Here is a story about bears and anxiety. Imagine a rope bridge over a canyon you have to cross and you are freaking out about going over to the other side. You look down and see the canyon floor. Your brain is now working overtime with fear.
Then you look up and now see a large bear coming across the rope bridge towards you. Scared out of your wits you retreat backwards only to see the bear get bigger and closer. You retreat more and the bear gets even bigger and closer. Now you freeze and stumble forward. When you look up you notice the bear has moved back and become a little smaller. You move forward again and the bear gets smaller and further away. With more confidence you keep moving forward until the bear eventually disappears. You cross the bridge safely and with confidence.
Anxiety is like that bear. The best way to deal with anxiety is to understand it and confront it. It is called exposure therapy. Say for instance you will not fly because of anxiety and you will not even contemplate buying a ticket, let alone getting to the airport. That fear is something about a future event. It is also an imagined future event and not a here and now reality.
Anxiety is an awful feeling and our minds create all sorts of negative imagined scenarios. Move towards fear and watch is disappear into the wilderness where it belongs. Every time you do that you become a bit stronger with more control. Anxiety can be managed so much better living in the here and now world.
Anxiety is based on fearful future events which when investigated are unfounded. Anxiety can be inherited. There are a range of positive treatments available to manage anxiety so much better. A proper assessment is important to know which treatment to adopt. Help is here. You only have to ask.
Gerry is a member of the Australian Counselling Association
