Hey Anxiety, babies?

Not every thought is true and not every thought deserves your attention. Learning to question the foundation and validity of your thoughts can help you decide on a course of action to resolve the anxious thoughts.

The root of most anxious thoughts is a fear of the unknown. It’s human nature to shy away from situations that are outside of our control. If life has taught us anything, it’s that we will often face circumstances we cannot change or control.

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The key to managing anxiety in these situations is not to avoid them altogether—we know that’s impossible. The key is to learn to refocus your attention & accept that, even though you may not be in control of the situation, that doesn’t mean something bad is going to happen.

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A need to control environments and circumstances often comes from a past trauma that caused you to feel powerless. When you’re feeling powerless in a situation, focus on the things that are within your control, and ask yourself if anything will go terribly and irreparably...

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... wrong if you relinquish control. Most of the time, the answer is no. Most of the time, your anxiety is lying to you and making you catastrophize.

Also,

Don’t count on others’ behaviour to assuage your anxiety.

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It’s really easy to play the blame game when you’re feeling anxious. You might find yourself thinking, “If they would just communicate more/better/in the way I want them to, then I would worry less.” No matter how other people behave, the anxiety is always there, right?

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Of course it’s important to have a support system and to surround yourself with people who understand
that mental health is a real and vital issue, but remember... it’s not their job to always change their behaviour to accommodate you. Do the work too.