Recovery isn’t as easy as it sounds (unfortunately), and, for many anxiety sufferers, progress can be slow. It is not uncommon to get so far and then recovery seems to stall. There may be many reasons for this, but a sneaky one that is important to know about is Continue reading “The Fear of Recovery”
Paradoxes of Anxiety
Among the reasons the anxiety state is bewildering and so hard to get out of are the many paradoxes of anxiety. These puzzle us and make us think they have to be solved if we wish to recover. The truth is Continue reading “Paradoxes of Anxiety”
Being Ourselves
There is a strength and a freedom in being ourselves, and not feeling like we have to conform and meet the expectations of others. It’s cool to be different, interesting to be unique, and amazingly gratifying to be our true selves. So why do we Continue reading “Being Ourselves”
Social Media & Anxiety
Two characteristic behaviors in the anxiety state are our tendency to be self-critical, and to compare our lives negatively with the lives of others. We are also highly vulnerable to Continue reading “Social Media & Anxiety”
Turn Down the Heat
Our minds tend to get twisted into knots as we try to unravel the mystery of the anxiety state, how we fell into it, and how we can get out of it. We tend to over-complicate our anxiety, but there is one thing and one thing only that Continue reading “Turn Down the Heat”
Crazy Intrusive Thoughts
Our mind has a fertile imagination. It can come up with all kinds of weird and wonderful things, and we might wonder where it got that idea. Our anxious mind is incredibly active, and uses this creativity to find the things that really scare us. It does this so effectively that Continue reading “Crazy Intrusive Thoughts”
How to Treat our Symptoms, Thoughts and Feelings
Treating symptoms, thoughts and feelings (emotions) the right way is crucial to the recovery from anxiety. How we reacted to these in the past led us into the anxiety state. How we respond to them going forward determines whether we remain in the anxiety state or recover from anxiety.
There are very important differences Continue reading “How to Treat our Symptoms, Thoughts and Feelings”
Symptoms Too Intense to Accept
Early in the recovery journey it is common to despair when trying to practice the Acceptance Method, especially if symptoms are very intense. It can seem impossible to accept them, and nothing you try seems to lessen the intensity.
There are two common misconceptions at work here. Firstly, Continue reading “Symptoms Too Intense to Accept”
Difficulty Sleeping
Lying in bed staring at the ceiling in frustration, the night seems to drag on forever when we have difficulty sleeping. Tossing, turning, getting up, settling back down, nothing seems to work. The more we try to get to sleep it seems the Continue reading “Difficulty Sleeping”
Anxiety & Real Life Problems
Anxiety caused by external events or real life problems can be hard to deal with, because even when we are able to successfully face and accept the anxious feelings, the circumstances are still there. This is especially true when Continue reading “Anxiety & Real Life Problems”