Handling hurricanes and anxiety

Hi, I'm Shari Caplan Stalino, founder of Connected Wellness in Boca Raton, Florida. If you've been watching the news, you know that we're preparing for a hurricane down here which can be very anxiety producing for a lot of people. And it's anxiety producing not just because we're coming into a time of uncertainty with the hurricane, but because it can trigger off our past uncertainties, our past experiences when we were powerless. So I want to urge you, please take charge of what you can take charge of today and over the next couple days as we're preparing. Get the supplies you need, get your safety plan in place and then it's time to take care of your own mental health and well being. You need to set your mindset where you want it to be. Your body's going to have all sorts of reaction, whether it's to to the sounds of the thunder and the wind. Your body is a has thinking cells in it. It responds to our environment. Half our brain and our entire body is non verbal communication. We have a lifetime of experiences stored in our cells. So when anxiety comes, it's not always because we have bad thoughts that are bringing it around. Sometimes it's years of stored up feelings and experiences of being powerless or being uncertain about what's coming next. So try using some breathing exercises, regulating your breath in for three counts and out for three counts. In for three counts, out for free three counts. Go to YouTube. There are some wonderful videos also on another technique called tapping, also known as the emotional freedom technique. All you have to do is google tapping for anxiety and you'll see plenty of people posting videos about how you can cause. Start with the formula of tapping down the front of your head and on different parts of your body. This helps take your body out of fight or flight which is your adaptation response to this hyperarousal and stress. So being able to tap and have something very simple to say to yourself as as you're tapping. Something as simple as although I may be feeling like I have anxiety, I'm willing to release this anxiety and I'm willing to feel peaceful and calm instead. I'm willing to feel calm and confident. Peaceful and calm. Now listen, it doesn't matter whether you feel it at that moment or not. Using the word willing actually gets your brain looking for another time in your life when you may have felt calm and it helps you to connect to that experience. So you're breathing and tapping which helps your body get out of fight or flight. And you're saying positive things like I'M willing to release my anxiety and I'm willing to feel peaceful and calm instead. So get your safety plan together. Make sure you get your supplies that you need. Stay with people and friends or family that you can feel safe with and secure with and please don't over medicate with alcohol and drugs or even using your your cannabis medicine in a way that shuts your body down. You don't want to be doing that. You want to be able to use your medication to help regulate your brain and body so you can stay aware and stay connected to those that you're staying with. And if you are by yourself please make sure that you're in contact with loved ones so that they can check up on you. And don't forget there's plenty of help out there. The Red Cross is out there, there are shelters all around the county and the state so reach out. We're really here for each other. And remember cannabis is a life changing medicine but only you can change your life.