Rewiring Your Brain from Anxiety

What is Anxiety?

• Anxiety: A nervous system state.
  • Essential for protection and survival.
  • Can become chronic due to various reasons: accidents, injuries, surgeries, chronic stress, emotional shock, unmet needs, trauma.

Causes of Chronic Anxiety

• Multiple triggers: Accidents, injuries, surgeries, physical pain, chronic stress, emotional shock, unmet needs, trauma.
• Diagnosis: Not needed to identify the exact cause before treating the anxiety.

Understanding Neural Plasticity

• Rewiring the brain is possible through neural plasticity.
• Neuroplasticity: Ability to reprogram the brain to reduce anxiety.

Common Misconceptions about Anxiety

• Anxiety often thought to come from thoughts.
• Therapy Focus: Generally targets thoughts to reduce anxiety symptoms.
• Reality: Anxiety is an emotion, not a thought. Emotions = subjective interpretations of sensory data from the body (interoception).
  • Thoughts affect the body's state, shifting sensory data that alters emotional state.

Challenges with Thought-Based Therapies

• Ancient parts of biology don't respond to thought-based therapies.
• Limitations: Mindfulness training, affirmations, brain-based self-help practices have limited effect.

Physical Symptoms of Anxiety

• Symptoms: Tight chest, racing heart, inability to take a deep breath, sweating, shaking, tension in legs/feet, tight hips, clenched jaw.
• Anxiety posture: Weight on heels, toes lifted, tight lower legs, forward head posture, clenched fists.
• Chronic & habitual: Default posture and movement, leading to unnoticed tension.

Addressing Muscle Tension

• Muscle tension: Dictated by the nervous system.
• Anesthesia: Shows muscle tension is brain-controlled (limber when unconscious).

Rewiring Your Brain from Anxiety

• Autonomic Nervous System Regulation: Key for not getting stuck in anxiety.
• Body-based practices: Discharging stress signals safety to the brain through proprioception.

Vagus Nerve Exercises

1. Basics: Accessing the Healing Power of the Vagus Nerve by Stanley Rosenberg— essential reading for polyvagal theory and anxiety.
2. First Exercise:
   • Sit comfortably (floor/chair).
   • Right hand on top of head, tilt right ear to right shoulder.
   • Eyes move up and to the left (hold for 30s).
   • Repeat on the other side.
3. Second Exercise:
   • Right hand on head, left hand on side rib cage.
   • Right ear to right shoulder, bend rib cage deeper into a C-shape.
   • Eyes move up and to the left (hold for 30s).
   • Repeat on the other side.
4. Third Exercise:
   • Lie face down on a yoga mat or carpet.
   • Elbows under shoulders, hands flat on floor, turn head over shoulder.
   • Look over shoulder using neck muscles (hold for 30s).
   • Repeat on the other side.

Final Tips

• Less is More: Titrate exercises—small doses make cumulative changes.
• Frequency Over Duration: Short but consistent practice.

Conclusion

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