How to Face Your Fears—And Crush Them!

Ready to kiss your fears goodbye? A positive attitude toward whatever you’re afraid of, combined with exposure therapy (where you confront the source of your anxiety head-on), may help you overcome your fears for the long haul, according to new research out of Ohio State University.

For the study, 40 adults with a fear of public speaking received exposure therapy that required them to prepare and deliver multiple five-minute speeches in a short amount of time. Researchers assessed the participants at different points throughout the study by taking several measures, including their heart rate and self-reported anxiety level. The researchers also used a test that showed how strongly participants associated public speaking with things they liked or didn’t like.

“That measure of associative strength gives us a snapshot of their attitude,” says Russell Fazio, PhD, a coauthor of the study.

When the participants came back for follow-up tests a month later, the ones who relapsed tended to be the people who associated public speaking with negative objects—while those with more positive associations maintained their progress.

Fazio says further research is needed to figure out why some people’s attitudes toward their fear changed. One theory, however, is that the people with improved attitudes were the ones who gave themselves credit for mastering public speaking, rather than chalking up their initial successes to therapy or a therapist.

Have a fear of your own? Here, four tips for conquering it:

Ease Into It
If you have to give a presentation to an auditorium full of people—and you’re terrified of public speaking—put in some prep work before you hit the podium. Build yourself up to increasingly difficult situations, says Peter Norton, PhD, a professor of psychology and director of the Anxiety Disorder Clinic at the University of Houston. “Start off at a level that’s not going to be overwhelming for you but is still challenging,” Norton says. “Stay there until you know you can handle it, that you’re OK with it, and then move forward.” So if public speaking gives you the heebie-jeebies, try talking into a mirror, move on to performing for a trusted friend, and then rehearse with a couple of colleagues. Giving the big speech will likely still be nerve-wracking—but you’ll have put in the necessary legwork to overcome your stage fright.

Make a Game Plan
Coming up with a strategy can help you regain some control over the things that make you most anxious. If the thought of confrontation makes you nauseous, for example, figure out what exactly you want to say before you tell your roommate that, no, her boyfriend cannot set up permanent residence in your apartment. Envision your roomie’s likely reactions, and prepare responses to them. If your fear is of flying—not fighting—brainstorm ways to put yourself at ease way before you pack your bags. Just making a plan of attack will help diminish that powerless feeling—and if you’re able to follow through with it successfully, so much the better.

Hit the Gym
Distractions can be a major source of comfort when you’re facing something scary—“anything you can do to keep your mind from going off in a bad direction helps,” Norton says.  One of the best ways to get your mind off of what ails you? Working out. Plus, research shows that people who exercise are more immune to stressors, says Jasper Smits, PhD, co-director of the Anxiety Research and Treatment Program at Southern Methodist University in Dallas and coauthor of Exercise for Mood and Anxiety.

Call for Backup If Necessary
If the sight of cockroaches or needles makes you squeamish, it’s not necessarily a big deal. (Really now: Who does like insects and shots?) But if your fear is preventing you from hanging out with friends, leaving your house, or following your normal routine, you might want to consider visiting a mental health professional for help. “It’s when a fear really becomes disruptive to one’s day-to-day life that it becomes valuable to seek out treatment,” Fazio says.

photo: Stockbyte/Thinkstock

More from Women’s Health:
Overcoming Social Anxiety
Yoga to Calm Nerves
Quick and Easy Ways to Reduce Stress

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Why You Need to Quit Touching Your Face

Unless you wash your hands every time you use your phone, keyboard, or doorknob, the best way to avoid sickness is to touch your face less, according to a new paper published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.

Researchers observed 249 people in public areas and subways in two cities. They found that the average person touches communal surfaces about three times an hour, and touches her own mouth or nose even more frequently. That’s a problem, because viruses and bacteria enter the body through mucus membranes in your nostrils, mouth, and eyes. When you scratch your nose or rub your eyes, you hand-deliver the germs you’ve picked up from touching common surfaces, and increase your risk of infection. And because any object you touch between hand-washings can contaminate your hands, experts say the solution isn’t just washing more, but also touching your face less.

“Washing our hands and avoiding hand-to-face contact are equally important in preventing any infectious disease,” says Stephen Dahmer, MD, a physician affiliated with the Continuum Center for Health and Healing. “But we’re not washing our hands often enough, and most people don’t do it correctly.” To wash your hands the right way, use antibacterial soap, rub your hands together vigorously for 20 seconds, and be sure to scrub up to the wrist, including the back of your hands, between the fingers, and beneath the nails. Then use an elbow to turn off the faucet, and a paper towel or air dryer instead of a reusable cloth.

To decrease your chance of infection no matter how well you wash, use these strategies to quit touching your face.

1. Take a video. Do you frequently prop up your chin with your hands, sweep your hair out of your face, or brush your cheek when you hold your phone to your ear? You might not even know it. “Face-touching is an unconscious behavior, so you need to become aware that you’re doing it,” says says Robin Kerner, PhD, a clinical psychologist at St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital in New York City. Set up your cell phone or webcam to record a portion of your day, then play it back to discover how you touch your face, and how often. If your bangs are the culprit, use a barrette to keep them in check. If your phone is to blame, switch to speakerphone or use a headset. And if you have an itch that must be scratched? Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer immediately beforehand, or cover your finger with a tissue before touching.

2. Ask others to speak up. When you touch your face, you don’t just deposit other peoples’ germs—you pick up your own and spread them. To help your family, friends, and coworkers stay clear of any illnesses you’re carrying, ask them to tell you whenever they see you mindlessly touch your face. Then return the favor. Bonus: You’ll all be more conscious of your habits when nobody is watching.

3. Sit on your hands. If you typically chew on your cuticles while watching TV, or rub your temples during meetings, tuck your hands under your thighs or butt, instead. “Simple behavioral changes will make you more aware when your hands become free and more aware of what you are doing with them,” says Kerner.

photo: Hemera Technologies/AbleStock.com/Thinkstock

More from WH:
5 Times You Should Call in Sick for Work
Cold Remedies to Never Get Sick Again
Foods that Improve Your Immune System


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Veterans Face Long Waits For Mental Health Care

Today, Senator Patty Murray (D-Washington), Chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, held a hearing addressing the lack of sufficient mental health care for returning veterans. According to a report released by the inspector general for the Department of Veterans Affairs earlier this week, it often takes far longer than the VA’s stated goal period of 14 days for first-time patients to receive a comprehensive mental health evaluation. Last year, more than half of returning vets had to wait an average of seven weeks for an evaluation.

“Getting our veterans timely mental health care can quite frankly often be the difference between life and death,” Sen. Murray said in a statement.

In her opening statement, Sen. Murray addressed insufficient staffing and space available for veterans’ mental health care, and sought answers to ensure that military men and women receive the crucial treatment they need to keep them safe from harm following their service.

Women’s Health’s special report in the May issue focuses on the mental health struggles among female veterans. As Julia Savacool reports in “Home Safe But Not Sound,” suicide rates are on the rise among women in the military after they return home from war, when they’re supposedly out of harm’s way. We investigate the pressures facing women upon their return, note the disturbing lack of female-specific mental health services available to help them, and seek to discover how we can protect them.

More From WH:
Female Veterans: Home Safe But Not Sound
Suicide Warning Signs
Causes and Cures of Post-Traumatic Stress
Invisible Soldiers

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