4 Don’t Let A nxiety Run Your Life
were relaxing in a chair, a wasp landed on your arm, you
might have anxious thoughts, such as I don’ t want to get
stung! You might feel extremely fearful and experience a
number of physical symptoms, such as increased heart rate
or heart palpitations, shortness of breath, and muscle
tension. You might even behave erratically— you might leap
from your chair to run for safety, you might scream, or you
might f lail your arms to encourage the wasp to f ly away.
Using a different example, imagine that you are driving
on the highway and police lights suddenly show up in your
rearview mirror. W hat specifically would you think? How
would you behave? And how would your body react? Take a
few moments to think about each of these questions or
record your responses on a piece of paper. Your response to
this anxiety- provoking scenario would entirely depend on
how you thought about the situation and how you reacted to it.
Anxiety is a highly subjective experience, meaning it’s
different for each person. In addition, anxiety can range in
intensity, meaning some people experience little to no
anxiety in certain situations, whereas others experience
excessive anxiety. W hen anxiety becomes excessive or out of
control, it can quickly become problematic and affect your
ability to function. If you have ever experienced problematic
anxiety, you are certainly not alone! Almost everyone has at
one point or another. However, if your anxiety has been
present for a long time, if it causes you distress or if you avoid
anxiety- provoking objects or situations altogether, and if it
considerably interferes with your functioning, your anxiety
may be the symptom of a psychological disorder. There are
three broad categories of diagnosable anxiety conditions, all
of which are treatable: