We can either work to control our level of anxiety or step back and give it the power to take over our life. The one thing we are unable to do is to eliminate anxiety.
We must accept the fact that there are things that will cause us to worry…and some of us worry more than others. It’s when we start worrying about worry that our anxiety is boosted to a level which may be difficult to manage.
Anxiety and stress should not be feared. Both are natural emotional responses that enable us to work towards living a balanced life. But while they are not to be feared, anxiety and stress need to be monitored. Either one or both can increase to the level where we can be overwhelmed; where we have difficult coping because we have lost the focus we should have on self care.
It’s a relatively simple matter to monitor our physical wellbeing. We can see and feel changes in our body and its function.
When it comes to our mental wellbeing however we can be more dismissive of any warning signs of existing or developing problems. We intentionally put them to one side in the hope that they will cease to exist. That’s when a normal situation can quickly develop into some abnormal.
The first step toward control of excessive anxiety or stress is to admit that the suffering is real. The second and vital step is to find someone to talk to.
There is no shortage of helpful advice available but contact with a health care professional should be at the top of any list of care strategies.
Gary Bentley Counselling 