Throughout my life, I have faced anxiety head-on. For a long time, anxiety felt like my greatest foe. It wrapped around me in waves of panic and discomfort, leaving me feeling trapped. In my quest for relief, I explored countless remedies.
I tried deep breathing techniques, experimented with lavender oil, practiced mindfulness, kept thought logs, and even changed my wardrobe to match a more relaxed vibe.
At a certain point, I realized that to overcome anxiety, I might need to change a core aspect of who I am. My worries arise because I care about things deeply. I love intensely and have a keen intuition about the world around me. I had no desire to strip those feelings away; rather, I wanted to learn how to live with them.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, offers a different path for dealing with anxiety. Research shows it effectively addresses various anxiety-related issues.
Instead, it helps us hold our feelings lightly, allowing us to accept our emotions as they come. This approach can serve as a compass, guiding us toward what truly matters in our lives. I have personally found this method to be beneficial both in my life and in my work as a therapist.
It is crucial to understand the difference between experiencing anxiety and having an anxiety disorder. Everyone faces anxiety occasionally. It can be uncomfortable, but it serves a vital role in our survival. For example, anxiety might push someone to fix a car issue before it leads to a serious accident.
Contrarily, anxiety disorders, such as panic disorder or generalized anxiety disorder, often create unwarranted fears. A person with an anxiety disorder may obsess about their car even when there's no problem. For these individuals, therapies such as ACT can be instrumental in managing their anxiety. Nevertheless, battling anxiety is rarely the answer, even in these cases. Anxiety can still indicate something important that we value.
Letting go of the struggle against anxiety can ironically provide immense relief. We begin to see what is truly important to us and can start moving toward those values. Even if we cannot eliminate the worry, reflecting on the value behind it can bring clarity and direction.
I have come to appreciate anxiety as a signal. It represents something or someone in my life that matters so much that I fear losing them. This awareness transforms anxiety from an enemy into something more profound and beautiful.
In practice, this mindset may mean reaching out to a friend in need instead of letting fear or tension keep us apart. It may also involve focusing energy on a creative project that brings joy. We all hold different values, and those values present us with limitless possibilities.
When we shift our worry into passion, creativity, and acts of kindness, anxiety can become a powerful force that propels us toward positive experiences.
As a therapist, when I suggest allowing anxiety to exist, I often see apprehension in my clients' eyes. Anxiety causes real pain, and wanting to rid oneself of it is completely understandable.
Yet, for myself and many others, the relief that comes from acceptance is significant. People fear that without control, anxiety will worsen. However, this isn't usually true.
Behind its intimidating facade, anxiety is actually a reflection of love. And love is certainly not an enemy.