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Anxiety is part of the human condition and we all experience it at one time or another; it can be severe or low grade, cause mild discomfort or stop us from functioning altogether, but at best, it is a bothersome condition that makes it uncomfortable to be in our own skin. Symptoms of anxiety can range from a sense of impending doom, to a general sense of nervousness, a constant feeling of uneasiness, to a full-blown terror and fear. The stress of everyday living is enough to deal with, dealing with anxiety compounds our normal stressors and can become too much for us to deal with.
Our natural defense system of fight, flight or freeze, coupled with the influence of the family system we were raised in determines how we respond to our life experiences. It is quite normal that when we experience any kind of discomfort, the first thing we do is try to alleviate it. We seek to relieve the tension in any way we can. In our effort to relieve our anxiety, the methods we employ often only serve to exacerbate our anxiety. We end up responding in reactive ways that create more anxiety, such as indulging in food, people, sex, drink, smoke, drugs, and impulsive monetary spending. We will do just about anything to get our feelings under control. We want it to just stop! This can lead to a vicious circle that seems to not have an end in sight.
If you are suffering from anxiety, you do not have to. There are effective ways to eliminate it or at least tame and make it manageable. Studies indicate that cognitive and behavioral mindfulness techniques really do work. Our feelings don’t have to dictate our lives.