Many, many people experience anxiety—that feeling of worry or panic that can arise even when nothing in particular seems to be wrong. The nervousness and edginess that are hallmarks of anxiety can pop up seemingly out of nowhere. In many cases, the best way to address ongoing anxiety is a combination of medication and talk therapy.
But sometimes—especially if you are in recovery from a substance use disorder—you need a more immediate solution to anxious feelings so that you are not tempted to turn to drugs or alcohol to deal with them.
Fortunately, there are a couple of quick techniques that can be quite effective at warding off anxiety. And each is simple enough that you can employ them anywhere at any time anxiety rears up to threaten your sobriety.
Let’s take a look at a breathing technique and a countdown technique that can help you reclaim a sense of calm.
The Beauty of Box Breathing is its Simplicity
Breathing, it probably goes without saying, is something we all know how to do—and most of the time we don’t even think about it. But when you are dealing with anxious feelings, it can be helpful to pay attention to your breathing in a particular way known as “box breathing.”
Box breathing could hardly be easier. Here is how to do it:
- Breathe in while counting evenly and slowing to four
- Hold your breath for another even and slow count of four
- Breathe out for another count of four
- Hold your breath for a count of four again
- Complete this slow, steady cycle a total of four times
Once you have completed the exercise, there is an excellent chance that you will feel calmer. But if you don’t, you can repeat the exercise again.
You might have questions about box breathing, especially if you are the kind of person who wants to know how and why something works. We admire that spirit of curiosity! You can read about the science behind the box breathing technique in this blog post.
A Quick Countdown can Quiet Anxiety
This second technique involves counting down from five while engaging each of your senses. This can shift your focus from feelings of anxiety to what you are experiencing in the present moment. Here is how it works:
- Take a couple of deep, even breaths to get started.
- After those deep breaths, the first step is to name any five things you can see. Don’t rush—and if circumstances permit, consider speaking the name of each object out loud. Again, any five objects in your immediate field of vision will do.
- Next, name any four things you can touch. A focus on different textures you can feel might be useful here as you feel four different objects. So will a slow, steady approach and speaking aloud the names of the objects you can touch.
- The next step is to name any three things you can hear. It is amazing how many sounds we fail to notice—even though there is often a lot to hear. Take a moment to pay attention to the sounds you can hear both nearby and a little further away.
- Now name two things you can smell. This one can be a bit harder, but that is perfectly okay. Take your time and really notice what aromas might be in the air around you. You might even hold something—a drink, a flower, a piece of candy—close to your nose to complete this part of the exercise.
- Next, name one thing you can taste. Take a sip of your beverage, pop in a piece of gum or a mint into your mouth, or take a bite of a healthy snack. Really take a moment to focus on the flavor you are experiencing.
- Finally, take another couple of deep breaths to bring the exercise to a close.
As with box breathing, you can repeat this exercise if you need to in order to further lessen any sense of anxiety you are feeling. You can learn more about this strategy (and about co-occurring mental health disorders that may be entangled with your substance use disorder) in this blog post.
We Can Help You Regain Your Sobriety
At The Aviary Recovery Center, we provided personalized care for substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health disorders. Our work is driven by evidence, expertise, experience, and empathy, and our overarching goal is to help you get and stay sober. Located near St. Louis, Missouri, The Aviary Recovery Center takes an approach to treatment that includes medically supervised detoxification, a rehabilitation program that employs both group and individual therapy sessions, and a continuum of care that will help you start your recovery journey with confidence.
A substance use disorder is certainly a significant cause of anxiety. The exceptional treatment on offer at The Aviary can replace that anxiety with lasting sobriety.
