How to Manage and Thrive with Anxiety

Through evolution, humans have been predisposed to experience anxiety. It’s meant to ensure our safety by prompting us to act on our concerns, and listen to our thoughts. Although the threats we encounter today may look a bit different than what our ancestors faced, we still
experience a “fight or flight” response to danger and risk.

Anxiety has its benefits, but when it continues to be reinforced it can get bigger and interrupt your life. For example, you want to go outside but your anxiety says it’s too
scary. You end up staying home and your anxiety eventually drops. In this situation,
your anxiety has been reinforced because your unpleasant feelings were removed when
you avoided going out. When you’re anxious to go out the next time, you’ll be more
likely to stay home again to alleviate the anxiety.

Although it seems out of your control, you don’t have to feel anxious your whole life, and are capable of regaining power over your worries. There are ways to manage anxiety and move you out of feeling controlled by it. Specifically, we can use cognitive behavioral practices that prompt changes in the thoughts and behaviors that are causing maladaptive patterns in your life.

Start by getting to know your anxiety. Engaging in mindfulness practices can be helpful
to gain an awareness of the context that surrounds your feelings of worry, concern, or anxiety. Take time to reflect on how your body and mind are really feeling.

Ask yourself:

• When do I feel anxious
• What do my anxious thoughts sound like?
• What does anxiety feel like in my body?
• What behaviors do I engage in to relieve my anxiety?

Once we have a better understanding of how anxiety shows up in your life, we can try

different approaches to address it. Here are some that may resonate with you.