Meditation is not always the answer to anxiety

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had a new client say that they tried meditation for their anxiety and it didn’t work.

And it made them feel even more broken, not good enough, or just plain crappy.

I’ve been there too.

I often tell clients that I have a sporadic relationship with meditating myself and when I meditate it’s usually for 2 minutes at a time. (because who started the myth that all therapists meditate for 30 minutes a day and are beacons of calm?...)

I actually really love sharing that snippet about myself.

I’ve learned over the years to let go of the shame around meditating not being the answer to my anxiety.

Meditation can be a powerful experience.

But it’s not a perfect solution.

A gentle reminder about meditation and anxiety

So I’ll say it again:

You don’t need to meditate.

There’s nothing wrong with you if meditating doesn’t feel helpful for your anxiety.

Anxiety doesn’t always respond to stillness.

Here’s an alternative to meditating:

Pay attention to when you feel a little less anxious. Maybe it’s when you’re out walking, maybe when you’re washing dishes, or listening to music.

Your body may want some movement when you’re feeling anxious.

Anxiety can show up in your body as a knot in your chest, tight shoulders, or a headache - so it makes sense that quietly sitting with that in meditation can feel like crap.

Why movement can be helpful for anxiety

There doesn’t need to be a lot of movement, and you don’t even need to get up if you don’t want to.

Movement can invite the stuck energy of anxiety to begin to loosen a bit and to hopefully move out of your body and your mind a bit.

If your anxiety tends to show up in your mind in the form of repetitive thoughts and endless what-ifs, focusing on your body and bringing in some energy and movement for a few moments can help break that cycle.

You might find that if you go back to the thoughts that they have a slightly different quality to them. This is known as “story follows state” in polyvagal theory. Our minds will follow what our nervous systems know and experience.

So if your nervous system is stuck in a state of panic or overwhelm, your mind and thoughts will naturally follow. If you feel more connected to a sense of grounding, ease and safety in your body, nervous system and breath, your thoughts will follow.

Some ideas to try for your anxiety instead of meditation

1. Try a moment of energetic sweeping on your hands -- rubbing both sides as if there’s something sticky on them.

2. Listen to a piece of music that invites a sense of movement (try it on repeat a few times - it can take time for something to settle in, especially if you’re feeling really anxious. I’m currently looping “Eternal Youth” by RUDE as I write this.)

Click here and here if you want to learn more about how to reduce your anxiety through music

3. Do a yoga pose or 5 jumping jacks. (if you’re not a yoga or jumping jacks person, substitute any other quick movement here that feels okay in your body - dancing, toe tapping, stretching, bouncing up and down on your toes, etc.)

It’s okay if you need to try a few different things, or if certain things work better at different times of day. Calming your anxiety usually requires a bit of curiosity to figure out what works.

About the Author

Maya is a music therapist and psychotherapist in NYC and online throughout New York State. She specializes in helping women with anxiety, childhood trauma and those who are highly sensitive (HSP) feel good enough, learn how to express their feelings without overwhelm, and show up in calm and confident ways in their work and relationships.

If you’re interested in working with Maya, you can learn more here or schedule your free phone consultation here.

You don’t have to stay stuck - it’s time to reclaim your rhythm.

Meditation is not always the answer to anxiety