- getting in trouble at school,
- dominating our household with what were basically temper tantrums
- not sleeping or sleeping waaaay to much
- having panic attacks where he was convinced he was dying
- talking about ending his life.
As any panicked parent would do, we sought professional help. The psychiatrist prescribed an anti-depressant called Prozac. This drug has been associated with an increased suicide risk in teens, so my son and I made the joint decision to seek out alternatives. The doctor was very upset and accused me of allowing my son to suffer needlessly. I felt awful! But my son, with wisdom beyond his years, and intelligence very common in anxious people, wondered what was so bad about a little suffering?
In his innocence, he recognized a key spiritual truth. As M. Scott Peck wrote in his classic book, "The Road Less Travelled", life is hard. As Buddha, and the ancient yoga philosophers recognized, pain is part of human experience, but suffering is optional. So what my son had intuitively realized was that resistance to his sensitivity was causing suffering. The medication would have dulled his reactions to his sensory world, but he wouldn't learn how to do that without some other tools. He would FEEL life very acutely, but by utilizing yogic tools he could adapt.
Do any of the following symptoms describe what you or your loved one are feeling?
1. Physiological symptoms include:
a) muscle tension
b) GI distress, such as IBS
c) pulse irregularity or elevated pulse rate
d) disturbed breathing or difficulty taking a full breath
e) panic attacks (these feel like cardiac arrests sometimes)
f) sleep disruption, easily fatigued
2. Mood issues include:
a) uneasiness, agitation, feelings of panic
b) feeling overwhelmed
c) irritability or anger
3. Racing thoughts can be troublesome and can focus on:
a) worrying, apprehension, obsessiveness
b) preoccupation with potential harm
c) catastrophization
d) repetitive thoughts
4. Behaviours that are uncomfortable for you include:
a) avoidance of tasks or normal work
b) restlessness, pacing, rapid/erratic movements
c) compulsive or impulsive behaviour
d) increased rate of speech, pitch & volume
This list of symptoms describes Generalized Anxiety Disorder, a nervous system imbalance that prevents a person from finding enough rest in their daily cycle to complete proper restoration and repair of the body and mind. The standard clinical protocol is to prescribe medication that chemically shifts the balance of the autonomic nervous system between sympathetic nervous system dominance (stress response) to further along the continuum to parasympathetic nervous system response (rest & digest mode). We normally shift continually according to what is going on in our sensory world without being conscious of how this shift is occurring. For those with Anxiety, however, their nervous system has locked into more activation in the stress end of the spectrum and is having difficulty shifting on its own.
If you are interested in exploring alternatives to medication, or additional tools, here are list of interventions used in Yoga Therapy that may help you find a healthier balance in your autonomic nervous system.
1. Physiological Symptom Help:
a) simple movement/stretching timed with specific breathing patterns
b) breathing practices such as extending the exhales
c) guided relaxation sessions with specific scripts to help shift nervous system focus
2. Mood Symptom Help:
a) meditation
b) singing, chanting, mantra repetition
c) prayer
d) using the yamas & niyamas (from the Yoga Sutras) to guide in forming right relationships and right associations
3. Help for the Thoughts:
a) single pointed focus meditation, like breath watching
b) self reflection, studying inspirational texts, encouraging a search for the big questions in life
c) cognitive reframing (such as cognitive behavioural therapy or pratipaksha bhavanam as it's referred to in the Sutras)
4. Therapeutics for Anxious Behaviour:
a) creating structure, establishing intention (sankalpa in yoga speak)
b) building self restraint through selective renunciation (small self disciplines help build impulse control over time)
c) rituals of self care (such as aromatherapy)
d) performing selfless service (karma yoga)
As you can see from this list of possible practices, being super fit or flexible is not necessary. Most of these activities are free or quite inexpensive. All have no negative side effects and contribute to a healthier person overall. These prescriptions are suitable for all ages. Most people benefit from an approach that considers all four types of symptoms.
A certified and professionally trained Yoga Therapist could help you decide which combination of practices is most appropriate for you and help you develop a personalized action plan. He or she can also meet with you over time to continue to support and encourage your path to health.
So what about our house? How did the Anxiety work out? My son is in grad school, lives with his partner and is still very sensitive and intelligent. My admiration for his courage and strength while facing his pain, which was and is very real, has grown over the last ten years. It has been really hard work for him, and for the many yoga therapy clients that I have had the privilege of sharing with, but these Sensitive People have discovered that secret. Life can be challenging, but suffering is reduced when we let go of resistance to our true natures.
If you don't have access to a Certified Yoga Therapist (an online list is available at www.iayt.org), this is a home video from one of my teachers and provides excellent at home practices to get you started: "Viniyogatherapy for Anxiety with Gary Kraftsow" and can be ordered through www.pranamaya.com.
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