Suffering from Anxiety? Use These 5 Anti-Anxiety Weapons and Free Yourself
Suffering from Anxiety? Use These 5 Anti-Anxiety Weapons and Free Yourself
We all experience anxiety, but we don’t all know how to fight it and escape its grip.
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“Today I escaped anxiety. Or no, I discarded it, because it was within me, in my own perceptions — not outside.” ― Marcus Aurelius, Meditations
Anxiety is not new to the 21st century.
Many sages of the old have written about it. I like the above quote because it reminds us that anxiety is not some outside force wielding its power over us but something within us - something we control.
Today, or rather yesterday, as I’m writing this post at 5 a.m., I felt anxiety creeping up on me again. It often comes at the most inopportune times, like right as you lay in bed, ready for a good night’s sleep. In the old days, this would have ruined my night. I would think about all my problems and get carried away in thought. I have learned, however, that is the last thing I want to do. I’m not solving anything at 10 p.m.
I’m no anxiety virgin anymore.
I haven’t been in a while. I am battle-hardened, with scars to prove it. Over the years, I have built a powerful arsenal of anti-anxiety weapons. I carry them with me wherever I go. Today, I will share the blueprints with you, dear reader, hoping you can build such an arsenal for yourself.
“Never let the future disturb you. You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present.” ― Marcus Aurelius, Meditations
The anti-anxiety axe
Cut the train of thought, leaving no room for negotiation. Divide the line of time with one deadly sweep of the axe and sever yourself from the future.
Stay firmly in the present moment.
When those thoughts creep up, I stop them in their tracks. I simply refuse to think about whatever is bothering me at this moment in time. I shall deal with it tomorrow. Today, I am only interested in sleeping, and I know that I will be of a better mind in the morning. It can and it will wait.
Sometimes, it can help to mentally set these troubles and thoughts on your nightstand, consciously deciding that you will pick them back up tomorrow, knowing that nothing will be lost or forgotten.
I do not allow myself to engage in potential scenarios or look for solutions. That will prevent my sleep. There is a time and a place for that, but it is not now. Today only. As far as I’m concerned, there is no yesterday and no tomorrow.
I don’t fight my mind.
I gently and effortlessly but continuously acknowledge what it is doing and revert my attention to the present moment and an empty mind. There is no struggle here, no violence or arguing, only absolute commitment and perseverance, with lots of patience.
You can use whatever helps you ground your mind in the present moment. As long as you’re not thinking, you’ll be okay. Go exercise, make love, meditate through a focus on emptying your mind, or wash the bloody dishes. It doesn’t matter.
Focus on the present moment. Anxiety cannot live in the now.
As cliche as that sounds, it is the truth. Whatever you do, the future is off-limits! Scream to yourself: “NO!” or “STOP” if necessary. Internally would be best, though. You don’t want to end up in a straight jacket.
The laughing anti-anxiety flamethrower
When your mind is infested with anxiety-ridden thoughts, burn them at their source, and they will wither and die.
Know that your mind and your mind alone causes your anxiety.
There is no outside force tormenting you. It’s that little voice inside your head. You can listen to that voice and worry, fret, and plan, or choose to ignore it. What? Yes - that is an actual option.
Acknowledge that you are having anxious thoughts, but don’t follow them.
You can even label them as “thought, sound, image” when they appear in your mind. Then, you immediately revert your attention to silence or nothingness!
You can learn to notice your thoughts trying to make you anxious and distance yourself. At that stage, you can laugh at the inner voice and be completely unbothered by whatever the mind is trying to tell you. Similar to how you would smile at a rambling child playing make-believe who doesn’t know what they’re saying. Despite the sounds and violent actions, you know none of it is real, and more importantly, none of it matters.
Once you are able to catch your mind before it manages to ruin your mood, see it for what it is - an illusion, echoes of past days, neurons firing pointlessly - you will have no problem detaching from it, and you won’t care about it anymore. From that moment onward, you are free from your mind!
The anti-anxiety tank with advanced radar
Focus on understanding your anxiety better. Use the tank of self-examination to plow through anxiety-infested enemies and repel all fear-laden bullets.
If anxiety begins showing its ugly teeth during the day, I take out my notebook and start a writing process. I allow my anxiety to express itself fully, observing my emotions without judging them.
The writing process:
I ask myself:
“Why am I feeling anxious?”
“What am I afraid of?”
“What do I desire that I worry about not getting or losing?”
“What is this anxiety trying to tell me?”
Once I find the right thread, I dig deeper:
“What exactly am I afraid of? What is the underlying fear?”
“What is the worst-case scenario?”
“What exactly would this worst-case scenario mean for me?”
“Will I be okay?”
“What are my options if it happens?”
*Read this article to explore the process in more depth.
I begin a sequence of thoughts that help me release my grip on the future.
Anxiety is usually about the future. Accepting that we do not know nor can we control the future helps alleviate this sense of responsibility to manage the unmanageable. Write statements such as:
“Whatever will happen will happen, and that’s okay.”
“I trust that only what is supposed to happen will happen, and not I nor anyone else can change that.”
“I know that no matter what happens, I will be okay. I will survive. I don’t have a choice.”
“Anything is possible, even ________ (insert a better scenario, desire; example: “I can find the right job for me. I only need one. It’s out there looking for me.”).”
You may find it soothing to use the NLP techniques and wording, including “Even though ____ (insert the problem, issue, or your flaw; example: “I am unemployed”), I love and accept myself completely.” This helps you acknowledge where you are and accept the situation and yourself.
I separate what is in my control and what is not.
Quite literally, I create two lists or two columns!
I then determine the steps I can take to avoid the worst and commit to doing them while letting go of the rest completely. I have done all I can.
I often remind myself that certain things are out of my control, which helps me stop worrying about them.
Through this exercise, my goal is to explore the source of my anxiety and address it.
I allow my feelings to express themselves while teaching my mind about other perspectives on the issue. It’s not necessarily true that bad things will happen and that I will be just fine even if they do. This alleviates anxiety and helps me let go of the need to control the future.
The anti-anxiety nuke
This mighty weapon is the ultimate destroyer of anxiety. It is so effective it prevents it from ever creeping up again. It’s a powerful anxiety deterrent. With it, you shall know no fear.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23:4
Faith, friends. Faith is a powerful force.
It doesn’t have to be of the religious kind, although I admire and somewhat envy the true believers in their uncompromising conviction. It is a thing to behold! It can indeed move mountains.
If you are religious, now would be a good time to work on your faith. Renew your beliefs in whatever deity you believe in, and let the thought of its protection, power, and guidance comfort you in your weakest moments.
It doesn’t matter whether you believe in God, some other deity, or the Universe as a force or nature. Use that belief. Tend to it. Nurture it. Work on your faith.
If you place your faith in science or some proven system, trust the process of your journey. Do what is in your power and trust that it is enough. Focus on the process, and the results must follow. It’s science, math, law!
If you possess unwavering faith, anxiety will have no chance to mess with you. It is dependent on your fears regarding the future.
“I don’t worry about politics, pandemics, or war. God is always in control, and he needs no help from me!” (Dave Chappelle)
Oh, how I wish I had such faith. Believing wholeheartedly in something similar will leave no room for doubts, fears, or anxiety. Faith can do wonders, but for some of us, it will remain unattainable. Lucky are yee, who have faith. I believe it was Lester Levenson who once coined a most reassuring statement when he said (I’m paraphrasing):
“God (or the Universe) is perfect, and God is all. So if God is perfect and God is all, that leaves no room for imperfection or trouble. Everything must, by definition, be perfect.”
Unfortunately, some of us simply cannot accept a higher power and let go of control, trusting that some omniscient and omnipotent entity will take care of it for us. Fear not. There is a weapon of mass anxiety destruction for such individuals as well. I use it often and without hesitation, for it gives me unprecedented peace.
The hydrogen anti-anxiety bomb
Sometimes, nothing less than total obliteration of all that is will do. In those rare but transformational moments, everything changes. When we have reached a dead end and are forced to admit defeat, laying our lives into the warm hands of destiny, we are forever changed. In a sense, this is the opposite of faith, yet it achieves similar results.
That weapon is surrender! Complete and utter surrender. Nothing less will do.
You must accept that you will not have what you want. You renounce it, give up, forget it, if you can. If you fear something happening, you think of it as if it had already happened. The worst is inevitable. To hell with it!
You see the clock on the bomb next to you hit zero and realize there is no escaping your fate. That is the kind of surrender that is required.
When you are anxious, you are afraid of something in the future.
Either you fear something happening or not happening. You desire a particular outcome while fearing another. That has you trapped in a vicious cycle of fear, worry, and anxiety.
Remember that outside circumstances can never solve our internal problems, and anxiety is an internal problem.
We can be strong and still fear confrontation. We can be healthy and still fear sickness. We can be young and still fear death. We can be rich and still worry about money. We can be happily married and still fear abandonment and loneliness. An anxious poor person simply becomes an anxious rich person should they stumble across money unless they manage to change on the inside!
Should we possess faith, we let go because we trust all will be well in the end. That mighty force we believe in will make it so. Nothing can stop it.
When we have acquired understanding, we know what is and what is not in our control. We are able to discern the best course of action and trust in the knowledge and experience that results will follow. They must. It’s math.
When we surrender, we have no faith but stop caring and worrying. We have accepted the possibility of a negative outcome and are unbothered by the thought of it. It may or may not happen. It makes not a speck of difference to us. What is meant to be will be, and there is nothing we can do about it.
By surrendering, we have released the desire to control our fate and the world around us. In essence, while we don’t trust that a good scenario will happen, we also don’t care if a bad one does, as there was nothing we could have done about it.
The end result is the same for all three approaches. We let go and allow life to develop on its own. We do what we believe we must, what is in our power (this doesn’t mean you do nothing), but we are emotionally unburdened. This is the key!
We feel a sense of relief. A weight has been lifted from our shoulders. We no longer care, so we no longer worry.
We give up on our desires and are free from fearing they won’t come true.
We can still do the same things we would otherwise, but we are now free of fears, worries, and anxiety. And when we are calm, happy, and at peace, the chances of our success skyrocket.
The less we care, the more likely we are to get what we want. I know it’s not fair. I know it sounds counterintuitive, but it is nonetheless true.
An honest “I don’t care,” “I have faith that it will happen,” or even “I understand the probabilities and will do what I can; the rest is out of my hands” are all the same thing emotionally. We may have arrived at this point in different ways, but we all got there - to a place of inner peace, relaxation, and clarity.
Anxiety doesn’t stand a chance!
Practice wielding your chosen weapons and use them at every opportunity. Practise will make you more fierce when battling worries, fears, and anxiety.
Sometime soon, you will no longer fear those emotions. Armed with these weapons and trained in the art of emotional war, you will face them head-on and win. Every single time!
Let’s summarize your arsenal when fighting anxiety:
Stay in the present moment. Avoid thinking about the future when struggling with anxiety.
Learn to observe your thoughts without being attached and dragged along. You can’t stop the flow of thoughts, but you can be free from its torment.
Find out what is the real reason behind your fear and what the worst-case scenario is. Make peace with it.
Clearly distinguish between what is under your control and what isn’t. Work on the first, and completely let go of the second!
Work on your faith. Either you believe in yourself, some deity, a process, science, or whatever else. If you genuinely believe, you won’t worry but trust that all will be well.
Surrender to life. What will be will be. Release your desires, accept that they might not come true, and find a way to care less about the future, your goals, and life in general.
May you be free of worries, friends.
Interested in reading more about managing anxiety and fear? Read:
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