Avoidance Archives - Dr. Denise Dart
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Three Things to Stop Doing Today That Are Making Your Anxiety Worse

Are You Doing Any of These Things Trying to Reduce Your Anxiety?

If you are suffering from anxiety you’ve likely tried many things to try to help yourself feel better. Stop right now and take an inventory to make sure that you are not making any of these critical mistakes in your attempts to make yourself feel better. Doing these things will likely increase your anxiety.

  1. Trying to figure out WHY you feel anxious.
  2. Trying to avoid situations where you have experienced anxiety
  3. Trying to anticipate what might happen

The WHY Question

If you are like many people you may believe that your anxiety will go away once you figure out why you are anxious.  Asking why fuels rumination which subsequently fuels anxiety and it’s close cousin depression. The answer to the WHY question is simple; you are experiencing anxiety due to living life from an anticipatory perspective. You can learn a new way, but for now an attitude of patience and compassion towards yourself will go a long way.

Avoidance

Simply put, avoidance fuels panic and anxiety. Avoidance sets you up for the false belief that you have more control than you do of the events of life. Entering into a control mode is a slippery slide. With this orientation towards life you’ll find yourself setting up all sorts of rules that MUST be followed to keep yourself “safe.” Rigidity sets in and anxiety increases. Avoidance and control will not reduce anxiety. Ultimately, avoidance and control increase anxiety. When we avoid anxiety, we avoid life!

Anticipation

Let’s face it…life is uncertain. Life is full of ambiguity. We never know what’s around the corner do we? (You may have just felt a surge of anxiety just reading those words). Rather than simply accepting the inevitable uncertainly, many see it as a problem that must be solved. Anticipating future events is an endless cycle that leads to a near constant state of hyper-vigilance. Responding to challenges and problems, even traumatic events, has very little to do with anxiety. Anxiety and anticipation feed one another and are always future oriented.

What Should You Do Instead?

Make a commitment today to learn to live your life free of rumination, avoidance, and gut wrenching anticipation by learning to consciously bring your attention to the present moment with an attitude of acceptance and curiosity. There is no reason to allow anxiety to rob you of another moment!

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“Live your Moments, Love your Life.”