Anxiety And Overcoming It

Mar 12
06:35

2011

Tony Lzr

Tony Lzr

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Here is one person's view of their experience in overcoming anxiety.

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This article features the experience one person had overcoming their anxiety.

The feeling of being paralysed by fear and anxiety is common to many who've experienced a state of anxiety.

We have an ingrained and instinctive “fight or flight” condition within us – usually in response to threat. Anxiety and fear tie into this natural response.It is only when anxiety begins to dominate our lives,Anxiety And Overcoming It Articles interfering with our plans and our happiness that it becomes a problem.

This negative state is solvable. There are solutions and ways to overcome anxiety.

I experienced anxiety when it first hit me in my early teens. During boarding school I was filled with fear and unhappiness. These negative emotions led me to reject college and return home. I latched onto the excuse of caring for my widowed mother in order to avoid finding a job.

It was easier – or so I thought – to remain safe and steady in my comfort zone.After a few weeks, I realised that my comfort zone was shrinking. What I'd done easily before (like cooking lunch for a visitor) had become an ordeal.

This discovery led me to the realisation that the instinct of “flight” or fleeing from my fears just wasn't helping me. It wasn't working at all.

But the thought of college was still daunting. Instead, I took a part-time job. At least if exhausted from facing my fears in the workplace, I had free days to rest and recover. Without knowing it at that time, I was following the principles of cognitive therapy to deal with anxiety.

I was in a process of overcoming anxiety by facing up to the fears I'd been running away from.No novice mountaineer would attempt Everest; he begins with training and more modest climbs. Reaching that unattainable summit takes training, practice and experience.

Why does the therapy work? It works like the miracle of antibiotics. We take our medicine; perhaps it tastes a bit unpleasant, we may be disappointed that the cure is not instantaneous. However, that doesn't mean we stop taking it or stop doing what's going to make us better, does it? We persevere and we complete the course of medication. With a little patience, we finally see the results. We overcome what was making us sick.

After having my first child, I faced this challenge again. I found it terribly hard to leave home and became isolated.

It got so bad that on the occasions when I had to leave home, I developed a fear of the escalators in the London underground.It was disconcerting to know I was close to becoming completely agoraphobic. Despite this added fear, I began my therapy. I did little things that progressed to bigger things. Such as going shopping with my husband, meeting mothers through playgroups and seeing friends who lived further away.

After a while, I found that it began to work! What also helped was taking temporary work, which allowed me to avoid the feeling of being locked into a contract or permanent job.I persevered with the process of overcoming my anxiety. This perseverance allowed me to manage a job which lasted 5 years! I'm proud and happy to have achieved this.

I found myself stumbling a little when it came to my fear of escalators. It returned to hinder my progress, but I kept on persevering.

By standing firm, I managed to overcome my anxiety. I no longer suffer from it! I conquered my underground fears and have moved onto overcoming anxiety in other areas of my life too – like the shopping malls!

Keep fighting your fears – overcoming anxiety is possible!

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