Dr Kirren - Psychologist

Does checking resolve your anxiety problem, or does it keep it going? ✨ Health anxiety checking doesn't help because the more you check, the more you believe it's the only way to keep yourself reassured. So you get hooked on checking, and you never learn that you'd be fine without checking so much. Checking also means you're constantly focusing on your body, which makes you notice sensations that can fuel even more anxiety. Checking can feel reassuring for a moment but ultimately keeps the fear alive. The real solution is gradually stopping and eliminating this kind of checking. ✨ If you'd like comprehensive, practical advice on how to stop checking, including how to deal with the urges, the thoughts that come with them, and the distress you feel when you try to ignore the urge to check - you'll find it all in my book, Ten Times Calmer 📚 This information is for general educational purposes only and is intended for health anxiety. Always see your doctor for advice specific to your situation. #healthanxiety #healthanxietyrelief #hypochondriac #hypochondria #healthanxietytips #illnessanxietydisorder

5 TIPS BELOW👇 

✨ Cold stimulation, like splashing water on your face or holding ice to your skin, can help ground you and shift your focus away from panic.

✨ Regular relaxation practices, like deep breathing exercises, mindfulness meditation, or progressive muscle relaxation, can have an overall calming effect on your body.

✨ Dealing differently with your anxious thoughts by changing your relationship with them, accepting them, and reframing them can help you feel more in control.

✨ Facing your fears by gradually confronting situations you avoid due to panic attacks or a fear of them can help you realise you are safe. This can reduce your fear, boost your confidence, and stop those situations from continuing to trigger you.

✨ Learning to be less sensitive to sensations you’re afraid of, like a racing heart or feeling breathless, can reduce the likelihood of a panic attack. These sensations are often triggers for panic, so as you become less sensitive to them, you realise they’re not as frightening as they seemed, which can help break the cycle of panic. If you’d like more detailed advice on how to do all of these, see my book 📚 Ten Times Calmer. Information for general educational purposes only in relation to health anxiety. Always see your own doctor for advice specific to your situation.
 #panicattack #panicattacks #panicattackhelp #panicdisorder #cardiophobia #healthanxiety

👇 5 TIPS BELOW 👇
 1️⃣ When this kind of anxiety shows up and tells you, “You shouldn’t feel okay,” respond with something like, “Oh, there’s my anxiety talking again. It’s just a false alarm, it happens sometimes.”
 2️⃣ Take slow, deep breaths. This helps signal to your brain that you're safe because you're acting in a way that's the opposite of anxiety. This can help your brain calm down the stress response.
 3️⃣ Be curious about your thoughts by asking yourself:
“Why shouldn’t I feel okay?
Is there any actual danger right now?
If the answer is no, remind yourself it’s okay to feel calm.”
 4️⃣ Tell yourself, “It’s okay to feel calm,” and enjoy those moments. This is how you want to feel, and you deserve it. The more you practice this, the easier it becomes for your brain to accept calm as normal rather than unsafe.
 5️⃣ Shift your focus onto something else that helps anchor you in the present moment, rather than anxious thoughts based on future scenarios. For instance, you could listen to music, do a task that needs doing, or engage in something else you enjoy. 
It can take time to retrain your brain to accept calm moments as safe and normal, but with practice, it gets easier. If you want to learn more practical ways to deal with anxiety, check out my book 📚 Ten Times Calmer. 
Information for general educational purposes only in relation to health anxiety. Always see your own doctor for advice specific to your situation. #anxietytips #anxietyrelief #anxietybelike #anxiety #anxietyhelp

Which sensations cause you anxiety? ✨ Resisting anxiety sensations only makes them stronger and keeps them going, but accepting them breaks the cycle Learn more practical ways to overcome anxiety in my book Ten Times Calmer 📚! Information for general educational purposes in relation to anxiety. Always see your own doctor for advice specific to your situation. #anxietyrelief #anxietytips #anxietyhelp

👇TIPS BELOW👇 ✨ Accept that you’ll never find absolute certainty online. If you’re worried about symptoms, the best thing you can do is see your doctor. ✨ Remind yourself that googling only brings temporary relief. It might feel reassuring in the moment, but it actually fuels more anxiety in the long run. Your brain starts craving that quick reassurance, so you search again and again, but you never actually feel better. ✨ Try to sit with the uncertainty. When you get the urge to google, notice the discomfort it creates and just let it be there without reacting to it. If that feels too hard, try doing it for just a few minutes., then gradually increase the time. The more you practice this, the weaker the urge becomes. ✨ Write your fears down instead of googling them. Then, later, come back to what you've written and ask yourself: Were they true? Was it really as bad as you thought in the moment? ✨ When you get the urge to google and are trying to resist it, shift your focus to something that fully absorbs you. Listen to music, go for a walk, phone a friend, or do some mindfulness. Do whatever helps you stay engaged in the moment so you can break the cycle. If you'd like comprehensive practical advice on dealing with anxiety then see my book 📚Ten Times Calmer. Information for general educational purposes only. Always see your own doctor for advice specific to your situation. #anxietytips #anxietyrelief #anxietyhelp #healthanxiety #generalizedanxietydisorder #panicattacks

Learn how to stop these symptoms and hundreds of others in my book 📚 Ten Times Calmer, which is a comprehensive guide to dealing with anxiety. Information for general educational purposes in relation to anxiety. Always see your own doctor for advice specific to your situation. #anxiety #healthanxiety #anxietytips #anxietysymptoms #healthanxietyrelief #hypochondria #hypochondriac #healthanxietyrelief #panicattackhelp

What anxiety symptoms do you have that seem never-ending? ✨You’ve probably heard people say, “Just accept the symptoms,” but how? Acceptance is a powerful tool for dealing with anxiety symptoms, but it’s not as simple as just saying, "Okay, I accept it.” Some people might be able to do that, but for most people, it can be much harder. ✨That’s why, in Ten Times Calmer, I’ve laid out step-by-step instructions to make acceptance doable so you can take that important step toward overcoming these persistent symptoms. Information for general educational purposes in relation to anxiety. Always see your own doctor for advice specific to your situation. #anxiety #healthanxiety #anxietytips #anxietyrelief #anxietyhelp #anxietybook