Anxiety Hack: Soften the Gaze: Panic Attacks and Tunnel Vision: Anxiety Skills #9

Do you have PTSD, anxiety, stress, or panic attacks? In this anxiety management skill, I teach you how to decrease stress and anxiety by using a "bottom-up" approach-using your body to calm your mind. I basically teach you how to hack your nervous system and use your peripheral vision to trigger the calming parasympathetic response. This is a technique from polyvagal theory. Many of us have experienced tunnel vision when undergoing extreme stress or fear, and that's a natural, physiological response to danger. When our Sympathetic nervous system is turned on during the fight, flight or freeze-tunnel vision is a natural reaction. However most people don't know that we have a degree of control over our tunnel vision, our field of view, by actively softening our gaze, turning on our peripheral vision we can trigger our nervous system to calm down. This tool can be used as a coping skill for anxiety, a resource for PTSD, a grounding exercise, or a way to manage chronic stress.

Therapy in a Nutshell, LLC, and the information provided by Emma McAdam are solely intended for informational and entertainment purposes and are not a substitute for advice, diagnosis, or treatment regarding medical or mental health conditions. Although Emma McAdam is a licensed marriage and family therapist, the views expressed on this site or any related content should not be taken for medical or psychiatric advice. Always consult your physician before making any decisions related to your physical or mental health.

About Me:
I’m Emma McAdam. I’m a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, and I have worked in various settings of change and growth since 2004. My experience includes juvenile corrections, adventure therapy programs, wilderness therapy programs, an eating disorder treatment center, a residential treatment center, and I currently work in an outpatient therapy clinic.

In therapy I use a combination of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Systems Theory, positive psychology, and a bio-psycho-social approach to treating mental illness and other challenges we all face in life. The ideas from my videos are frequently adapted from multiple sources. Many of them come from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, especially the work of Steven Hayes, Jason Luoma, and Russ Harris. The sections on stress and the mind-body connection derive from the work of Stephen Porges (the Polyvagal theory), Peter Levine (Somatic Experiencing) Francine Shapiro (EMDR), and Bessel Van Der Kolk. I also rely heavily on the work of the Arbinger institute for my overall understanding of our ability to choose our life's direction.

Copyright Therapy in a Nutshell, LLC
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[naomiigrayyy]

Holy shit my whole face just opened and relaxed, why is this stuff not more well known???

[ShuriBear]

This is the best technique I have ever learned to calm down my anxiety.
I do not like to say "life hack" too often. But this is most definitely a freaking life hack to me!

[Dedlogico]

This works so good for me, stops all overthinking and puts me on the present so easly.

[brybhoy]

This is so good because it doesn’t involve trying to control the breath which can become difficult

[sk_s_w]

OMG THIS is why I can't come up with answers for any kind of sudden question! It's not that I'm shy or introvert or not-creative! (other people's comments on me). It's the STRESS OMG It's the stress! THANK YOU SO MUCH for pointing out these fine and important scientific facts! I'm so glad I watched this video tonight! Happy tears! ❤

[hhs]

Wow I go through this multiple times a day. I can’t believe I found this video. It feels so nice to be understood…

[healingjourney]

i am smiling learning this.. fighting through some panic spells lately... thank you so much

[youhavetogotheretocomeback]

Wow, this stuff is so simple but pure genius, thank you!

[sanan]

this was really helpful. didn't even know what tunnel vision was. the reason I decided to watch the video was that I noticed that a change in vision is one of the first things I notice when being triggered (how my vision collapses on itself). after watching this video, I realized I was experiencing it quite often and decided to focus on looking around the center of the field of vision.
every time I experienced it today, I would exclaim to myself "tunnel vision!", which was so much fun!
I have to admit, I haven't been this relaxed after having left the house in a very long time

[Sashas-mom]

This is so real! I’ve experienced it literally and mental/emotionally during high anxiety.

[jaclynferber]

Yes! So wonderful to find other climbers in the Mental Health field!

[arjanblad]

Bless you, greetings from the netherlands

[markahearne]

I have a history of drug abuse to feel calm and express myself. I'm sorry if this doesn't relate to this video I have just been watching your videos and I find them helpful

[sergeypanfilov]

thank you so much. I never heard about this technique.

[CKsmallville]

Been skating since I was a kid. I did an 8 week skating course as an adult, at the end of which we do an exam and get our badge. Despite not falling even once during the course, I was on my bum the entire time during exam.

[TheRealMisterChopShop]

Thank you Jesus Christ for making this lady such a genius this genius gives me the correct medicine to maintain a healthy lifestyle.... thank you Jesus for Emma she’s the best medicine for my anxiety if that still a thing I literally thought I was going to die I’m not even kidding horrible thoughts scary thoughts I lost my joy... i’ve had anxiety for five years I go through life with the mamba mentality I wear my heart on my sleeve this lady gave me my joy my purpose thank you Jesus she’s my angel the funny thing about it she don’t even know I exist I exist out of the kindness of her heart there’s a lot of videos on YouTube but then got nothing on Emma thank you Jesus!!!! 5-20-2021

[Hercules]

This is an AMAZING hack! Thank you so much.

[__Fatimah__]

You're the best! Thank u much for sharing!

[clairesteinriede]

Great video!👍🏻 Helpful info-thank you!

[catherine_]

Omg, this used to happen to me as a kid, when I was called on the read out loud during class. I didn't know what it as till I was an adult and it scared me so much.