When tackling anxiety, panic attacks and phobias it is important to be in a high life state. What do I mean by that? Well, anxiety issues (which often lead to panic attacks and phobias) are often compounded or even caused by stressors in daily life. These stressors could be such things as unhappy marriages, bullying at school or work, a feeling of a pointless life, a pending court case, or an illness. Life is full of ups and downs and there is no escape from the challenges of life, nor would such an escape be desirable; life is exciting because of those ups and downs, and in the ups and downs of others’ lives. People who become too rich and comfortable end up drinking themselves to death because life is too dull.
The answer is not to escape life’s hardships but to be bigger than them, to enjoy the struggle and know when to take decisions. Many years ago I heard about a woman who had anxiety which had lead to agoraphobia. She was also in a violent marriage which made her desperately unhappy. The therapist pointed out to her that she was wasting her time tackling the anxiety while she was still in that marriage, because it kept her in such a low life state.
I am not contradicting myself, being bigger than an issue means knowing when to take positive action to escape. The guts to do this are an important part of tackling anxiety and panic attacks. So on the one hand you have to be able to take the knocks, and on the other know when the knocks are too big and its time to take a safer path. By taking more control of your life you will be in a better position to tackling your anxiety. You may even see your anxiety diminish radically just by being more assertive and letting life bother you less.
More tips on raising your life state tomorrow!
