An anxiety attack can cause disproportionate highs and lows of your emotions and can make you uncontrollably panic. One can encounter anxiety in various instances, such as important social events, job interviews, financial problems, etc. The inability to control emotions can have a negative effect on the quality of life. Therefore, it is crucial to have a powerful coping mechanism that can help you overcome a situation resulting in severe anxiety.
Yes! We are going to discuss the same in this post, which is known as 333 rule for Anxiety. It elaborates on what does this rule means and how does it work. So, let’s start!
What Is 333 Rule For Anxiety and How Does It Work?
The 333 rule is designed as a coping mechanism to tame the instances of anxiety attacks. It redirects the heightened symptoms of anxiety by shifting focus to three bodily senses, which are – sight, hearing, and touch. In addition to the shifting focus to the bodily senses, it also helps you gather information about your surroundings. You can practice the 333 rule for anxiety by following these steps:
Focus On 3 Things You Can See Around (Sight)
First things first, you need to understand that this practice aims at shifting your focus from a situation, which is causing you the anxious situation. You need to focus on the first things you can see or their visual specifications, such as colour, shape etc. Try to look for unique things that you never noticed before, or more discrete objects.
Focus On 3 Sounds You Can Hear (Hearing)
Another anti anxiety hack is to focus on the sounds you can see in your surrounding. It helps you shift your attention from the inward feelings to the surrounding environment. It depends on your surrounding environment and how you differentiate between the sounds around. In outdoor environment, you may hear dogs barking, moving vehicles, wind, or machineries. The indoor sounds can be of the air condition, keyboard, footsteps, etc.
Focus On 3 Tangible Things You Can Tough Or Move (Touch/Movement)
Next comes the touch or movement part, which implies that you are physically engaging with your surrounding environment. You may notice that, as you go down to the third step, the interactions become more impactful. In the third step, you need to touch or move any tangible object you find in your surroundings. It can be anything, such as your elbow, mobile phone, mouse pad, chair, etc.
Common Types Of Anxiety
There are several types of anxiety with their unique features and triggers. However, they are all detrimental to the quality of life. Some of the common forms of anxiety are:
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is characterized by persistent and excessive worry about day-to-day life situations, such as health, relationships, work, etc.
Panic Disorder
It is a form of anxiety wherein abrupt and reoccurring panic attacks can cause overwhelming fear, discomfort, or the feeling of helplessness.
Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia)
Social Anxiety Disorder is an overwhelming feeling of being judged, self-consciousness, and anxiousness in social settings.
Specific Phobias
Phobias are the extreme and irrational fear of certain situations, objects, or activity. Some of the common phobias are claustrophobia (fear of enclosed spaces), acrophobia (fear of height), glossophobia (fear of public speaking), enochlophobia (fear of crowds) etc.
What To Consider While Practicing The 333 Anxiety Disorder Self Care?
As we have discussed, the 333 rule is to deviate one’s mind from the inward feelings that can result in an anxiety attack. Also, moving down step-by-step into this process, you will engage more with your surroundings. Therefore, it is important that you are fully engaged and immersed in the sense you are exploring one by one. Take more time with the details of the things you are seeing, hearing or physically exploring. Thus, you can keep the thoughts that are making you anxious at bay and relieve the symptoms of anxiety.
What Are The Benefits Of 333 Rule In Dealing With The Social Anxiety?
333 rule is designed for individuals to offer instant comfort in situations that can make them prone to anxiety, depression, or panic attacks. Some of the most acknowledged benefits of this technique are:
Immediate Comfort
One of the most crucial advantages of the 333 rule of anxiety disorder self care is that it can offer immediate relief from the anxiety triggers. If you are alone or trapped in a situation wherein you need to be completely in your senses, anxiety triggers can worsen the situation. Therefore, regaining your senses is possible with instant comfort by practising this technique.
Shifts Your Focus
It can shift your focus from the overwhelming thoughts and feelings that are preventing you from restoring self in the current situation. The negative feelings can rather pull you deep down into your negative thoughts and you won’t be able to think of any effective technique. However, when you already have a templated anti anxiety technique handy with you, it can help you in the hours of the need.
Prevent Panic Attacks
Immediate grounding and centring back to self can relieve you from anxiety attacks. Panic attacks happen when someone feels excessively stressed or anxious about something. Fear or nervousness are some other triggers that can cause you panic attacks. 333 rule have shown positive results in relieving individuals from these negative thoughts.
Regain Control Over Self
This technique can help individuals regain control when it is diminishing rapidly. By restoring the self-control, you can handle the situation better. For instance, social anxiety can affect your regular activities at work, school or other places. Managing your anxiety triggers effectively, you can handle things in a better manner.
Final Note!
333 rule for anxiety can relieve you in a situation of anxiety depression attack. This technique is helpful in relieving anxiousness in specific scenarios. However, if anxiety is constantly interfering and affecting different areas of your life, it is recommended to use therapy to ease the symptoms. You can either search for an anxiety disorder therapist near me or get an online consultation according to your needs.
Read Article: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder vs Anxiety: An Overview
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