Do you dread going to school or work on Sundays? The term "Sunday Scaries" refers to the feeling of anxiety or dread that some people experience on Sunday, typically in anticipation of the upcoming work week. It is often associated with feelings of restlessness, stress and a sense of impending doom. With new classes, teachers, schools, people, it’s easy to get stuck in feeling anxious and nervous when things change and when we feel under pressure. Anxious thoughts such as “what should I expect, what will they think, what if I do something stupid, can I really do this?,” etc., can slowly take over. Anticipation anxiety can skyrocket before big events and leave us feeling emotionally hungover. Oftentimes, we can find ourselves in our heads overthinking and replaying the worst case scenarios. Sunday Scaries can be paralyzing.
If you want to save the rest of your Sundays, here are are a few ways to cope and manage your anxiety:
Name your fears: Don’t leave your anxious thoughts to run wild in your head. Write down the things that make you feel uncomfortable so that you are more aware of what your fears are; it is easier to tackle something when you know what you are up against. Sometimes, just identifying what is making you feel anxious provides some relief in itself. If you start to feel anxious, try writing out a list in your journal or take notes on your phone.
Reframe your thoughts: When we feel overwhelmed or anxious, we tend to exaggerate our anxious thoughts with little to no truth behind them. We often use words like “always” or “never” when we are not thinking 100% in reality. Lookout for these words when you start to feel anxious and are trying to calm down. Identifying red flags can help us slow down, challenge our thoughts and reframe the way we talk to ourselves in our head. Challenge yourself by asking the following questions: What else could be the reason? Does this actually happen all the time or every time? If not, how else could it turn out? Or what else is going on that is less hurtful/personal/negative that is also a possibility? These questions help us change our perspective from a narrow, emotional one, into a more logical, reality based one.
Practice mindfulness: When you start to feel anxious, try to slow your breathe and exhale all the air out of your lungs so your breathe returns to a normal cadence. Next, take longer exhale breathes. For example, inhale for four seconds and exhale for six seconds. Try doing this for two-five minutes. You can try this breathing exercise while sitting, standing, or lying down.
Support system: Keeping thoughts in our own head can be deafening. Spending time with family and friends can help you reduce feelings of anxiety because it encourages feelings of connectedness. Sometimes having other people around you is a wonderful distraction from the negative stuff in your head and it can also help change your mindset to a more positive one by reminding you of more positive things in your life.
These are just a few ways to cope and manage anxiety. Find ways that will help you in times of anxiety and stress. If you want to learn more ways on how to help deal with your stress and anxiety we can help! To schedule an appointment or consultation call 832-966-0214 and/or email: admin@houstonfeelgoodtherapy.com.