Anxiety As A Friend, Instead Of An Enemy

Many people oppress and deny their anxiety in order to avoid experiencing it. They experience that the feeling is so unpleasant that they do not even consider the idea of ​​reacting in any other way. Instead, they do everything to push it away. But it still remains. In other words, it neither disappears nor decreases in intensity. For this reason, experts recommend trying to see anxiety as a friend, rather than an enemy.

Most people find it difficult to see anxiety as a friend because they are not aware of the benefits it can have for their lives. Many are also afraid of change.

Read on and you will learn more about this interesting topic.

Anxiety is well known but often misunderstood

The term “anxiety” has become quite popular in a relatively short time. We live in a volatile society full of stress, routines, obligations and many established habits. It prevents us from connecting with ourselves.

We spend most of our time connected to the outside world. An exterior in continuous change, full of unforeseen events and uncertainty, often beyond our control. Our way of “running” around the world makes it difficult to stop and ask ourselves what it is we really need.

We go on autopilot without questioning anything. Instead, our minds are full of complaints and negative thoughts. We may even sometimes think that this is not the life we ​​have chosen.

But by not responding to our fear of insecurity, we get stuck in a comfort zone that is neither pleasant nor healthy because we already know it too well.

Thus, the famous saying “better to take the safe before the unsafe” leads us to adapt and submit, and thus to anxiety. This is because we do not act or live according to our standards, and are dishonest with ourselves. Thus, everything we think, feel and do is beyond what we really want.

Believe it or not, but there are ways to get around this. You as an individual have the power to change your life, even if it is scary.

As unpopular as Maleficent

Anxiety has gained a bad reputation. And it is natural because it often creates unpleasant symptoms such as palpitations, dry mouth, chest tightness, headache, stomach pain and difficulty breathing.

But just as it is with other emotions, so the more we fight against it and the more we see it as an enemy, the more the anxiety will linger in everyday life. For this reason, you should try to change your preconceived notions about it, and the meaning you place in it. Try to understand it and consider it as a friend, as part of your team.

Although it may seem impossible at first, you will notice that it is really possible to start seeing the anxiety as a friend. To cope with this, you just have to start changing your mind about it.

How to start considering anxiety as a friend

Think of anxiety as a feeling that warns you that something is emotionally wrong (and that you can stop it and change it). In other words, see it as an alarm clock, a set of physical symptoms that warn you and remind you that you are not doing what you should be doing. That what you do may be to your detriment, and that you do not listen to yourself or pay enough attention to your needs. That you instead hurt yourself.

You should interpret anxiety as a warning that you are ignoring yourself and that you place too much emphasis on everything else.

When you stop fighting anxiety and instead listen to its message, it will stop being painful. Then it will no longer be a magic pack that exists just to put curses on you. Instead, it becomes a fairy that stands by your side and reminds you that you need to take better care of yourself.

Here is an example: If you work too many hours and do not allow yourself to spend quality time with your family, friends or even yourself, then you may not have the ability to stop yourself. This is probably because you place too high demands on yourself, and get feelings of guilt from not being sufficiently “productive”.

Your body will send unpleasant physical signals to try to stop you when you need to depress the brake pedal. In this case, the message of anxiety is that you need to listen to your needs and take care of yourself. That you need to rest and spend some time to yourself to recharge your batteries.

Concluding remarks regarding anxiety as a friend

But it’s scary to stop, right? You avoid doing that because you know that if you relate to yourself, you will be able to see that there may be things that you do not like in your life and that you need to change. These decisions are often difficult to make because they involve change and uncertainty. So that’s why you might think it’s better not to even see the anxiety because you hope it makes it go away for good.

What if the anxiety was not there to warn you? You would then continue to do everything you can to avoid analyzing yourself. This in turn would lead to even worse physical and emotional consequences. Then you would never stop, and instead hurt yourself even more.

Let your anxiety help you see reality and stop fooling yourself. Listen to it and see it as a friend. Allow it to come in, welcome it, and appreciate the benefits it can bring. Only then will you be free.