Learning Reflection: Working Practices To Anxiety Recovery

Anxiety Recovery Working Practice 1: 

Understanding values, treatment, and support preferences

Anxiety Recovery-orientated services are focused on an understanding of people’s values, beliefs, and preferences, both in general and specifically in relation to treatment and/or support. This may involve learning more about their life story, support with the development of a personal narrative, and finding out about the individual’s values. This is needed for a person-centered approach to care planning and recognizes that individualized care planning takes place within a social context.

Anxiety Recovery Working Practice 2: 

Assessing Strengths Recovery Supported By Recognizing And Building on The Individual’s Strengths

This involves learning about the strengths and positive attributes of the person, as well as the supports and positive connections in their life. Identified strengths might include any skills or knowledge gained through formal education, training or work, and through other life experiences, as well as personal strengths such as resilience, optimism, artistic skills, compassion, an interest in nature, a supportive family, a positive cultural identity, or knowing the local area. The aim is to ensure a holistic understanding of the person, in which the person’s strengths, as well as deficits identified.

Anxiety Recovery Working Practice 3: 

Supporting Goal Striving

This working practice maps onto the direct service process of care and/or support planning. It involves identifying the individual’s goals, and then supporting the individual as they work towards them. There is an emphasis on Identifying personally-valued goals, planning actions orientated around the person’s values and strengths, an orientation towards supporting the person to undertake actions with and without support from others.

CAN ANXIETY BE PREVENTED?

There are things one can learn to do to help manage anxiety. Different strategies work for different people.

1. Make sure you exercise regularly. Even a 10-minute short walk can help to improve how you feel and may make you feel less tired. Exercise helps boost your levels of serotonin — ‘feel good’ hormones. If you have not exercised in a long time, check with your doctor that it is safe for you. If you don’t feel ready for vigorous exercise, just go for a brisk walk every day.
2. Take time for yourself. Try to get involve in activities and pastimes you previously enjoyed — even if you don’t feel like it.
3. Use relaxation techniques, such as mindfulness and meditation.
4. Cut down on caffeine, which can increase anxiety and alter sleep patterns in some people. Avoid tea, coffee, cola, energy drinks and chocolate, especially after 6pm.
5. Limit how much alcohol, cigarettes and drugs you use.
6. Breathing can help with physical symptoms, and controlled breathing exercises can reduce the risk of symptoms worsening into a panic attack. Slowly take breaths in and out.
7. Learn how to change your ‘self-talk’ or inner thought patterns (practicing positive thoughts)
8. Tackle small tasks that you may have been avoiding to help you to feel better about yourself.