Anxiety - A Different Perspective
I believe all of us have struggled at some point in our lives with anxiety or some type of nervous/anxious feeling. We may have just not known what to call it or that it even had a name. Anxiety is nothing new and is experienced in some way by every person on the planet, but it has certainly become a buzz word in recent years. Anxiety is often seen as this big scary monster that overtakes us or controls us. Sometimes, we’re left to think that we have absolutely no control over it and never will without the aid of medication. This thought process is just wrong! Even if we have an actual diagnosis of Generalized Anxiety Disorder or Panic Disorder, we can still use a variety of tools we learn in therapy in order to control or greatly minimize the symptoms associated with the anxiety. I aim to help my clients separate themselves from the word anxiety itself instead of seeing it as a part of them. I find that this helps most individuals manage the symptoms and establish a sense of control or power over the anxiety that they might be experiencing. We need to learn that we can control anxiety and that it does not have to control us. For, it is something outside of us that we may struggle with at times, but IT IS NOT PART OF US.
It’s important to know that there are different types of anxiety and we all experience it differently. For some of us, anxiety appears as an intense thought process that has us hyperfocus on certain things and completely ignore all rational thought. For others, it may look more like a state of panic with physical symptoms. Anxiety is not always something you can see! I have struggled with anxiety since my early high school years and it always presents as an irrational thought process. It can be pretty extreme at times, but you would never be able to “see” it because it does not appear as panic, rapid breathing, shaking, or other stereotypical symptoms. It is simply a thought or many thoughts that I cannot shake. It’s like a busy interstate in my mind and I cannot seem to pick the right car to focus on. This is the most common type of anxiety. Others experience it in a more severe way in which physical symptoms can completely disrupt their normal pattern of behavior. Pay attention to my verbiage. It is something we “experience” and not something that is a constant within our natural being.
I have my clients use the following perspective. Picture a bumble bee buzzing around your head creating an annoyance and maybe even some fear. Some may start swatting at the bee, which angers it as it starts to buzz faster, louder, and closer to you. You may even get stung by the bee, which would be the worst case scenario. This would cause lots of pain and physical symptoms as a result of the bee sting. However, if we leave the bee alone and attempt to just accept it’s presence, it will eventually fly away and not bother us. That bee is anxiety. The more attention we give it (swatting the bee), we may get “stung” and start to experience physical symptoms (panic). If we can learn to acknowledge the presence of anxiety as something that is natural and at times necessary, we can more easily manage it and not get swept away in the irrational thought process. Attempting to normalize anxiety instead of seeing it as a problem that we need to avoid or rid can be extremely beneficial. Another perspective is to view anxiety as an alarm that lets us know we need to pay attention to something. It can keep us safe in certain situations.
In closing, when you speak about anxiety to others or even to your therapist, pay close attention to your verbiage. Try not to say things like “my anxiety” or “I’m an anxious person.” Separate yourself from the bee. Don’t continue to swat it!
