If you have big worries on your mind, you will feel compelled to do something to resolve them as soon as possible.
In my experience treating anxiety disorders, there are three main things people tend to gravitate toward when they’re worried about something. These include analyzing things in your head, talking to others for their opinions and reassurances, and researching online. All of these things can make you feel better in the short term, but can ultimately perpetuate anxiety and cause more suffering in the long run.
The logic behind this action is simple and understandable. /friends/ anyone with an idea. That way you’ll have more information and opinions on what to think about this and what to do. ”
Let’s say you’re worried about whether you have enough money to pay your bills this year. You do it by them and they probably do the same thing most people do when their loved ones are worried about something.They provide reassurance. It logically explains why you probably have enough money to pay the bill and why you shouldn’t worry about it.
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You feel better because they gave you this reassurance. The problem is that this is only temporary. Five seconds, five minutes, or even five hours later, your brain will come back and say: know?” And then the anxiety returns and the worry cycle begins again.
The brain is never satisfied until it is confident that the things it worries about will not happen.
Unfortunately, most worries are about predicting what will happen in the future, so it’s impossible to achieve certainty about them.
Think about what to do now when uncertainty and anxiety return. Naturally, you are worried and annoyed about your anxiety.Reassurance from your partner felt good when you asked and got it early, so chances are you’ll ask for it again. Ask. This also makes you feel better for a while, but then again your brain comes back to you and asks you, “How can I do that?” know?” and the cycle repeats.
For many people with anxiety, this leads to asking loved ones for reassurance about the same thing over and over. Also, anxious people feel guilty because they know their loved ones no longer want to hear about their concerns, but they are also in pain and understandably relieved. It’s hard to stop wanting something that gives you comfort.
Most importantly, seeking reassurance sustains anxiety in the long term. Short-term avoidance of anxiety leads to long-term maintenance of anxiety.
For those who suffer from anxiety, peace of mind is medicine.
It is an addictive drug. And if you want to stop being addicted to drugs…you have to stop using drugs.
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So one of my top recommendations for chronic worry is to stop talking about it. To get better, you have to forget about getting short-term reassurance. Instead, we can learn to tolerate ambiguity and uncertainty. In fact, accepting uncertainty in the short term retrains the brain that uncertainty isn’t actually dangerous. This process is how uncertainty anxiety improves and continues to improve in the long run.
The cost is to experience “withdrawal” from reassurance medications and become uncomfortable in a short period of time. Trust me, I have seen so many anxious people summon the strength to do this and recover from anxiety.
When I first presented this course of action to my clients, many were understandably reluctant to give up its short-term relief. loved me! This not only eases my anxiety, but speaks to another benefit of this strategy. It leads to better, more peaceful relationships.
Basically, if you want to reduce anxiety, you have to take action to reduce anxiety. Emotions arise from actions. The more anxious you act, the more anxious you become. The more you act inconsistently with anxiety, the less anxiety you have. If you want to improve your anxiety and worry, stop talking about your worries. You and those around you will be better off.
