The LiveHappy Method To Reduce Anxiety in an Uncertain World

With the beginning of 2022 a time when much of the world has already experienced two and a half years of pandemic and other natural environmental disasters, there is much uneasiness and uncertainty – and anxiety once more is on the rise. 

How do we quell anxiety? 

First, we need to understand anxiety: anxiety is not “good” or “bad” - it’s a part of life. It protects us from danger but sometimes our brain misinterprets danger, perceiving danger when there is none. When we are scared or fear something, our body has a physiological response and our sympathetic nervous system activates the “fight, flight, or flee” response.

Second, in terms of treatment, learning to accept the anxious experience and reduce or eliminate the fear is key.

The antidote lies in facing our fears, moving toward those very fears in order to overcome them. There is an age old adage: “What you resist, persists.” The approach calls us to take baby steps towards the fear in order to overcome it – and a counselling approach such as exposure therapy can help.

Finally, we must begin to recognize and accept that we do not have the power to control all outcomes. There are no guarantees in life. A mindful approach can be used to become aware and help eliminate our anxious thoughts. Another counselling approach is to use cognitive behavioural therapy to assess if our anxious thoughts are valid and meaningful at a specific moment in time. 

Discussing anxiety with a counsellor in a safe and confidential manner, allows one to discern the validity of our thoughts. We can then reframe them in a way that can make us less anxious, while also strengthening our confidence in building the life we’d like to lead.