SOLVING THE ANXIETY PUZZLE

I hate the fact that we are only ever offered two opinions on what high anxiety actually is.

There are two main camps, and people tend to fall into one or the other.

The first states that anxiety is something we just need to ‘get over’. Anxiety sufferers are snowflakes who just need to toughen up.
The second states it is a mental illness and we have no choice or prospect of recovery because it’s just the way we are wired.

This attitude forces the anxiety sufferer into the opinion that because they didn’t choose to feel this way that must mean they can’t simply choose to feel differently.

Then our energies get pushed into either seeking validation for our truth that we are ill or simply hiding how we feel in the hope that nobody will spot that there is something wrong with us.

Both these positions miss the very important fact that like most things in life, our mental health is not easily categorised or placed into a box, and also like most things in life, we might expect to have to put some work in to learning how to get control of it.

Making a change in our anxiety response for most will start with shifting our perspective on what it actually is.

No, it wasn’t a choice to feel this way... and it is not a sign of weakness or mental frailty.
It is also not the final word in who we are, and every day brings new learning.
As we learn we grow.
As we grow our responses change.

We might not have the answer right now... but if we keep looking, and show ourselves the patience and admiration we traditionally extend to someone who seeks knowledge and growth...we will find the answer.