What is Anxiety?
Most people think of anxiety as the feeling we have when confronted with something very scary, like public speaking, or jumping out of an airplane. Anxiety is much more pervasive in all of our lives than this, however. It is a fundamental aspect of our everyday experience. It is also referred to as stress, fear, worry, or panic. These are all simply different levels of anxiety.
Because everyone feels it, many times every day, anxiety is NORMAL. However, just because something is normal doesn't mean it can't be reduced. Anxiety is an uncomfortable experience that is coded within us to keep us away from danger and pain. However, too much anxiety keeps us from being able to be happy.
WE CAN FEEL ANXIETY WITHOUT EVEN KNOWING IT. Many people say they are stressed out, but if you asked them if they are worried, they might say no. This happens for many reasons. Often, people are so used to their anxieties that they don't even notice them, and only notice that they are tired, irritable, and have frequent, "what if" thoughts, like "what if I lose my job" or "what if my boss gets angry at me." If we explored such a person's experience, we would uncover worries below the surface.
We might discover, for example, that he is worried that if his boss disapproves of his work, then he will feel worthless, or that if he loses his job, not only will he have to find another job, but he will be destitute and abandoned by the world. Often, these anxieties don't make sense to our conscious mind when they are revealed, but we often live as though they ARE true without even knowing it. This is because our anxiety often get locked away, often at an early age, without us even trying to do so.
This is where therapy comes in. There are often fairly elaborate systems of such feelings and beliefs that cause a great deal more stress than we need. By understanding these systems and unlocking them, we can break the patterns and relieve the stress. When this happens, patients always report that a tremendous burden has been lifted that they didn't even know was there, and that they have more energy and enthusiasm for their live, work, and relationships. As you can see, if you read my article on depression, anxiety and depression are also closely linked.
East Bay Office:
John A. Lundin, Psy.D. Psychologist
445 Bellevue Suite 202
Oakland, CA 94610
San Francisco Office:
John A. Lundin, Psy.D., Psychologist
1774 Union St. Suite 2
San Francisco, CA 94123
License# PSY19824
Office phone: 510-495-5228
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