There is no easy solution for anxiety treatment. Preferably you need would want to learn new and healthier coping strategies that will fight your anxiety over and over again. It's also helpful to have some type of gadget that you can take with you that will help you calm down during times of intense anxiety. One such gadget is a spinner ring, also known as a meditation ring or worry ring. Below we’ll explore the value of a spinner ring along with information on how best to use it.
What is a Spinner Ring?
A spinner ring is a ring that you can spin on your finger; it has an inner band locked on your finger while the rest of the ring can rotate on your finger. The spinner ring is believed to come from ancient Tibetan meditation traditions and is called a "worry ring" because spinning the right is believed to have a calming effect on the mind and body. While some spinner ring supporters argue that the ring itself is an anxiety cure, a spinner ring alone is unlikely to reduce your anxiety. But there are genuine ways to use a spinner ring that can be extremely valuable.
How to Use a Spinner Ring
Most people with anxiety are aware of the need to fidget with something when they're feeling anxious. Some people bite or pick their nails. Some people put their hands in their pockets. Others fiddle with their necklaces or rings. Spinner rings are designed to be fiddled with. They're a healthy, less obvious way to move your hands when you feel that you need to be fidgeting. You simply spin the ring with your fingers and take deep breaths to experience a calm, more meditative state.
Spinner Rings “Magic Power”
It's unrealistic that there is a magical power in the spinner ring. It's far more likely that a spinner ring is simply a fidget object, and that fidgeting with it is calming because fidgeting in general has a somewhat calming effect. Spinning a ring dedicated to anxiety is a way of bringing yourself into the present and acknowledging that you have anxiety, which can be calming in its way. The spinner ring itself, however, doesn’t have any mystical anxiety reduction power. But there are ways to make the ring more valuable: by associating it with relaxing events, thoughts, or actions.
To maximize the value of spinner rings create behavioral training and associations. These types of behavioral connections (known as "conditioning") can be created on purpose, and that's where you can maximize the value of the spinner ring.
How to use conditioning or behavioral association
Start with figuring out what you want to associate with the ring. Some people prefer happy thoughts, like an amazing vacation they had or the calming nature of the beach. Others prefer affirmations, where they tell themselves things like "I'm an awesome person" and "my anxiety doesn't bother me" because saying these things to yourself can be very powerful. Others prefer to think of a person that makes them happy, like a lover or a child, or the whole family. Still, others prefer to associate it with something they need to remember - for example, you may want to remind yourself to slow down your breathing during an anxiety attack to reduce your anxiety symptoms. Figure out what associations you want to make. Whatever you choose, it needs to be something that will help you to stay calm.
Pick a relaxing place
Find a place that you find calm and relaxing, like a quiet local park or a comfortable room that you enjoy. Make sure that it's as relaxing as possible, and go there wearing your spinning ring. It would help a little if you were experiencing a little bit of anxiety when you go to your relaxing environment, although it's not necessary. You can also choose to remember/imagine what it's like to be in your most anxious state. Try to picture how you feel and how you act when you have anxiety or an anxiety attack.
Spinning Ring behavioral association
Once you've imagined this, start spinning your ring and thinking about or repeating to yourself whatever it is you wanted to associate with the spinning. If it's an affirmation, then keep saying the affirmation to yourself. If it's a behavior, for example slowing down your breathing, then start breathing the way you plan to breathe. Whatever you associate with your ring, picture it and do it continuously. Take deep breaths, relax your muscles and your body, and use any relaxation strategies you've learned.
Use It When You Feel Anxious
Any time you feel anxious, spin the ring. It's perfectly okay to fidget with it any time of the day when you feel like you need to move your hands since fidgeting does have a naturally calming effect. You can use the ring at any time - not just when you need it for extreme anxiety. But when you're feeling like you're about to have an anxiety attack, remember to spin the ring or do and think about whatever it was you decided to associate with it. Try not to stop spinning the ring until you've successfully calmed yourself down. As best you can, always try to turn to a fidget gadget any time you're suffering from intense anxiety. Over time, if this works for you, this association should grow stronger, and eventually, simply by spinning the ring, you'll be able to be in a calmer state of mind.