Dan’s Blog

Emotional Thinking and Anxiety

by Dan Regan | May 27, 2020 | Anxiety Stress and Panic Attacks

Emotional Thinking and Anxiety

Emotional thinking comes with anxiety and a whole range of mental health issues, like depression, fear and stress. It’s all those black and white, all or nothing thoughts that can mentally escalate and make you feel even worse.

Over recent days, there has been a lot of emotional thinking going on about the Prime Minister’s senior advisor, Dominic Cummings, breaching the lockdown rules by heading up to Durham and visiting Barnard Castle (to test his eye sight). Regardless of whether you think he broke the rules, this controversy has led to raising emotions of annoyance, anger and frustration leading to people saying and posting all sorts of comments and accusations.

And, with emotions (and identity and beliefs being challenges) a huge number of things being thought and said boil down to ‘I’m right, you’re wrong’ with people drawing upon some facts and ignoring others, raising unrelated issues to muddy the waters and sometimes just trying to dismiss someone else’s opinion with insults or calls to move on. It’s quite incredible how many people will not countenance someone having a different view. It’s a strange sort of democracy with freedom of speech where someone can’t feel comfortable with different views, no matter how strongly held (assuming they aren’t threatening harm or violence or being abusive). It comes down to black and white, all or nothing, right or wrong thinking.

But I’m not here to talk about politics or the current shambles (which may – or may not have all blown over by the time you read this). Yet it gives an illustration of where emotional, black and white thinking can end up.

Of course, with anxiety, that emotional thinking is all inside your head. You may even know in your mind that those worst case scenarios and things you ae catastrophising and dreading are irrational. Yet the anxiety keeps those thoughts coming one after another.

Post Lockdown Anxiety – Hypnotherapy Vlog

by Dan Regan | May 26, 2020 | Anxiety Stress and Panic Attacks

Post Lockdown Anxiety – Hypnotherapy Vlog:

After many weeks of lockdown, it has now been announced that the UK lockdown will be eased further from next month, having already been eased a bit a couple of weeks ago. And, perhaps unsurprisingly given all that has been going on, many people are feeling apprehensive and anxious about the next stage towards things reopening and life getting nearer to some normality (albeit a new normality with social distancing rules).

Many people are worried about what this next stage may look like and involve. There may be fears about safety and health, education and jobs, amongst other anxieties. And certainly some polls suggest people are worried about getting the covid-19 disease and the impacts and implications of that.

In recent articles I’ve talked about several ways to look after your mental health and to deal with anxiety and stress, alongside listening to the hypnosis downloads that I’ve made available over in my hypnosis download shop.

And it’s worth keeping in mind that research shows that we are generally quite poor at predicting how we will feel in the future. If challenges come our way we tend to think we will feel and be a lot worse than turns out to be the case. In the same way that you’ve dealt with, handled and somehow got through all the challenges you’ve already faced in your life up until now, you will find a way to handle and cope with life after the lockdown. You are more resilient and capable than perhaps you’ve been giving yourself credit for.

I covered more about this in a previous article (that you can read here: Are You More Resilient Than You Think? Dealing With Challenges Post Covid-19) and today I’ve got a video version for you so please do click on the image below and have a watch:

Boost Mental Health By Sitting Less and Moving (or Sleeping) More

by Dan Regan | May 21, 2020 | Hypnotherapy Hypnosis and NLP

Boost Mental Health By Sitting Less and Moving (or Sleeping) more

A whole mass or evidence demonstrates that being sedentary is bad for your mental health and physical health. And a further mass of research shows the positive impact on mental health issues such as anxiety, stress and depression, from exercise.

The link between moving more and better mental health is pretty conclusive and widely recognised. I mean, even this week in the Government coronavirus briefing, there was talk about the benefits of exercise for your mental health (featuring the Health secretary and Welsh ex-footballer Robbie Savage!).

Now if you’ve been following any of my posts or articles for a while you may have gathered that I’m a bit of an exercise nut. From hating PE at school through to running and bootcamp, exercise has become an integral part of my routine, lifestyle and wellbeing. Although sometimes I still have to have a word with myself and push myself to get into gear and get started on moving.

Throughout the covid-19 lockdown I’ve managed to keep going with three runs a week and three bootcamp sessions (in the garden…which is now more mud and dust and less grass where I’ve worn it away slamming my tyre!).

Yet the lockdown and working from home has also meant more time for sitting and that kind of low energy expenditure stuff. From working at home on my laptop (like right now) to watching a film with the kids, there has been more time than usual being sedentary.

We know long periods or a lot of sedentary time is bad for your mental health, so what should you be doing with that time instead? Should you be doing high intensity exercise or are there other, less intense, things that can boost your psychological wellbeing?

Mindfulness and Hypnosis

by Dan Regan | May 20, 2020 | Hypnotherapy Hypnosis and NLP

Mindfulness and Hypnosis

Lockdown is easing and the sun is out. It’s a perfect time to pause and just enjoy the warmth of the sun, the sound of the birds and the blueness of a cloudless sky. Sometimes being present in this very moment is a wonderful thing to experience.

Rather than letting your mind fill with stuff from the past that has already happened, or imagining the future which has yet to happen, it can be beneficial to be in the here and now. This is something that is very much a central element of mindfulness.

Mindfulness, which originates from Buddhist philosophy and practice, can be deﬁned as the non-judgmental, accepting experience of the present, as it unfolds moment by moment. Rather than letting your mind wander or thinking about things that have happened or might happen, mindfulness involves paying attention to present moment experiences. You pay attention to your thoughts, feelings and sensations with an attitude of openness and acceptance.

In recent years, mindfulness has become a major player in the field of mental health, particularly in the field of stress reduction. While often treated as a discreet activity (e.g. mindfulness meditation), you can also be active and doing things with a sense of mindfulness (something I’ve covered before).

With its increasing profile, and with its clear overlap with elements of hypnosis, here in this article I’ve covered the research into mindfulness hypnosis for reducing stress, the benefits of mindfulness and their relationship with each other in therapy.

Covid-19 & Easing Lockdown: A Ticking Mental Health Timebomb?

by Dan Regan | May 13, 2020 | Anxiety Stress and Panic Attacks

Covid-19 & Easing Lockdown: A Ticking Mental Health Timebomb?

As the lockdown restrictions here in England begin to get eased, all the focus is now shifting towards returning to work, being out and out about more, starting to be able to meet someone from another household and the possible return of school (at least for some children).

Having spent seven or so weeks being told to stay at home to protect the NHS and save lives, the message now is shifting towards being able to take the next steps towards the ‘new normal’ and remaining ‘alert’ whilst maintaining social distancing.

And there’s no doubting that for many people, covid-19 and the lockdown has had an impact on their mental health and wellbeing. There has been anxiety, stress and worry about many aspects of life including health, education, employment, finances, being restricted and much more. I know that in the very early days of the pandemic and lockdown I suffered some stress as I adjusted to what it all meant for home, health, work and keeping a roof over our heads.

These sorts of concerns were being echoed all over the country with the ONS (Office For National Statistics) reporting in April, through their Opinions and Lifestyle Survey, that over 4 in 5 adults in Great Britain said they were very worried or somewhat worried about the effect that the coronavirus (COVID-19) was having on their life right then. At that time, just over half of adults said covid-19 was affecting their well-being and nearly half of adults reported high levels of anxiety. Covid-19 and lockdown impacted on our mental health.

Of course, whilst everyone experienced elements of social isolation, lifestyle disruption, impacts on income, employment and education, everyone’s individual circumstances will vary, and some who are at higher risk may have had to isolate and restrict their actions even more than some others of us.

Over recent days there have been a number of commentators and other people beginning to talk about a ‘mental health ticking timebomb.’ There seems to be a sense that the anxiety and mental health impacts of covid-19 and lockdown will continue even after lockdown eases, and that more and more people will need help to address their coronavirus-induced mental health issues.

So will the mental health impacts of covid-19 continue in the post lockdown era?

May 2020 Coronavirus Update

by Dan Regan | May 13, 2020 | Hypnotherapy Hypnosis and NLP

May 2020 Coronavirus Update:

As you’ll know, the Government have begun the process of easing the lockdown (here in England) and encouraging us all to get back to work when we can, along with some other changes.

I just wanted to let you have a little update on where things are with my hypnotherapy sessions.

At the time of writing, my Ely and Newmarket hypnotherapy locations remain closed for face to face sessions. This is in line with the advice from my professional hypnotherapy association as well as conforming to Government guidance.

Online sessions via Skype or Zoom have been ongoing throughout and remain available – just message me for more information. My hypnosis downloads have been pretty popular too (including up to three free hypnosis download tracks over in my shop).

I’m currently carrying out a risk assessment of my Ely office to reduce the risk of the transmission of Covid-19 as far as possible ready for when face to face sessions are allowed. Social distancing is possible in my office, and although the entrance and stairs are a little trickier, face coverings, increased surface cleaning, hand sanitiser and hand washing will help manage this and help to keep you safe when you visit.

The Government are suggesting avoiding public transport right now so, as always, you will be able to use the marked car parking space. Sessions will continue to be scheduled to minimise the risk of unnecessary contact with others from outside your household.

I’m really looking forward to seeing you sometime soon (hopefully early June) and until then, stay safe and stay well.

The Stress Mindset – Shifting Stress From Bad To Good

by Dan Regan | May 7, 2020 | Anxiety Stress and Panic Attacks

The Stress Mindset – Shifting Stress From Bad To Good:

There is no doubt that the coronavirus pandemic has added to national (and international) stress levels. There’s been the financial stress of businesses being closed down, jobs being lost and people waiting for Government support (if they qualify for something). The closing of schools led to many of us parents trying to work out some sort of home schooling routine, and in some subjects (like secondary school maths!) trying to even work out what the kids were being asked to work out. There has been stress from the uncertainty of not knowing what is going to happen, or when. And many have been struggling with not being able to see friends and family, or to go out much, or for those shielding themselves not going out at all.

From lockdown to now, some seven or so weeks into it, there has been stress, worry and anxiety. This has been captured in survey data from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) which showed that over 80% of people in the UK are worried about the effect that covid-19 is having on their life and with around half of adults reported high levels of anxiety and stress.

And now with the conversation shifting towards easing the lockdown, many posts from people online reflect that this stress has now shifted to what the ‘new normal’ of life may be like as we start having more freedom and less restriction.

Yet whilst stress is generally considered to be something bad and unwanted, experiencing stressful events is unavoidable (like this pandemic), so can stress ever be shifted into something more positive and constructive that actually benefits us?

What Can We Learn From The Covid-19 Pandemic?

by Dan Regan | May 2, 2020 | Hypnotherapy Hypnosis and NLP

What Can We Learn From The Covid-19 Pandemic?

It’s week six (or seven?!) of the covid-19 pandemic lockdown here in the UK and as the rate of infections and daily deaths begin a slow, gradual decline, much of the commentary and coverage has turned to the next steps.

There’s no doubt that the pandemic has fuelled anxiety levels and worry. People are worried about money, jobs, health, education and a whole load more. Everyone has been affected in many ways. Survey data from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) has suggested that over 80% of people in the UK are worried about the effect that covid-19 is having on their life and around half of adults reported high levels of anxiety.

I’ve written recently about some ways to manage anxiety and mental health during the pandemic and one of the things I suggested is supported by the survey findings showing that staying in touch with friends and family remotely was the most common action helping people to cope with staying at home.

I’ve also written recently about our future predictions are often wrong and how that relates to coping after lockdown. You have more resilience than you may give yourself credit for.

And in this article I cover three things that the research and evidence is telling us and that we can all learn and do and consider as we move through and beyond the pandemic.

The Benefits of Kindness – How Being Kind Can Make You Happier

by Dan Regan | Apr 27, 2020 | Hypnotherapy Hypnosis and NLP

The Benefits of Kindness – How Being Kind Can Make You Happier:

Throughout the covid-19 there have been countless stories and highlights of people doing kind and generous things for others. From volunteers and checking on the vulnerable, and from clapping for carers to Captain Tom’s incredible NHS fundraising (raising more than £29 million!!), in some ways this crisis has brought out the best in many people.

Such acts of kindness also serve to highlight one of the evidence based things that you can do to boost your own happiness, whether that’s during a pandemic or in normal life.

Research shows the link between happiness and kindness, and I’ll cover some of the evidence in this article. If you want to feel happier in your life then kindness is certainly something that you should be actively incorporating into your life.

Are You More Resilient Than You Think? Dealing With Challenges Post Covid-19

by Dan Regan | Apr 23, 2020 | Anxiety Stress and Panic Attacks

Are You More Resilient Than You Think? Dealing With Challenges Post Covid-19

Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic and the associated lockdown, one element of us all that has been well and truly tested is our resilience. We’ve all had to cope with changes to our usual habits and patterns and we’ve all faced restrictions on leaving home. Whilst we all face challenges throughout our lives at one time or another, it’s rare for a countrywide, and even worldwide, challenge to affect so many at one time.

As time passes and the rate of cases and deaths continue to drop here in the UK, more and more the focus turns to life after lockdown and the gradual return to more of a sense of normality, albeit that social distancing may be here to stay for quite some time yet.

For many of you, lockdown may have taken a toll on your mental health with increased symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression. Some of the things that you may usually do to feel better, such as socialising, getting out, and some forms of exercise are not available at all or in the usual way. Combined with these changes to normality is the risk to health from catching the disease, financial worries, home schooling and a sense of being confined and trapped in a situation where you aren’t in control.

Certainly your resilience has already been tested, and when the lockdown is lifted or relaxed, that resilience may be needed to an even great extent.

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