The Importance Of Changing Your Perception Towards Anxiety
Anxiety is our body’s natural warning system to life’s stressors. However, it becomes a problem when it occurs seemingly out of the blue and feels unmanageable.For those suffering from anxiety disorders, negative and worrisome thoughts can feel all-consuming, even though they might not be based in reality, or the triggering issue may have already been resolved. When compounded by the fear of anxiety never going away, it can be difficult to believe that you’ll ever feel like yourself again.Changing your perception of anxiety is perhaps one of the most critical steps toward taming the beast. Self-judgement and negative thoughts about your anxiety will only double your suffering. So understand that you hold power to your thoughts and that those intense feelings of anxiety simply cannot and will not last forever. Although it may sound easier said than done, mastering this change is all about practice. Here are some ways you can start changing your perception of your anxiety to free up your energy.
Stop Fueling The Fire
Because of anxiety’s many negative physical and emotional effects, it can be easy to think of it as an enemy and say things like:
“I will never be free from anxiety”
“I’m stuck with anxiety forever”
“I’ve tried it all, and nothing works”
Thoughts like these define anxiety as something that you need to fight and that you are the victim. It is the default setting of a suffering mind. Identifying your thought patterns is the first step towards permanent change. Some other types of irrational thoughts include:
Filtering out the good and focus only on the negative
“Should” statements sets you up to feel bad
All-or-nothing thinking
Catastrophic thinking with “what ifs?”
Reset Your Thoughts
Keeping a journal of your thoughts is a great way to practice becoming more aware of how your brain thinks and realize that those are just thoughts, not facts. With every negative thought, write down a helpful one to replace it to enforce the idea that you have the power to change the way you think and talk to yourself!
You Are Not A Burden
Simply talking about your anxiety is a sign of taking control. Confiding in someone you trust will bring you closer to them and let the person understand how they can support you. It can also give you greater awareness and mental clarity about your anxiety.Are you ready to talk? Contact Daphne Georghiou, your licensed Vancouver psychotherapist from Somatic Psyche, today! Daphne utilizes Somatic Psychotherapy to help connect your mind with your body so that you will see real change from the inside out. Book a 15-minute free consultation with Daphne at 778-985-6670.