Anxiety

¿What is anxiety?
The eternal question, I will never tire of repeating it. We all have anxiety! It’s that simple and that easy. And you say…

“That can’t be, not everyone has my symptoms.”

And there I must agree with you. But you see, we all have backs and only some of them hurt.

Anxiety is a physical response of readiness to flee from danger or face a threat. Prepare your body for action. So far it doesn’t sound like a problem, do you think?

And that’s because it’s not. It is fortunate that our body tries to protect our life and safety at all costs. 

However, we do not all have the same sensitivity to danger. Some have very little, which isn’t better either; others at an intermediate and more appropriate level. And others have a much higher level of sensitivity to the world, which generates fear and insecurity on more occasions. 

What is the reason for this sensitivity? Is it from birth?
No, except for some personality and temperament traits that we are born with that can lead to anxiety in some cases. The truth is that the vast majority of people with anxiety owe their symptoms to patterns learned in childhood or youth. Ideas about themselves and the world around them.

Traumatic experiences with elements that now scare them, irrational beliefs, learned ideas. All this combined with more or less developed personal resources that help or hinder the management of anxiety. 

What do I mean by this?
Don’t feel guilty. 

Most of the things that have led you to experience anxiety right now weren’t even up to you. So let’s change the word “blame” to “responsibility.”

Chances are, you’re not to blame, but you certainly have a responsibility for what to do about this situation right now. Don’t get me wrong, I won’t be the one to tell you what you should or shouldn’t do. The truth is, you could start a job to manage your anxiety or you might not. And both options are respectable in equal measure. 

Now, I don’t wish harm on anyone and I will always recommend moving forward and growing if you find yourself in the situation of choosing. Especially so that you are not annoyed by the symptoms day in and day out. It’s a point to keep in mind. 

Why is it important to rely on a professional?
I don’t know why, but when it comes to a broken engine, no one doubts having a engineer. It’s almost inevitable. In American movies, the father of a family who wants to be a plumber to save a few dollars is always ridiculed and in the end ends up with water up to his ears. 

The answer is simple: We are not born knowing how to handle anxiety. And it’s normal to need a professional to teach us.

The problem is that all our lives we are invited to self-manage. To know how to control ourselves and keep ourselves stable. But if you notice, we haven’t been taught to do that at any point!

In my head it sounds as absurd as if someone expected me to know how to fix my car without touching a mechanics book… I don’t even try, and if I tried I would get frustrated and waste a lot of time in vain before calling a professional. It may even have broken my engine even more. 

Your engine is the mind that comes without instructions from birth. It’s totally normal to have someone who already knows how it works and can make things much easier and more enjoyable for you