How To Manage Distressing Situations

No matter how well we look after our wellbeing, there will be circumstances that cause us to experience high levels of distress. Think illness, rising interest rates, relationship difficulties, work restructures, and of course the ups and downs of COVID-19.

Clinical psychologist Jacqui Maguire says distress can show up as worry, feeling out of control, poor performance and physical aches and disruptions.

“It can have short- and long-term impacts on our health and wellbeing, such as feeling momentarily panicky versus a sustained drop in mood,” she says.

If you are experiencing short-term or in-the-moment distress, Maguire’s top tips to help you soothe and recover are:

1. Use the “TIPP” method:

T - change your temperature. Have a cold shower or run your wrists under cold water.

I - intense exercise that makes you puff.

P - paced breathing from your diaphragm.

P - progressive muscle relaxation. Tense and release your muscles systemically through your body.

2. Use the five-sense grounding method:

Move through each of your senses and name three things you can touch, see, smell, taste and hear. This grounding method helps you immediately connect with the present moment and dial down your distress response.

“Whilst we may not be able to control all of life’s challenges, we are able to proactively manage our response to those challenges,” says Maguire. “This is known as emotion regulation, with these soothing strategies a primary element.”