Anxiety is a natural, emotional reaction to danger, and has been explained as “the body’s automatic fight-or-flight response that is triggered when you feel threatened, under pressure, or are facing a challenging situation.” It can be difficult to articulate exactly what anxiety feels like. To glean a clearer understanding of and how to mitigate anxiety, consider the following six quotes:
- Poet Kahlil Gibran once said, “Our anxiety does not come from thinking about the future, but from wanting to control it.” Situations beyond our control will inevitably arise, and rather than grasping at the need to control the uncontrollable, by facing the future with grace and curiosity we can assuage anxiety and enhance our happiness, outlook, and quality of life.
- A quote from the Dalai Lama, “The more honest you are, the more open, the less fear you will have, because there’s no anxiety about being exposed or revealed to others.” Assuming and sharing our own authenticity must take precedence over the need to please others. The more we practice being honest and open, the fear (of not being accepted or loved for being our true selves) that perpetuates our anxiety will dissipate, which will allow us to cultivate more genuine relationships.
- Eleanor Roosevelt eloquently stated, “You wouldn’t worry so much about what others think of you if you realized how seldom they do.” The tendency to overestimate how much other people notice us is called the spotlight effect. The belief that others are constantly tracking and judging us can cause us to become hyper-conscious of the way we look and act, which fuels many people’s social anxiety.
- Psychotherapist and New York Times bestselling author, Lori Gottlieb, states, “The only way to get to the other side of the tunnel is to go through it, not around it.” Rather than avoiding your anxiety and allowing it to run your life, anxiety is most effectively diffused when faced head-on.
- Paulo Coelho explains, “Anxiety was born in the very same moment as mankind. And since we will never be able to master it, we will have to learn to live with it—just as we have learned to live with storms.” No one can move through life without experiencing anxiety, and therefore developing coping strategies for when it presents is imperative.
- A quote from Arthur Somers Roche states, “Anxiety is a thin stream of fear trickling through the mind. If encouraged, it cuts a channel into which all other thoughts are drained.” This reminds us that, although anxiety may take up some space in our mind, if we allow it to dominate our thoughts, we will be unable to place our focus elsewhere.
There are several benefits to experiencing occasional anxiety, as Psychology Today asserts that “anxiety is built into our primate origins as a warning system.” However, pervasive anxiety is atypical, and when it interferes with one’s ability to function in daily life it may be indicative of an anxiety disorder.
Treatment In Calabasas
Calabasas is a city in California. It is a well-known suburb of Los Angeles, located west of the San Fernando Valley and north of the Santa Monica Mountains. Over the past decade, the city of Calabasas has grown in its reputation for luxury as well as for privacy which makes it a hidden gem for residential living for society’s elite, and one of the most desirable destinations in Los Angeles County. It is also home to a plethora of highly qualified mental health clinicians providing an array of therapeutic services and treatment options.
The information above is provided for the use of informational purposes only. The above content is not to be substituted for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment, as in no way is it intended as an attempt to practice medicine, give specific medical advice, including, without limitation, advice concerning the topic of mental health. As such, please do not use any material provided above to disregard professional advice or delay seeking treatment.
