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<\/p>\n Related story <\/p>\n How School Shooter Drills Impact Kids' Mental Health \u2014 & How Parents Can Help<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n<\/article>\n<\/section>\n \nThere’s also the fact that a strong sensory experience like the VapoRub can have a grounding or distracting effect when applied. The cool touch and strong smell of the ointment essentially forces your mind to turn its attention to sensory stimuli, explains Dr. Prause, who calls it “a very reasonable approach to encourage grounding and distract from spiraling thoughts.” These kinds of mindfulness techniques often focus on activating your physical senses, adds therapist Stephanie Baldwin, LCSW, with a focus on “connecting to the breath and the present moment” in order to ground and regulate your nervous system. Such soothing techniques, which include using cold sensations, “can help signal safety and well-being to the brain by triggering the vagus nerve.” <\/p>\n \nNote that this kind of distraction-oriented technique isn’t a long-term solution for anxiety, but can be “very effective when a person is simply overwhelmed in the moment,” Dr. Prause says.<\/p>\n \nThat goes for the Vick’s VapoRub hack as a whole, too. Think of it as a short-term solution; applying a bit of VapoRub might help you break out of an anxious spiral when it’s happening, but you may need a broader treatment plan to find long-term relief and address the root of your anxiety. “Self-regulating and coping with anxiety symptoms is only part of the recovery process,” Baldwin explains. “Most people benefit from gaining psychological insight through therapy to better understand the origins of why they might have had an onset of anxiety or panic attacks, as well as what can trigger their anxiety so they feel better equipped to proactively manage it moving forward.” If you find yourself struggling with anxiety on a day-to-day basis, consider seeing a therapist who can help you develop a long-term treatment plan.<\/p>\n \nThe good news: this cheap, accessible Vick’s VapoRub anxiety hack can serve as a complement to the rest of your mental health routine, and our experts say there’s no harm in giving it a shot.<\/p>\n
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