How to overcome the blockage in moments of anxiety?

In situations of stress it is common to feel slower, with difficulty moving forward and concentrating on the tasks we are doing. This ends up having an impact on our day to day, both in private life and at a social and work level.

This phenomenon is called a mental block. This blockage can be both cognitive and emotional, and it is important to take action against this in order to manage that experience. In this article We will talk about the feeling of blockage that arises in situations of anxiety and what strategies can be useful to deal with it.

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The relationship between the mental block and the moments in which we are anxious

Anxiety is a natural phenomenon that is present in the life of every human being, and by itself does not cause a problem. However, in certain circumstances, if it is not managed properly, it can lead to psychological complications such as mental blockage.

How does this happen? Anxiety predisposes us to carry out immediate behaviors to try to get away from danger or avoid a risk

, and this happens by either quickly searching our environment for solutions to make the problem disappear, or undertake an escape strategy as soon as possible so that the danger does not affect us.

However, On many occasions, the solution is neither to act hastily nor to choose the urgent avoidance of what causes us discomfort.. That is why, on occasions, we enter a loop in which, on the one hand, we want to attend to the problem as quickly as possible, but on the other hand, that It prevents you from having a global and strategic vision of the problem, something that requires a little more time and the ability to concentrate and abstract ideas. In situations like this, we are blocked.

We must take into account that the blockage can have a variable duration and that doing nothing and leaving that time passes complicates the situation, so it is best to learn to manage experiences of this type.

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Tips to deal with the blockage generated by anxiety

Now that we have a better understanding of what the blockage is and what the related causes and consequences are, it will be easier to understand the strategies used to deal with and improve the situation.

1 Establish a stable and healthy life

In situations of anxiety and stress, where our environment is unstable or we are going through a difficult time, we must try to keep our interior stable and balanced; that is, it is necessary that we stay healthy, with adequate rhythms of life, in order to conserve strength and be able to face the situation more easily.

And it is that poor physical fitness is a magnet for stress and anxiety problems, because we overload ourselves more easily with day-to-day tasks.

For a good vital state it is essential to comply with good eating habits. We must eat varied, setting aside all the necessary nutrients and in an adequate amount to obtain the energy we require for our body to function well; It is also important to rest both the mind and the body, in order to recover energy and thus achieve a better performance (it is recommended to sleep at least 7 hours a day).

Finally, sport is a good ally for a healthy life. It helps us stay physically active, generating endorphins, neurotransmitters that reduce the sensation of discomfort and favor the sensation of pleasure. In the same way, it makes it easier for us to disconnect mentally and break the blocking situation.

• Related article: "How to generate new healthy habits?"

2. Establish time frames of reference when setting goals

Setting a work routine or a time to do homework can help us be more productive. When we do not have an established delivery period, a time to do the work, it is likely that we do not organize ourselves well and let time pass without being productive. On the other hand, if we set ourselves a time for action, we will more likely focus our efforts on carrying out exercise and we will be more productive, thus reducing the feeling of blockage, and the feeling of not advance.

Of course, if we see that we are not making progress in the task, persisting fixed on it will only increase the blockage, making us less productive. At this point it is better to give yourself some time, rest for today and face the situation again tomorrow; in this way we will have regained strength and we may show a different perception, thus facilitating solving the problem.

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3. Divide your big goals into smaller ones

If you are obsessed with the idea of ​​reaching a very ambitious and long-term goal, it is difficult for you to get to work to achieve it, because your attention will be focused on the discomfort generated by being still far from the moment of reaching her. In other words, the situation will overwhelm you emotionally and you will see as a problem something that is not: the impossibility of having something right now that requires days, weeks or months.

So when the mental block gets in your way it is essential that you divide the task or project into several sub-objectives and then focus on the most immediate tasks, so that you can solve them sequentially.

4. Let your attention rest

We know that as we keep our attention fixed on a task, it decreases.. For this reason, it is important that we let it rest for a few minutes so that it reaches adequate levels again. When we notice that it is difficult for us to follow the task, that we must reread or repeat the action in order to understand the information, it is more productive to stop for a while so that you can come back stronger and avoid the feeling of blocking.

It is estimated that the time that we can keep our attention fixed at optimal levels varies between 20 and 30 minutes, but this period will be different depending on the subject. So we must be ourselves who value our state. The rest time will also vary according to the needs of the person and the previous concentration time.

5. express how you feel

Another way to avoid blockage is to communicate how we feel, talk to family or friends and express our state to them. In this way we can feel supported and it is likely that we realize that other people have also experienced our situation and have managed to overcome it.

What's more, verbalizing ideas is an excellent way to lose fear of certain concepts that usually generate anxiety. The non-expression of emotions favors the appearance and maintenance of the blockage, we must break the loop of not communicating and achieve freedom from our thoughts and feelings.

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6. face your fears

Often the lock is an attempt to prevent upsetting thoughts or emotions from coming to mind. But this defense only makes the problem and discomfort increase. Ignoring a thought does not make it disappear, it keeps it active and makes us always be alert to try to "filter" what we think.

For this reason, the best way to act so that the blockage disappears is to face the thought or idea that generates it.

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7. seek professional help

Seeking professional help is always a good option when we find ourselves overwhelmed by the facts or we do not feel capable of facing the situation. The psychologist will help you identify the cause of the blockage and will teach us strategies and techniques that can be useful to better deal with the situation. Also, these teachings will be useful for future situations, when we are faced with similar events.

If you are looking for psychotherapy services, contact me. My name is Javier Ares and I am an expert psychologist in intervention for anxiety problems. I offer face-to-face and online therapy for adults and adolescents.