Why Common Strategies for Dealing with Anxiety Don't Work
Most people with anxiety are highly motivated to get better because the physical feelings and negative thoughts that come with anxiety are incredibly uncomfortable. It's no surprise that people will try all kinds of things to get rid of anxious thoughts and feelings.
But what you may not know is that recovering from anxiety actually requires a paradoxical approach. This means your first instinct about how to get better is likely going to backfire. When it comes to anxiety, you need to do the opposite of what feels natural.
Here is a list of common strategies people use to get rid of anxiety that don’t work in the long run:
Deep breathing
Using logic to challenge or fix thoughts
Avoiding people/places/things that trigger anxiety
Distracting yourself
Spending excessive amounts of time researching an answer
Always seeking reassurance from others
Why Do These Strategies Backfire?
Because all of these strategies are telling your brain that this worry or fear is something dangerous that you need to do something about. Instead of treating it as something low risk that you could probably handle without using the strategy, these methods reinforce the idea that the anxiety is a real threat.
These strategies also take a ton of energy and time. So while you are busy trying to "chase away anxiety," you are missing out on your life around you.
I love this short video that helps explain this a bit more.
So you need to remember, what you resist will persist!
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Need More Help with Anxiety?
At State of Mind Therapy, our team specializes in helping people overcome the burden of anxiety and OCD. With evidence-based techniques and compassionate guidance, we can help you regain control of your thoughts and live a more fulfilling life.
If you found these tips helpful, sign-up for our free guide: 5 Steps to Live More, Worry Less for more helpful strategies for managing anxiety.