Over a number of years, I’ve known, been close to and observed a number of people who have some form of anxiety.
I am not a trained mental or emotional health professional, but have sought ways to understand the experience of these people and, in some cases, try to figure out how to help and support them.
In the course of this effort, I’ve developed some observations and thoughts about the origins of anxiety, its expressions in our lives, and some ideas about how to work with it.
Some of these have been tried by those I was trying to support, and some have worked, helped, or been meaningful. Not all have worked for everyone I know.
But I do think there are some kernels of truths in these observations, so I am offering them to you, the reader, in the hope that you may find something helpful. I will say over and over again: I am not a mental or emotional health professional, and in many cases people with anxiety need professional support from therapists and/or prescribers. So if you are struggling with the impact of anxiety on your life, please seek some professional help.
There is one simple truth I want to put out there to see if it fits for you: I think of anxiety actually as a friend, a friend that can be difficult, but is the source of important truth and information. It’s my personal view that accepting, listening to and establishing a relationship with the anxious parts of ourselves is critical for a successful life, and essential for us to be able to be ‘more of whom we are.’
I’ve got some non-professional thoughts on the origins and nature of anxiety, why it’s important to develop a kind of healthy relationship with it within ourselves, and how to use that relationship to live more of the life we want to live.
Read on if you like; please remember these are personal observations. Please tell me if you find anything helpful — or don’t.
My hope for anyone who’s living with anxiety is that they are able to grow into a more full version of whom they are here to be.