Published on: 15th May 2023
This year the theme of Mental Health Awareness Week (15-21 May) is anxiety. Many people are supporting this by sharing their experiences of anxiety and things that help them, to reduce stigma and encourage others to reach out for support.
Nina, from Stockport was supported by our adult mental health services after experiencing psychotic depression and anxiety, which had built up over time due to work pressures.
“I was a family lawyer, which is a high stress job. I got very anxious about getting everything right, which felt like I was constantly walking a tightrope.
“Thoughts would be going round and round in my head like a washing machine. The thoughts were really manifesting and I’d get physical symptoms too, like dry eyes, and I couldn’t swallow or digest food properly.
“This continued to spiral down until I [attempted] suicide and was sectioned [under the Mental Health Act], spending two months on Arden ward.”
Nina was referred to Stockport talking therapies, where she was introduced to mindfulness-based cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), which has since helped her overcome her feelings of anxiety.
“I would really recommend it, it was transformative. One of the most helpful techniques I learnt was to come back to your senses; when you feel anxious, focus on any one of your senses.
“Hear the birds singing, listen to cars or traffic, it doesn’t matter if it’s a nice or nasty sound – just get out of your head and focus on things you can see, hear, smell, touch, or taste.
“Another technique is to close your eyes, focus on your breathing and count the number of thoughts you have. In the first session I had 21 thoughts, bowling all over the place; to do lists, memories, fears.
“With practice I learnt that when a thought came up, just to categorise and leave it. That was absolutely liberating for me – I am a human being, not ruled by my thoughts.
“And the third thing is being compassionate to myself, not to beat myself up if I do get an anxious thought.
“I was a champion worrier, good at catastrophising, I felt I needed to worry just to keep safe. So just to say, you can get better. I’ve not struggled with anxiety for five years.”
If you relate to Nina’s story or find yourself struggling with feelings of anxiety, you can refer yourself to your local NHS Talking Therapy service for support.
At Pennine Care, we provide these in Bury, Oldham, Stockport, Tameside and Glossop: www.penninecare.nhs.uk/talkingtherapies