The anxiety cycle and how to break it
You may be quite familiar with the cycle of anxiety, yet you have never heard it called by name. In essence, it describes the cycle of anxiety symptoms, which continue one after another, consecutively. One symptom is reconciled and another appears to take its place. After a while you realize that you have not experienced a day of the year free of any anxiety symptoms.
This is a good example of the anxiety cycle. Fight an intrusive symptom, such as dizziness or a nervous stomach. You think about it constantly. It interferes with your quality of life. It is always there and always in front of your thoughts. You despise it and feel like it will never go away, but somehow, at some point, it really does. The symptom is reconciled with an effective coping method, or perhaps you have become involved in something interesting in life, taking yourself out of the circle. He breathes a sigh of relief, happy to finally get over this intrusive behavior and get back to establishing a normal life again. Everything seems to be fine in the world UNTIL … out of nowhere (it seems) another symptom, completely different from the original, appears and causes the same worry, the same worries and the same obsessive fears as the first one. THIS IS THE CYCLE OF ANXIETY IN ACTION.
This cycle of symptoms is frustrating and continues UNTIL it is Recognized, admitted, understood Y resolved.
Recognition: Recognition is realizing how this ongoing habit of intrusive symptoms seems to take center stage in your life, encompassing all of your thoughts and your time. No matter what the day, month, or year is, a symptom calls for your attention, demands your attention, and keeps a calm mind on guard, anxious, and upset. You look back over weeks or months and find this cycle easy to recognize. The pattern is strong and very noticeable. Symptoms occur in consecutive order, one replacing the other. One as intense as the previous symptom. I wish I could shake my head and break this pattern, breaking free from this loop, experiencing even a symptom-free week.
Recognition: Recognizing this is a habit, and nothing more, it is also essential. Recognizing that this behavior is purposeful, distracting, is also another step outside the circle. Acknowledging that this habit is cheating you is also a step in the right direction. It will lead you to the truth about these symptoms. They are simply there to distract.
Understanding: Understanding is everything when it comes to breaking the cycle or loop of anxiety symptoms. When a symptom closely follows a reconciled symptom, it is because the symptoms not only serve a purpose, but they distract you from something bigger going on in your life, such as an unresolved problem or emotion. How could you see anything more painful than these symptoms when you are completely distracted by them in the most intrusive way? How could you see a strong emotion overlooked or an unresolved problem when these symptoms feel ubiquitous? The truth of the matter is that these symptoms are the brain’s way of covering up and distracting itself from more painful emotions and problems.
Resolution: Solving this problem is not difficult. It involves LOCATING THE EMOTION. When one is caught in the cycle of anxiety it is because there is a strong emotion such as fear, anger or sadness that the brain considers overwhelming. To distract itself from this painful emotion, the brain presents instances of continual anxiety and sometimes physical symptoms in an effort to distract itself from the initial problem. That is why the symptoms feel so strong and bothersome. They are working! They are doing their job to distract you from the most painful emotion. In effect, they are preventing you from dealing with your unpleasant or painful emotions or problems. When you locate the emotion and face it squarely, you will find that this serves to interrupt the cycle of anxiety, the constant cycle of symptoms.
The next time you notice a series of symptoms, STOPand take a moment to ask yourself a few questions:
– What is happening in your life that could be creating an emotional response?
– Are you angry, sad, scared or frustrated by a situation, event or person in your life?
– Do you repress your emotions to “keep the peace”, procrastinate, or maintain the status quo?
It is clear, if you answer yes to the questions above, that your mind is creating looping symptoms to effectively distract you from a larger emotion that is too painful to address or because you are not comfortable stepping out of your comfort zone.
Tea Background solution is identifying your emotions, examining them thoroughly, and choosing ways to express yourself in a safe and comfortable way.
Once you embark on this journey of digging out your emotions and locating the real problems, you are well on your way to breaking the cycle of anxiety and moving forward in your life.
If, in the future, you find a symptom creeping in, followed by another after reconciliation, keep this cycle in mind. Understand that you have the power to get through this loop and get back on track. Always slow down, find your problem, locate your emotion, and deal with it effectively. There will be no need for distractions (symptoms) to blur issues / emotions if they are addressed in a proper and timely manner.
Once you apply these steps, you will have successfully shown that the cycle of anxiety can be effectively broken as you regain control of your life again. You have the power to pull it off and it’s not difficult when approached correctly.
