Calm Yourself Down Using a “Safety Signal” to Combat Stress and Anxiety

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When it comes to anxiety and fear, psychology shows us that we have many tools available to use. I’ve written extensively about many of these tools over the past decade, including reframing, acceptance, questioning, and writing exercises.

One of my main philosophies behind self-improvement is that the more tools we have available to us, the more options we have when we find ourselves extremely stressed, anxious, or afraid… or just going through a very rough patch in life.

In a new study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, psychologists discovered there may be other ways we can combat anxiety and fear without the use of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy or medication.

According to researchers at Yale University, “When life triggers excessive fear, use a safety signal…in humans and in mice, a symbol or a sound that is never associated with adverse events can relieve anxiety through an entirely different brain network than that activated by existing behavioral therapy.”

A “safety signal” can be any stimulus that you associate with relaxation and comfort, such as a musical piece, a person you can talk to, a photograph, a piece of artwork, a positive memory, or a sentimental object (like a teddy bear of a “lucky necklace”).

Then, when you find yourself triggered by a stressful event, you can visit your “safety signal” to help calm yourself down.

For example, before or after a stressful event, you could:

1. Listen to one of your favorite relaxing pieces of music



2. Look at pictures of places that relax you, such as nature or the beach



3. Hold onto a sentimental object that holds meaning to you (such as a lucky necklace)



4. Look at a favorite artwork that calms you down



5. Talk to someone who seems to always put you in a good mood

All of these are types of “safety signals” that we can use to tell our brains “I am safe,” and thereby calm down our nervous systems.

Remember, anything can be considered a “safety signal” as long as you associate it with a strong feeling of comfort, relaxation, and security

The use of a “safety signal” can seem fairly small or trivial, but it’s one potential tool that can give you greater power over your mental state.

Keep in mind: A “safety signal” is not a long-term solution to fear or anxiety. To truly overcome your fears, you have to develop thicker skin by gradually exposing yourself to fearful situations until you become more desensitized to them.

However, “comfort zones” aren’t always a bad thing. The key is knowing when to go outside of your comfort zone and challenge yourself vs. knowing when to go back inside your comfort zone to relax and recharge.

Over the years, I’ve become more and more interested in how we can use symbols to change our mental state. And a “safety signal” is nothing more than a symbol of “relaxation” and “comfort.”

We can use multiple symbols depending on what mental state we want to create. For example…

A “safety symbol” when we want to relax.

A “motivation symbol” when we want to energize.

A “confidence symbol” when we need a boost in self-esteem.

A “creative symbol” when we want to be more open-minded.

Symbols are an important ingredient for coming up with your own transformational rituals.

And this avenue of self-change can often be more powerful than cognitive therapy because it cuts through the “rational” and “critical” parts of your mind and connects directly with your subconscious associations.

In this way, irrational change can often be more powerful than rational change. When you can begin to play with your imagination, symbols, and rituals – and how they influence your mindset – you’ll be able to bring your self-improvement to a whole new level.



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