Mental Health Awareness Week: Anxiety

May 15^th to 21^st 2023 marks Mental Health Awareness Week. This year’s focus is anxiety, a common emotion that affects us all.

Looking after our mental health is important for everyone. That’s why the Mental Health Foundation (external link) hosts an awareness week every year, focusing on different aspects of mental health. Anxiety is a big one at the moment; there are plenty of worldwide triggers to set us on the edge. As such, the MHF is raising awareness for anxiety, its causes, and what you can do to help manage your own anxiety. Today (May 18^th) is even their “Wear it Green” fundraiser day. Perhaps your work or school is taking part!

What is Anxiety?

Anxiety is the natural response to uncertainty. Whether you’re starting a new job, trying a new hobby, or simply watching the news, these are all situations that can trigger an anxious response. Panic, nervousness, having a hard time relaxing or sleeping, feeling tearful, and being more irritable are all effects anxiety can have on us.

These feelings can become overwhelming and even have a physical effect on your body. This can include an increased heart rate, loss of appetite, breathlessness, and even chest pain. Physical symptoms should always be assessed by a doctor, in case there is a different underlying cause.

So, it’s very important to recognise what your triggers are and find ways to manage the feeling. There are a variety of techniques out there, some will work for you, whilst others won’t. One popular mechanism is the 54321 grounding technique.

Helpful Grounding Technique

When you’re feeling overwhelmed, try this technique to see if it helps calm you down.

Look for 5 things you can see – big or small, intricate detail or simply the screen in front of you. Take your time. Acknowledge what you see.
Be aware of 4 things you can touch – explore the textures around you, even give them a feel.
Acknowledge 3 things you can hear – we spend so much of our day blanking out the noises around us, just let yourself hear them. No judgement, just listen. Distant traffic, neighbour noises, the hum of your PC fans.
Notice 2 things you can smell – everything has a scent, sometimes it just takes a deeper breath to smell it. Not everything has cartoonish scent lines that make you float (though my inner kid is still sorely disappointed about that).
Become aware of 1 thing you can taste – morning coffee still fresh on the breath? Perhaps there’s still a hint of last night’s dinner at the back of your throat. Take a moment to taste it.

This technique is great for anchoring your mind after anxiety has sent you down the rabbit hole. It brings you to the here and now, allowing you space to calm your breathing and shift focus away from whatever has triggered your anxiety.

If you are struggling, the Mental Health Organisation has some great tips for dealing with anxiety (external link). Should the problem persist or be negatively impacting your life, then contact your doctor or a healthcare professional. There are also helpline services (external link) you can contact. Remember: you are not alone.

How Can Gaming Help with Anxiety?

Gaming is what we do in our down time, it’s our outlet in world. So, it can definitely be used to help manage your anxiety. Whilst it might be impractical to boot up your favourite game every time you have an anxiety attack (especially in the middle of a work day!), there are ways to make gaming work for your mental health.

Anxiety can leave you feeling drained, tired, and, for lack of a better word, unhappy. Personally, I find booting up one of my favourite farming sims is a great way to decompress and process all those big feelings. Carving out some dedicated you time can also work wonders for putting you in a better place to deal with the next dose of anxiety. Mindfully acknowledge that the spent in your virtual world is for you.

Last year’s Mental Health Awareness Week blog was all about self care and gaming. We talked about lots of great games to play to help you relax and feel zen. Have a peruse if you need some inspo.

How Can Gaming Hardware Help with Anxiety?

Anxiety can be overwhelming, and sometimes we need a tool or two to help us deal. Noise-cancelling or closed-back acoustic headphones can help you focus your attention on some calming music, without the distraction of background noise. So many games come with incredible soundtracks, and sometimes that is just what you need to ground yourself.

At Overclockers UK, we stock a wide variety of gaming headsets, plenty equipped with noise-cancelling technology, ergonomic features, and advanced drivers for impeccable audio.

You can explore our full range of headsets by clicking the link below.

Shop Headsets

For the ultimate escape, there is VR. With its growing popularity, there are increasingly more non-gaming VR apps, such as meditation apps, that can be used in the every day. As well as, you know, totally immersing yourself into your favourite VR games. Do check out our Coming to VR series for some great upcoming games!

We stock phenomenal VR headsets from HTC VIVE. You can explore the full range by clicking the link below.

Shop VR

To Help My Anxiety

One of the best ways to help your anxiety is to reach out. Talk to people who understand how you feel and can maybe offer help. It can be a trusted friend or family member, perhaps you prefer the anonymity of a dedicated organisation. Listed below are some charities and resources, where help is just a click away.

Here is a list of charities you can contact:

If you’re looking for helpful resources, then check out these links:

If you have any good resources or management techniques, please share them in the comments below.

Mental Health Awareness Week: To Help My Anxiety

Emily Haylock