sitting here thinking about it and typing this out, I can feel myself "slowing down.

Bette x
« Last Edit: August 30, 2012, 11:01:08 AM by Bette »
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allysonone

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Re: 321 anti-anxiety exercise
« Reply #1 on: November 05, 2010, 04:16:19 PM »

just read this thread and it sounds good. Will give it a try
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Rosalie

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Re: 321 anti-anxiety exercise
« Reply #2 on: November 05, 2010, 04:17:31 PM »

Thanks Bixby  :)
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deni

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Re: 321 anti-anxiety exercise
« Reply #3 on: November 05, 2010, 07:56:59 PM »

Thats a good statergy and will give it a go when I next feel the jitters/panic.

Thank you for sharing this with us Bixby

Deni  :thankyou:
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Bette

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Re: 321 anti-anxiety exercise
« Reply #4 on: November 05, 2010, 10:31:42 PM »

You're welcome. I'd suggest you try it before you feel you "need" it, then you'll feel you know how when you really want it, if you know what I mean!  ;)
Bixby x
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maureenh

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Re: 321 anti-anxiety exercise
« Reply #5 on: November 06, 2010, 06:59:40 PM »

Bixby I tried this morning, at the time I was not having an anxiety attach, but afterwards I felt at ease, calm. The touch part was hard until I thought about it, it not just what my hands are touching but any part of my body. Do you repeat it 3 times?
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JackyO

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Re: 321 anti-anxiety exercise
« Reply #6 on: November 06, 2010, 08:25:50 PM »

Bixby

This sounds interesting not only for anxiety but for trying to regain concentration levels generally - my mind seems to have turned into some kind of butterfly and I end the day with 101 jobs half done and knickers in a knot.  It would be great to concentrate calmly and achieve one job properly in a day.

J


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Joyce

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Re: 321 anti-anxiety exercise
« Reply #7 on: November 06, 2010, 10:17:35 PM »

I should have read that before my fireworks last night!   ;)
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Bette

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Re: 321 anti-anxiety exercise
« Reply #8 on: November 07, 2010, 09:09:24 AM »

It really is amazing how well it works.
Bambi - I find the touch bit hard too - that's why it's so good, I think. You have to concentrate very hard so you really can't think about anything else and by the time you've finished, the anxiety has lessened. You just do the exercise once but can do it again if you're still feeling anxious.
Bixby x
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Witches Cat

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Re: 321 anti-anxiety exercise
« Reply #9 on: November 07, 2010, 02:21:12 PM »

Thanks for putting this up Bixby, I'm gonna try it later today, and then like you say having tested it out, I can do it when I need to and I should know what I'm doing (no promises there though).. :thankyou:
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Bette

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Re: 321 anti-anxiety exercise
« Reply #10 on: November 07, 2010, 03:11:49 PM »

You're welcome! Let us know how you get on.
Bixby x
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ariadne

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Re: 321 anti-anxiety exercise
« Reply #11 on: November 07, 2010, 08:36:59 PM »

Damn! I'd forgotten about this 3-2-1 tip and I meant to try it out today. I hate travelling by car at night and we went to Hunstanton today to visit friends. I wanted to leave before dark but hubby wouldn't, so I knew I was going to spend 2 very anxious hours in the car.

I liked the sound of this 3-2-1 tip when I read it and I think it could work for me.

I'll definitely be trying it out for myself soon.

Thanks Bixby
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Bette

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Re: 321 anti-anxiety exercise
« Reply #12 on: November 08, 2010, 09:11:03 AM »

Thanks mucca - I've never been able to stop my mind wandering when trying that sort of relaxation exercise which is probably why the 3-2-1 works better for me. Hope it helps you too.
Bixby x
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Eddie

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Re: 321 anti-anxiety exercise
« Reply #13 on: November 08, 2010, 09:13:28 AM »

I tried this at bedtime and fell asleep, thankfully i was in my bed, with my eyes tight shut.  ;D ;D I also use the alphabet, 5 places with a, b etc, or girls names, boys names. I used to use the one that Mucca said. They all work great for me, i've never used them for anxiety though, so will def do that next time. Eddie. x
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Witches Cat

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Re: 321 anti-anxiety exercise
« Reply #14 on: November 08, 2010, 01:38:42 PM »

Hey Bixby, I did the 3-2-1 exercise when I went to bed last night, it really relaxed me and I had such a good night's sleep, even the torrential rain didn't rouse me too much on the window right overhead (although the cat crept into bed in the middle of the night, so it must have worried him) Shall deffo keep this going, thanks again....

                                                                                 :cat48:
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