Distressing news stories close to home can fuel general levels of anxiety. Chloe Brotheridge has five tips to help you gain perspective
1. Remind your rational brain of the stats
When events such 7/7 or the recent attack in London unfold, they understandably gain a lot of attention in the media. However, it's all too easy to have a skewed idea of the real probability of us or someone that we love being involved in an attack. Emotions can take over and it becomes harder to use our rational brain and remember that the chances of being involved are tiny. If your rational brain needs persuading, the risk is approximately one in 16 million taking into account the number of terror-related deaths in the UK over recent years.
2. Avoid feeding the anxiety monster
Don’t give it any more emotionally charged content or get involved in lengthy discussions about distressing events because it can fuel that anxious emotional response. If you need to log off from Facebook, or switch off the news for a few days, do it. It doesn't make you any less of a compassionate person.
3. Use it to trigger something positive
Holding your friends and family closer, being a touch more patient with your colleagues and a bit kinder to yourself and appreciating all the ways that we're lucky, secure and safe.
4. Accept uncertainty
When we're anxious, we seek certainty that things will be OK. But it's important to remember that uncertainty is actually all we can be certain of. Embracing uncertainty and trusting that we have the resources to handle things is what's necessary. It's impossible to limit all risks in life, but rest assured that life is safer than it has ever been.
5. Help someone else
There's a saying that goes, "When you feel helpless, help someone". From giving some cash to charity to signing an online petition, what can you do to make the world a little bit better?
Chloe Brotheridge is a hypnotherapist, anxiety expert and author of T he Anxiety Solution . Get a FREE relaxation MP3 by clicking here . Follow Chloe on Twitter