Mental Health Awareness Week 2023: Anxiety

This week is mental health awareness week. As members of #TeamSTSFT you’ll be aware that the emotional and psychological wellbeing of our staff is a key priority. With this in mind, our Thrive staff support team wanted to share some helpful information and resources which link in with the theme of this year’s #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek which is anxiety.

A recent study by the mental health foundation found that despite anxiety being common, 45% of people who reported experiencing feelings of anxiety said they keep it a secret.

 

Please visit our Workforce Health and Wellbeing Hub to find out what support is available to you at work, or head over to the Mental Health Foundation website   to learn more about Mental Health Awareness week.

 

Dealing with anxiety can be hard, but there are lots of strategies we can use to help us to cope with these tough feelings.

Positively, putting coping strategies in place can help us to feel more in control and less anxious.

 

1. Focus on your breathing

When you’re having anxious thoughts try focusing on your breathing, concentrating on the feeling of your body as you breathe in and out. It can help you control the thought. Try '4-7-8' breathing technique:

- Close your mouth and quietly breath in through your nose, counting to four in your head.

- Hold your breath and count to seven.

- Breathe out through your mouth, making a whoosh sound while counting to eight.

- Repeat three more times for a total of four breath cycles.

 

Some people find relaxation exercises work too, while others find mindfulness useful.

 

2. Get moving

Exercise is a good way of dealing with anxiety. Remember, activity doesn’t have to be vigorous; try some gentle stretches, yoga, or seated exercises. Or just go for a walk. Going for a run, swimming, or taking part in a fitness class can give you something else to think about. It needs a bit of concentration, so takes your mind of the anxious thoughts. Any amount of exercise will help. Our staff fitness centre has a variety of classes and we also have our STSFT wellbeing walks (which you can find out more about at the bottom of this page) Read more on the MHF website about how exercise can help improve our mental health.

 

3. Keep a diary

It’s important that we don’t try to ignore our worries. Taking the time to keep a record of what’s happening in your life and how it’s affecting you can help you understand what is triggering your feelings of anxiety. Knowing this can help you better prepare for and manage situations that may cause anxiety. Sometimes it helps to give yourself a certain time of day to be your ‘worry time’. It could be half an hour first thing in the morning for to sit with your worries and write them down in your diary. When that’s out of the way, you can move on with the rest of your day. This can help you take control and stop anxiety getting in the way of what you want to do.

 

4. Challenge your thoughts

Anxiety can lead us to think about things over and over again in our brain. This is called ‘rumination’ and it’s not helpful. When you catch yourself ruminating try to write down the thought and to challenge it. Is what you’re worrying about likely to happen? Are you being realistic? Have you had similar thoughts which have not turned into reality? This can make it easier to challenge the thoughts and stop them from overwhelming you.

 

5. Get support for money worries

A common cause of anxiety is money. If you’re worried about not being able to pay bills, are struggling to repay debt, or aren’t sure if you can cover your family’s living costs, seek help. Make sure you are claiming all the support that you’re entitled to. You can also speak to an organisation such as Citizens Advice or StepChange. We also have some helpful resources from when we held our Big Money Team Talk, which you can find here.

 

6. Spend time in nature

We know that spending time in nature has a positive impact on our mental health. It can help us feel calmer and less stressed. This can be as simple as tending some flowers in a window box or going for a walk in the woods. Any amount of time doing this is good for us, but to really get the benefit, try to spend a significant period of time – maybe an hour or longer – when you can really connect with nature and immerse yourself. Find out more about the benefits of nature.

 

7. Connect with people and talk about how you feel

Anxiety can feel very lonely. Connecting with other people can help a lot. Spend time with friends or meet other people through activities such as volunteering, sport or social clubs, or peer support groups. If you’re able to talk to people about how you feel, it can help to reduce your anxiety. Sometimes saying what’s worrying you out loud can take away its power over you.

 

8. Try to get some quality sleep or rest

Resting and having a good night’s sleep is hard when your head is full of worries but there are some things that can help.

If anxious thoughts keep you awake, write them down in your diary. If sleep is still not coming, get up and have a drink (nothing with caffeine!) and wait until you’re feeling more tired before going back to bed. Keeping a note in your diary of your sleep patterns, what time you went to bed, what you ate, how often you woke up etc can help you work out a routine that will help you get better quality sleep.

 

9. Try to eat a healthy diet

For many of us, feeling anxious might cause us to reach for sugary snacks, junk food or alcohol. It’s important that we don’t turn to unhealthy foods or drinks as a way to cope as they will do more damage in the longer term. Similarly, we should avoid smoking or taking recreational drugs. Eating healthy food regularly helps us to regulate our blood sugar and gives us the energy we need to live well. Remember caffeine in coffee, tea and fizzy drinks can affect your mood and cause sleep problems so it’s best to have these in moderation and not too close to bedtime. Find out more about how your diet is linked to good mental health.

 

Why not combine two anxiety reliving activities of “get moving” and “spending time in nature” by taking a walk in the fresh air?
For those who like a social element to their walks, you may wish to join in with some of our STSFT Wellbeing Walks.

For more information click here or contact our wellbeing walk leaders at: stsft.wellbeing-walk-leaders@nhs.net. If you would like to take a mindful approach to walking you may wish to listen to a mindful meditation on Headspace, which NHS staff have free access to until December 31st 2023. For advice on how to download the app click here.