Treating Anxiety.

“But what if…”.

I like to think of anxiety as a “what if” machine in the brain. These scenarios lead to an unsettling, buzzing feeling that something dangerous could or will go wrong. Some experience anxiety as physical symptoms, like increased heart rate, sweaty palms, and possibly panic attacks. Others see their anxiety pop up as indecision, intrusive thoughts, worrying, and catastrophizing outcomes.

In other words, unmanaged anxiety sucks the fun out of life.

The truth is that anxiety is a normal reaction under the right circumstances. Our ancestors relied on anxiety as they rummaged the wild for food and resources. Anxiety keeps us alive when there is imminent danger. Anxiety disorders happen when that survival part of the brain is misfiring, pumping us full of fight or flight with all the possibilities of danger or harm.

Over time, the work of trying to be in control of the future wears us down. It takes a toll on quality of life and keeps us from honoring our wants and needs (i.e., attending an event for fear of germs). We feel the push and pull of wanting to participate in life while controlling our safety at all times.

Treating anxiety is mostly about learning to co-exist with it. It starts with developing healthy coping mechanisms and then progressing into tolerating less control over the future. When was the last time you sat down and assessed the quality of your thoughts? Or practice a grounding exercise when you start to notice anxiety show up in your body? These are just some of the jumping-off places in our work.