Tips for Managing Anxiety

Anxiety is a common coping response to sexual violence. Anxiety is your body’s way of trying to keep you safe following trauma. For people who have experienced multiple traumas in their life, anxiety is usually a common experience.

What is anxiety?

Common symptoms of anxiety include:

  • Racing thoughts
  • Feeling nervous, restless or tense
  • Having a sense of impending danger or panic
  • Having an increased heart rate
  • Breathing rapidly, feeling breathless
  • Sweating
  • Trembling
  • Trouble concentrating or thinking about anything other than the present worry
  • Having trouble sleeping
  • Experiencing gastrointestinal problems
  • Having difficulty controlling worry
  • Having the urge to avoid things that trigger anxiety

Infographic: does this look familiar? Common signs of anxiety

How to manage anxiety

There are lots of different things you can do to manage the symptoms of anxiety. It is important to identify the effective strategies that work for you. Here are some ideas for you to try.

Five Senses

  • Identify 5 things you can see
  • Identify 4 things you can hear
  • Identify 3 things you can touch
  • Identify 2 things you can smell
  • Identify 1 thing you can taste

Making the most of your five senses

Temperature

  • Have a hot or cold shower/ bath
  • Go for a swim
  • Put an icepack on your head

Music

  • Find a calm/ relaxation music playlist
  • Create your own music

Get Moving

  • Go for a walk
  • Do some stretching or yoga
  • Do some cleaning or gardening
  • Shadow boxing

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External Agency Referral Form

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The National Redress Scheme provides support to people who experienced institutional child sexual abuse.
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Based on the information you have received, are you required to make a mandatory report in relation to Section 229BC of the Queensland Criminal Code (Child Sexual Offences Reform) and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2020? More Information visit CASV website - Information- Mandatory Reporting ( https://casv.org.au/home/mandatory-reporting-229bc/ )
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