Everyone experiences anxiety.\u00a0 Anxiety is usually a short-term experience that is caused by the anticipation of a particular event.\u00a0 For example, it is normal to experience some anxiety if you are about to interview for a new job.\u00a0 The anticipation of the interview and the hope of getting the job can cause your heart to race, your muscles to tense, and your mind to worry about the possible questions that might be asked during the interview.\u00a0 For most people, this anxiety begins to dissipate once the interview is over.\u00a0 Some people manage their anxiety about the interview by practicing their responses to potential interview questions.\u00a0 Their anxiety, thus, motivates them to increase their preparation for the interview.\u00a0 It follows then that anxiety, in some circumstances, can help us prepare for the unknowns of the future.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n However, not all anxiety is helpful.\u00a0 Sometimes anxiety can become overwhelming and completely disrupt our ability to focus on normal tasks.\u00a0 Anxiety, for example, can become so great that it becomes virtually impossible to concentrate during the job interview.\u00a0 As a result, you begin to worry that you are going to blow the job interview which leads to greater anxiety and makes it that much more difficult to concentrate.\u00a0 In this scenario, the more anxious you become, the more you worry, and the more you worry, the more anxious you become.\u00a0 This cycle is what I call the Anxiety Loop.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Think of your body as an engine<\/span>.\u00a0 Whenever we perceive danger, our body revs up to deal with the source of the danger.\u00a0 For example, if you see a car speeding directly toward you, your body will begin to tense up as you prepare to get out of the way.\u00a0 The closer the car gets to you the more your muscles will constrict, your breathing will increase, and your body will prepare to respond to the threat.\u00a0 This automatic response is called the \u201cfight or flight\u201d syndrome and is designed to help us survive life and death danger.\u00a0 Once the danger passes, our bodies will begin to automatically relax as our adrenaline decreases.\u00a0 This \u201cfight or flight\u201d response is the same mechanism that is at work whenever you feel anxious.\u00a0 The difference between anxiety and fear is that there is no immediate danger, but your body is preparing as though there is.\u00a0 There is no car speeding toward you.\u00a0 You feel afraid but you don\u2019t have anything to direct the fear toward.\u00a0 In fact, <\/span>one definition of anxiety is that it is fear without a focal point.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Think of your thoughts as the fuel for the engine<\/span>.\u00a0 Whenever we feel anxious our mind starts to look for sources of danger.\u00a0 Since there is no current \u201clife and death\u201d danger we are left to worry about potential dangers in the future.\u00a0 Unfortunately, the more we worry about the possible problems of the future, the more anxious we become.\u00a0 The feelings of fear thus become like an engine that is revving up.\u00a0 The more it revs up, the more fuel it needs.\u00a0 So, as we worry, we become more anxious, which makes us escalate our worries to worse-case scenarios.\u00a0 <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n It follows then that the way to decrease anxiety is to relax your body (turn off the engine) and quiet your mind (quit giving the engine fuel).\u00a0 It sounds so simple, right?\u00a0 \u201cJust relax and quit worrying.\u201d\u00a0 If you have ever had anxiety, you know it isn\u2019t that easy.\u00a0 Remember that anxiety activates the survival mechanisms of the body.\u00a0 Whenever we feel fear, we automatically look for warning signs of danger.\u00a0 So, our mind is on high alert.\u00a0 As a result, when we feel anxious, we feel compelled to worry.\u00a0 We often feel like if we don\u2019t worry, something bad will happen and we won\u2019t be prepared for it.\u00a0 Paradoxically, the more we worry about potential problems, the worse we feel.\u00a0 <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Listed below are some steps you can begin to take that can help you begin the process of quieting the mind and body.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Anxiety is basically fear of something in the future based on something in the past.\u00a0 As a result, one of the first steps to decreasing anxiety is to get back \u201cin the moment\u2019.\u00a0 The more you are in the <\/span>here and now,<\/span> the less anxious you will be.\u00a0 One strategy to get back in the moment is to engage the senses of sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell.\u00a0 When you are focused completely on what you are experiencing, it forces the mind to be more in the present.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n It is easier to break the Anxiety Loop if your mind and body are engaged in an activity.\u00a0 For example, it is hard to worry about your job while you are playing a strenuous game of tennis.\u00a0 The more the activity requires your full attention, the more it helps you break the cycle of anxiety and worry.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If I tell you to stop thinking about money problems, you are actually more likely to think about money problems.\u00a0 Instead, when you are trying to stop the worries, focus on thinking about things that are not anxiety-provoking.\u00a0 For example, instead of worrying about something that is out of your control, focus your attention on things that you can control or engage in.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If the thing you are worried about is not a \u201clife or death\u201d issue, then it is more likely to be a quality of life issue.\u00a0 Focus on making decisions that improve the quality of your life and you will feel less anxious as a result.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Deep breathing allows the body to get more oxygen which makes it easier for the body to relax.\u00a0 Taking 3 slow deep breaths from the diaphragm can be very helpful in getting both the mind and body to slow down.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If you allow anxiety to build up, it becomes difficult to break the cycle of fear and worry.\u00a0 The earlier you stop the worries and the quicker you relax the body, the more control you tend to have over the feelings.\u00a0 Intervene early and intervene often in order to keep the Anxiety Loop from becoming a self-feeding cycle of fear and worry.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If you are having trouble getting control over your anxiety, therapy can help.\u00a0 Therapy can help you work through your fears and worries and help you develop the tools that you need to manage anxiety more effectively.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n MHThrive provides Individual Therapy, Couples and Marriage Counseling, and Family Therapy at our locations in Katy, The Woodlands, and the Clear Lake area of Houston, Texas. We also provide telehealth therapy for anyone who resides within the State of Texas. To schedule an appointment with one of the MHThrive therapists, contact us at 713-477-0333<\/a>\u00a0or visit\u00a0www.mhthrive.com<\/a>\u00a0to learn more.<\/p>\n If you or someone you know is experiencing any mental health or substance abuse issues, New Dimensions<\/a>\u00a0can help. Our team of experienced therapists and psychiatrists can help you overcome these challenges and help you develop the skills you need to thrive. To schedule a complementary assessment or to find out more about our programs, contact us at\u00a01-800-685-9796<\/a>.<\/p>\n Online Treatment Programs<\/a> provides Teletherapy Partial Hospitalization and Intensive Outpatient Programs allowing participants to receive intensive therapy with our licensed therapists and psychiatrists without having to leave home. \u00a0If you or someone you know is struggling to overcome depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, trauma, panic attacks, PTSD, alcoholism, drug abuse, or other mental health or addiction issues, we can help. \u00a0To schedule a complementary assessment or to find out more about our teletherapy programs, contact us at 1-800-685-9796<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Everyone experiences anxiety.\u00a0 Anxiety is usually a short-term experience that is caused by the anticipation of a particular event.\u00a0 For example, it is normal to experience some anxiety if you are about to interview for a new job.\u00a0 The anticipation of the interview and the hope of getting the job can cause your heart to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2885,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18,32,37,34],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nUnderstanding the Anxiety Loop<\/h5>\n
Strategies to Decrease Anxiety<\/h5>\n
Get Back in the Moment<\/h5>\n
Engage Your Mind and Body<\/h5>\n
Use the Stop and Start Technique\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/h5>\n
Ask Yourself: \u201cIs This a Life or Death Issue?\u201d<\/h5>\n
Learn Deep Breathing Exercises<\/h5>\n
Break the Cycle of the Anxiety Loop Early and Often<\/h5>\n
Therapy Can Help!\u00a0<\/span><\/h5>\n
We Can Help!<\/h5>\n