My Anti-Anxiety Amigo: Calmigo

Hi, I’m Chelsea, and I have anxiety!

If you’ve followed me for a while, it’s not a secret that I often struggle with my mental health. In addition to Generalized Anxiety Disorder, I also was gifted from the gods with Panic Disorder, which is a type of anxiety disorder where one gets panic attacks (unexpected and intense episodes of fear with physical symptoms like shortness of breath, chest pain, hyperventilation, dizziness, sobbing hysterics, and fainting! Yay!) and as often goes hand-in-hand with anxiety, I often battle bouts of depression. Having anxiety and depression can suck (HARD) sometimes, but I’ve found the more I make my mental health a priority, the less I experience the symptoms of my anxiety and depression.

One of my favorite techniques to use when I start to feel anxious or I can feel mood swings coming, is to practice mindful breathing and ground myself. Mindful breathing is a great way to slow yourself down when you’re feeling keyed up, nervous, anxious, or experiencing any intense emotion. Long, slow exhales help to soothe your nervous system and slow your heart rate, which in turn can make you feel more relaxed. Grounding techniques vary, but essentially they help you pull your focus away from negative thoughts, difficult emotions, unwanted memories, and instead focus on the here and now. They are especially good for those who suffer from panic attacks or PTSD.

There are so many ways to practice mindful breathing or grounding, but my absolute favorite way is through a little device called Calmigo. Calmigo is a drug free, personal calming device that helps guide and regulate your breathing while providing sensory stimulation (lights, vibration, calming aroma). I use my Calmigo every day to practice mindful breathing and I also pull it out anytime I feel anxious or “off” to ground myself and bring awareness to my mind and body. I can’t tell you how helpful this has been for my panic attacks, driving, and social anxieties. It’s like having a little magical, safety contraption in my purse or pocket anytime I leave the house. I recommend it to all my friends and family who experience anxiety and I’m absolutely recommending it to you!!!

So- How does it work?

You take the cover off your Calmigo and turn it on. Take an inhale in through your nose and then breathe out and into the device. Calmigo monitors the length of your exhale with lights that travel up a column and it vibrates when you’ve reached the end of your target exhale period. There is an aroma panel around the face of the Calmigo device which emits a soothing and calming scent. Each time you exhale, it encourages you to breathe out for longer with the lights traveling slightly more slowly to the top and the vibrations taking a bit longer to activate. You can continue to breathe mindfully letting Calmigo guide you for as long as you feel necessary, but 3 minutes is the recommended period of time for use. If you want to see my Calmigo device in action, click here to view Calmigo on my Instagram Hightlight Reel.

Which senses are stimulated?

Sight (lights), Touch/Hearing (vibrations) -you can turn this function off if it is unhelpful to you, and Smell (soothing aroma- can choose from lavender, bergamot, or peppermint).

Does it really work?

100% it works for me!!! You can absolutely practice mindful breathing or grounding techniques without the use of Calmigo, but I’ve found having something physical that I can carry with me gives me that “security blanket” feeling. And if you’ve ever had anxiety or a panic attack, you know that in the moment, rational thought can fly out of your head. Sometimes I find it difficult to put into practice those techniques I work on when I’m not anxious. Having this little device with me and letting it help guide me when I’m in the midst of panic has worked better for me than trying to do it on my own.

Is it only for panic attacks or anxiety?

Nope! Calmigo can be a great tool for anyone who wants to practice mindfulness and grounding. I think those with PTSD, anxiety disorders, substance abuse issues, or anyone who finds they need to destress could potentially benefit from using Calmigo.

Can I get a discount?

SO GLAD YOU ASKED! If Calmigo sounds like something you want to add to your mental health/self care toolkit, click the button below and use KNITTINGTIPSY for $30 off your purchase!!!!

For transparency, I am a Calmigo affiliate and if you use my code or purchase through my link, I receive a kickback at no cost to you. This is a great way to support me while also buying an amazing product.

Let me know if you have any questions about anxiety or Calmigo by shooting me an email or responding to my Instagram post here!