Anxiety can be a tricky condition to quell. Because it’s so common, researchers have spent decades trying to better understand it and find the right combination of medication and therapy to treat it. People who experience anxiety, especially at high levels, are often willing to try just about any life hack that might help keep it at bay. Harvard University-trained sociologist and author Martha Beck developed her own approach to tackling intense anxiety. She calls it the “CAT” method, which she explains in her book Beyond Anxiety. C is for Calm In an interview on Today, Beck broke down the acronym and explained how to put it into practice. If you’re beginning to feel anxious, she says to start with the “C,” which stands for “Calm.” But this isn’t about telling yourself to simply calm down—that approach rarely works. Instead, Beck suggests imagining yourself as a tiny, innocent baby or puppy and speaking to yourself the way you would to a vulnerable, beloved creature. “Your anxiety is always a little baby. A little animal,” she said. She also stresses the importance of speaking to yourself with kindness. “I think when you’re anxious, what you’re saying isn’t always kind,” she said. “‘I am going to fail. What’s going to happen?'” Beck reiterates that imagining yourself as a tiny kitten—or another small, vulnerable creature—helps you approach your anxiety with greater compassion. That shift in perspective can immediately begin calming your nervous system. A is for Art The second part of the acronym, “A,” stands for “Art.” Beck explains that once you’ve shifted into a calmer, kinder mindset, creating something can help redirect your attention away from anxiety. And it doesn’t require any artistic talent. “Don’t worry, you don’t have to be an artist,” she said. Anything you make—even something as simple as a sandwich—can be considered art. View this post on Instagram The act of creating something—whether it’s journaling, painting, cooking, or another creative pursuit—can itself help interrupt anxious thought patterns. “We have known that anxiety flatlines creativity,” Beck explained. “What I have started to realize is that creativity flatlines anxiety.” T is for Transcendence The final letter, “T,” stands for “Transcendence.” Each step builds on the one before it. “If you go into that creative space, your brain is designed to take you in connection with other beings and to assume some, I call it co-mingling, with creation,” she said. Beck acknowledges that the concept may sound a bit unusual, but says it may resonate with people who practice deep meditation. “It’s a weird thing, but that flow state that people are always after, you can go there and stay there,” she added. One YouTube viewer captured the idea perfectly: “C-A-T 1. Calm down the baby inside you.’ It’s gonna be ok, honey.’ 2. Art – do anything creative to initiate a shift in the brain. 3. Transcend – to gain a bigger birds-eye view and see possible solutions you hadn’t thought of before.” ‘People try to think their way out of anxiety’ Upworthy spoke with mental health expert Matt Grammer, founder of Therapy Trainings, about Beck’s “CAT” method. Given his expertise in developing training and resources focused on emotional regulation, trauma, anxiety, healthy coping strategies, stress, and resilience, he was well positioned to discuss the approach. He explained, “I agree with Martha Beck, that in her CAT (Calm, Art, and Transcendence) method, one of the major issues with anxiety is that people try to think their way out of anxiety, all the while their nervous system is still on high alert.” View this post on Instagram Instead of focusing only on the wellness aspects of the “CAT” method, Grammer explained how each step supports the next: “I see CAT as more of a sequence of steps, rather than three wellness tips. Calm gives space to respond rather than react. Art diverts the mind from ongoing threat scanning to sensory/creative play. Transcend engages the person in broadening their scope of connection to their meaning/values/nature/community and beyond the petty fear. For example, a person who is anxious in the moment (typically, thinking of the worst possible outcome) of a difficult conversation could use CAT and ask themselves, ‘What kind of person do I want to be in this conversation?’ to create some intentionality.” Excellent coping tool Grammer said he finds the method to be a helpful coping tool, but emphasized that it isn’t a substitute for therapy: “I think CAT is a useful coping tool, but not a substitute for professional help for anxiety, trauma, panic, OCD, and the like. Also, I am not a fan of overly literal statements that suggest switching from the left to right hemisphere of the brain and vice versa within CAT. I think the greatest gift of the CAT method is the shift in attention out of simplicity. “Anxiety focuses life on a single, anticipated event. CAT aims to broaden that perspective, though the intention isn’t to eliminate anxiety altogether. Instead, the focus is on restoring the ability to act appropriately in the face of anxiety.” The post Stop feeling anxious with expert’s ‘CAT’ method to switch off and ‘flatline’ anxiety appeared first on Upworthy.