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Managing Anxiety with Mindfulness For Dummies is a practical guide to overcoming your worries and minimising anxiety using mindfulness techniques. The National Health Service and the National Institute for Care and Excellence recommend mindfulness as a legitimate treatment for anxiety, and its also been proven to alleviate stress, depression, low self-esteem, and insomnia. This book explains the benefits of mindfulness, and how it can help you face your fears and defeat persistent, irrational worries. Learn how to break the anxiety cycle with an optimistic approach, live in the present moment, and manage your thoughts using the fundamental techniques of mindfulness therapy. This friendly guide will accompany you every step of the way as you understand your anxiety, identify solutions to your problem, maintain your gains, and avoid relapse.
Over three million people in the UK suffer from Generalised Anxiety Disorder, with millions more experiencing phobias, OCD, and panic disorders. Anxiety is potentially debilitating, but many people are daunted by navigating the health system and thus fail to seek treatment. This book provides a way for you to begin managing your symptoms at home, using simple techniques that can help change the way you think, feel, and act.
Mindfulness can help you break free of the downward spiral of negative thought and action, and make positive choices that support your wellbeing. If you're tired of being anxious and long for a brighter outlook, Managing Anxiety with Mindfulness For Dummies provides a wide range of effective techniques to help you enjoy a calmer and happier life.
Joelle Jane Marshall is a freelance speaker and mindfulness coach who works closely with fellow Mindfulness For Dummies coauthor Shamash Alidina on workshops for 'Mindfulness and Overcoming Fear'. She trained in mindfulness with Shamash and meditates and practices yoga regularly.
Introduction 1
About This Book 1
Foolish Assumptions 2
Icons Used in This Book 3
Beyond the Book 3
Where to Go from Here 4
Part I: Getting Started with Managing Anxiety 5
Chapter 1: Peering into the World of Anxiety 7
Comparing Fear, Excitement and Anxiety 7
Investigating fear 8
Clarifying the difference between anxiety and excitement 8
Discovering the Effect of Anxiety on the Mind 9
Finding out the Physical Effects of Anxiety on Bodily Functions 10
Understanding the Fight or Flight Response 11
Exploring Why Thinking Negatively Is a Natural Human Trait 12
Recognising Whether Your Anxiety Is Normal or Severe 13
Suffering from excessive anxiety 13
Accepting that mild anxiety can be helpful 14
Applying Mindfulness to Your Anxiety 15
Defining mindfulness 15
Discovering how mindfulness can help your anxiety 17
Trying out a mindful exercise 19
Chapter 2: Finding Out the Common Causes of Anxiety 21
Exploring Common Causes of Anxiety 21
Discovering your biology and your anxiety 22
Finding out the stress factor 23
Thinking causes most anxiety 23
Understanding the Influences Affecting Your Anxiety 25
Considering the effect of childhood experience 25
Exploring self-perception’s impact on anxiety 26
Refusing to identify yourself with anxiety 27
Enjoying the benefits of socialising 28
Realising How Modern Day Living Can Affect Your Anxiety 29
Stopping negative media from affecting your anxiety 29
Reducing the adverse impact of technology on your anxiety 30
Part II: Learning More about Mindfulness for Anxiety 33
Chapter 3: Discovering Mindful Attitudes Toward Anxiety 35
Discovering Your Starting Attitude 35
Understanding the Benefits of Mindfulness 36
Let’s get physical: Benefitting your health 36
Take me, as I am: Appreciating the power of acceptance 38
Open up your eyes: Focusing on an open mind 39
I’ve got the power!: Discovering the strength of the present moment. 40
We’re absolute beginners: Seeing the world with a beginner’s mind 42
Challenging Preconceived Ideas about Mindfulness and Meditation 43
Common Misconceptions 44
Letting go of control doesn’t mean giving up 44
Practising meditation is for everyone 45
Viewing Mindfulness as a Way of Living 46
Introducing the Mindful Breathing Exercise 47
Practising the mindful breathing exercise 47
Enjoying the benefits of mindful breathing 48
Chapter 4: Managing Your Thoughts Mindfully 51
Accepting That Thoughts Impact Your Mind and Body 52
Letting up on your mind 52
Giving your body a break 53
Bringing Mindful Attention and Curiosity to Your Thoughts 53
Considering the effect of mindful attention on your thoughts 54
Trying different mindful metaphors 55
Understanding That Thoughts Aren’t Necessarily Facts 55
Discovering that thoughts are just thoughts 56
Identifying yourself as separate from your thoughts 56
Accepting your thoughts with nonjudgemental awareness 57
Dealing with unhelpful or disturbing thoughts 58
Discovering the Breathing Space Meditation 59
Practising the breathing space meditation 59
Finding out the benefits and use of the breathing space meditation 60
Discovering when to practice the breathing space meditation 61
Chapter 5: Practising Deeper Mindfulness Meditations for Anxiety 63
Introducing the Body Scan Meditation 64
Discovering the benefits and purpose of the body scan 64
Practising the body scan 65
Overcoming common difficulties that arise with the body scan 68
Introducing the Sitting Meditation 70
Discovering the purpose and benefits of the sitting meditation 70
Practising the sitting meditation 71
Overcoming difficulties with the sitting meditation 73
Discovering Mindful Imagery Meditations for Anxiety 74
Practising the clouds in the sky visual meditation 75
Standing tall with the mountain meditation 75
Savouring the Mindful Eating Meditation 76
Practising mindful eating 76
Chapter 6: Using Mindful Self]Compassion and Kindness for Anxiety 79
Understanding Loving-Kindness 79
Accepting the importance of being kind to yourself 80
Practising loving-kindness for yourself 80
Well-wishing loving-kindness for others 82
Facing common issues with the loving-kindness meditation 84
Letting Go of the Perfectionist 84
Investigating what being a perfectionist really means 84
Accepting yourself as already perfect 85
Discovering Compassion for Yourself and Others 87
Being compassionate towards yourself 88
Showing compassion towards others 89
Chapter 7: Journeying from Excessive Anxiety to Mindful Wellbeing 91
Starting the Journey at the Edge of the Forest 92
Seeing the wood despite the trees: Difficulties along the way 93
Understanding the journey of a lifetime 94
Keeping a Journal to Strengthen Your Practice 95
Writing a journal to help your mindfulness practice 96
Using the journal to monitor your progress 96
Enjoying the Vital Support of Other People 97
Asking family members to cooperate 97
Gaining group support 99
Part III: Applying mindfulness every day for anxiety 101
Chapter 8: Living Mindfully Day-to-Day 103
Engaging in Daily Mindfulness Meditations 103
Drinking tea mindfully 104
Making time for mindfulness in a busy lifestyle 105
Incorporating mindful eating into everyday life 107
Cultivating a joyful commute 108
Maintaining Positive Relationships 109
Being with friends and family 109
Sustaining positive relationships with colleagues 110
Dealing with Difficult Relationships 111
Handling problems with a significant other 111
Managing a daily workload mindfully 113
Chapter 9: Changing Unhealthy Habits to Healthy Ones to Combat Anxiety 115
Cutting Down on Stimulants and Certain Drugs 116
Reducing caffeine intake with mindfulness 116
Reducing the use of harmful nonprescription drugs 117
Choosing to drink less alcohol 118
Looking after Yourself Physically 118
Moving your body mindfully 119
Creating a healthy diet 120
Getting into a regular sleeping pattern 121
Avoiding Overuse of Technology at Home 123
Not watching TV last thing before bed 123
Turning off your computer and mobile phone early 123
Motivating Yourself to Meditate 124
Taking things one breath at a time 124
Forgiving yourself for the occasional slip 125
Rewarding yourself every so often 125
Chapter 10: Taking the Next Step in Your Mindfulness Practice 127
Determining Whether Your Anxiety Needs Medical Attention 128
Looking at the length of time 128
Considering the level of intensity 129
Investigating the impact on your life and behaviour 130
Engaging in an Eight-Week Mindfulness Course 130
Discovering the eight-week course 131
Practising the course alone 132
Finding a course to join 133
Locating a mindfulness coach or therapist to guide you 134
Using Mindfulness with Other Forms of Therapy 134
Changing how you think: Benefits of CBT for anxiety 136
Managing the use of prescribed medication with mindfulness 138
Expanding Your Mindfulness Practice 139
Taking mindful retreats to move forward 139
Discovering other helpful organisations 141
Part IV: The Part of Tens 143
Chapter 11: Ten Simple Mindfulness Exercises for Managing Anxiety 145
Being Mindful in Nature 145
Carrying out a Mini Body Scan Meditation 146
Trying out a Mini Sitting Meditation 148
Breathing Mindfully 149
Practising a Mini Loving-Kindness Meditation 149
Listening Mindfully 150
Cooking Mindfully 151
Walking Mindfully 151
Stretching Mindfully 152
Cleaning Mindfully 153
Chapter 12: Ten Mindful Attitudes for Easing Anxiety 155
Practising Present Moment Awareness 155
Helping Your Beginner’s Mind to Blossom 156
Spotting Your Tendency to Judge 158
Considering Curiosity 159
Opening up to Anxiety 160
Developing Self-Compassion 160
Pursuing Patience – without Rushing 161
Operating with Optimism 161
Generating Gratitude 162
Allowing Acceptance to Grow 163
Index 165
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