Anxiety disorders are one of the most pervasive and debilitating illnesses in these stressful times. Our anxiety continues to be fueled by the modern-day stressors. These stressors include the changes in our world which have been a direct result of CoVid 19.
Cognitive therapy can be a valuable tool in the fight against continuing and heightening anxiety. The effectiveness of cognitive therapy is its emphasis on reframing our thoughts. A good example of the power of our ability lies in the example of the glass being half full or half empty.
If the glass is half empty our main concern is where are we going to get more water from. On the other hand, if the glass is half full, we are calm and go about our daily activities. It is the same amount of liquid in both glasses however our subsequent actions depend on whether we see the glass as half full or half empty.
The power of the mind is demonstrated by various miraculous feats. These performances include walking on nails, walking on hot coals among others. The mind is a powerful weapon which we can use as our ally or our friend.
It is possible to learn to recognize, evaluate, and correct those thoughts which cause us the most anxiety. Once these thoughts are identified it is only at that time that we can begin to reframe them into something that helps us participate in more adaptive behaviors.
Our negative perceptions of events and situations cause anxiety. In its most severe form anxiety creates panic attacks. These attacks consist of shortness of breath, sweating, irregular heartbeats, and racing thoughts among other symptoms.
There are many stop gap coping mechanisms that can be employed. These include various deep breathing exercises as well as positive visualization as well as muscle relaxing techniques. These strategies are bandages and only serve to treat the symptoms as opposed to addressing the source.
It is highly recommended to seek the help of a professional in order to get to the root causes of this debilitating condition. Anxiety is a part of our lives and the way things are going no immediate end is in sight. In conclusion we must fortify ourselves with the proper tools to effectively deal with anxiety and stress.