I’m halfway through a seven week course about anxiety management being held at one of the PSS Wellbeing centres. Here a group of people meet for a couple of hours each week for sessions facilitated by PSS staff Paddy and Niki, people who I have known for many years now and have indeed featured in earlier blogs. I had previously attended the course- about seven years ago and if you had asked me a year or so ago I would have thought the knowledge and techniques I was learning was something I had a good understanding of. What I’m discovering is this is so far from the case -that it feels like I’m discovering for the first time so much of what is being presented and discussed at the sessions. The other nine regulars in the group-people of all ages, from early twenties to seventy plus share this many things, an intense interest in and motivation to better understand the subject- between us we probably clock up many decades of being completely dominated by Anxiety.
Ground Rules
We spent the first session exploring the expectations we have within the group, of ourselves, the facilitators and of each other-together we draw up a group agreement or ground rules. These rules do indeed have a grounding effect, much needed when the anxiety states dominating my thoughts can so often shoot of at tangents of confusing insensible paranoid fantasies. It also gives us a chance to explore each other character and personalities-everyone seems very nice!
Grappling with the Octopus-together
The rest of the course looks at three areas in which anxiety affects us; the physical, the thought processes and finally the behaviours. So to date we have considered together the physical manifestations of stress, an understanding of the science behind the fight or flight reaction that all humans have share for millenniums. Its here that you discover how commonly shared symptoms have limited the lives of those in the room, bit by bit a group bond is developing as we understand how much we have in common. It is encouraging initially quiet people to find a voice about a subject that they know all too well. This week gone we have started to consider the power of our thoughts-that the biggest thing to be fearful of is fear itself- its deep stuff.
Learning
For me anxiety has been a constant companion for most of my life, it’s hard to prize this fellow away from me as at times he has proved both a friend as well as a foe. What I’m learning is that it is the same for all of us in the room and it’s not about expunging Mr Anxiety, instead to try and have a more constructive relationship with him.
Hope
When people ask me ‘how has your week been?’, I often find my grasp on the previous seven days is tenuous. However the content of those two hours at the Wellbeing centre, in the company of the other group members remains in a clear focus. I think- I hope I’m on to something.
Ground Rules
We spent the first session exploring the expectations we have within the group, of ourselves, the facilitators and of each other-together we draw up a group agreement or ground rules. These rules do indeed have a grounding effect, much needed when the anxiety states dominating my thoughts can so often shoot of at tangents of confusing insensible paranoid fantasies. It also gives us a chance to explore each other character and personalities-everyone seems very nice!
Grappling with the Octopus-together
The rest of the course looks at three areas in which anxiety affects us; the physical, the thought processes and finally the behaviours. So to date we have considered together the physical manifestations of stress, an understanding of the science behind the fight or flight reaction that all humans have share for millenniums. Its here that you discover how commonly shared symptoms have limited the lives of those in the room, bit by bit a group bond is developing as we understand how much we have in common. It is encouraging initially quiet people to find a voice about a subject that they know all too well. This week gone we have started to consider the power of our thoughts-that the biggest thing to be fearful of is fear itself- its deep stuff.
Learning
For me anxiety has been a constant companion for most of my life, it’s hard to prize this fellow away from me as at times he has proved both a friend as well as a foe. What I’m learning is that it is the same for all of us in the room and it’s not about expunging Mr Anxiety, instead to try and have a more constructive relationship with him.
Hope
When people ask me ‘how has your week been?’, I often find my grasp on the previous seven days is tenuous. However the content of those two hours at the Wellbeing centre, in the company of the other group members remains in a clear focus. I think- I hope I’m on to something.