No-fuss anxiety tips #9

Quit trying to “cure” your anxiety

Welcome to blog number nine in in this no-fuss series on anxiety, made up of 20-short articles with simple tips and techniques for managing anxiety. These strategies are designed to be forward-focussed, and action orientated, giving you something you can do to feel a greater sense of control over anxiety. Each tip draws upon therapeutic thinking from a range of psychological and psychotherapy theories. 

What these tips won’t do is explore the origins and purpose of anxiety for you – this type of deeper exploration is what therapy offers. That said, having strategies for managing anxiety is a great place to start.  Each article is designed to be quick read, no-fuss. So, let’s get started on technique number nine: quit trying to “cure” your anxiety.

Are you working hard to get rid of anxiety?

That can cause anxiety in itself.

Many people say they want to “get rid of” their anxiety – or no longer feel anxious. Sure, anxiety can be debilitating. And it’s also important to remember that anxiety is the consequence of human freedom and responsibility.  If we didn’t have choice and freedom, we be free of the anxiety that comes with making decisions.   However, we’d also be less than human: like robots. Remembering that anxiety is a price we pay for the freedom we experience as humans can help us to feel more positive about anxiety.

Remembering that anxiety has a role to play in keeping us safe can also help to address any urges you feel to “cure” your anxiety. Anxiety is there for a reason – evolution has equipped us with anxiety as a mechanism to protect humans.  Anxiety can be a signal that something needs to change. Try asking yourself how your anxiety is trying to help you when you notice those familiar sensations. What might these sensations be signalling? By approaching your anxiety with curiosity rather than seeking to rid yourself of any anxious feelings can help to take the sting out of the anxiety itself: you’re likely to become less anxious about being anxious!  You can also try adopting an attitude of non-attachment by saying to yourself “that’s just my anxiety trying to keep me safe” to support yourself with this move towards being less anxious about being anxious. 

Try approaching your anxiety with curiosity.

This can take the sting out of anxiety.

For more ways to live with greater ease with your anxiety, keep an eye out for my other blogs within this series.  And, if you’d like to talk through how counselling can help you towards a deeper exploration of your anxiety, do get in touch. We can work together through online counselling or through face-to-face counselling at my therapy room in Preston.