We can detect and respond to dangers before they happen. This is anxiety.
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Anxiety works by anticipating and inhibiting.
It says: "Don't do that, you'll get hurt. Don't do that, you'll be disappointed. Don't do that, you'll embarrass yourself."
It says: "Don't do that, you'll get hurt. Don't do that, you'll be disappointed. Don't do that, you'll embarrass yourself."
Anxiety likes routine. It likes predictability. It likes knowing outcomes.
Anxiety hates uncertainty. It hates change.
Most of all, it hates any situation where you might, possibly, be out of your depth.
Anxiety hates uncertainty. It hates change.
Most of all, it hates any situation where you might, possibly, be out of your depth.
Anxiety discourages you from taking any action that from its perspective might cause you physical or psychological harm.
At a fundamental level, it wants to help you avoid anything that might upset your internal balance.
Anything that might disrupt homeostasis.
At a fundamental level, it wants to help you avoid anything that might upset your internal balance.
Anything that might disrupt homeostasis.
Anxiety might do this with a voice in your head: "That'll turn out badly."
It might show you a mental image of a possible stressful event.
It might punish you with an unpleasant bodily sensation a tight chest, churning stomach.
It might show you a mental image of a possible stressful event.
It might punish you with an unpleasant bodily sensation a tight chest, churning stomach.
Anxiety makes you sensitive to mistakes so you remember and watch out for them next time.
But it's not doing this out of spite.
It's just trying to get your attention, to warn you, to keep you from greater dangers.
But it's not doing this out of spite.
It's just trying to get your attention, to warn you, to keep you from greater dangers.
You wouldn't let your daughter behind the controls of a helicopter mid-flight not because you want to deny her new experiences, but because you want to keep her safe.
In the same way, anxiety doesn't want to let you behind the controls of your own life, because you might crash.
In the same way, anxiety doesn't want to let you behind the controls of your own life, because you might crash.
Anxiety prefers the sure thing over the gamble. The now over the uncertain tomorrow. Limiting pain over chasing pleasure.
And anxiety knows oh, if anything is truly knowable in this hellishly uncertain world, it knows this if you attempt something new, you will fail.
And anxiety knows oh, if anything is truly knowable in this hellishly uncertain world, it knows this if you attempt something new, you will fail.
Anxiety is, by its nature, a disorder of avoidance. Like a proximity sensor on a car, it warns of impending collisions.
Anxiety doesnβt tell you the future, it tells you what you are afraid will happen.
At its root, anxiety is a refusal to accept uncertainty.
At its root, anxiety is a refusal to accept uncertainty.
Anxiety is about imaginations that are stressing you out.
You canβt βwinβ against anxious imaginations.
But you can become present and meet the moment as it unfolds.
All anxiety is imaginary, reality is its antidote.
You canβt βwinβ against anxious imaginations.
But you can become present and meet the moment as it unfolds.
All anxiety is imaginary, reality is its antidote.
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