Some of the strategies you’re using to reduce your anxiety might actually perpetuate and heighten it instead.
Kathryn Tristan, author of the forthcoming book Why Worry? Stop Coping and Start Living (available December 4, 2012), reveals three common tactics that can backfire.
Q: What are some anti-anxiety strategies that actually don’t work?
A: Often people use three common coping strategies that do more harm than good. In a nutshell, these are pills, booze, or avoidance.
Scientific studies suggest that 1 out of 2 people in the U.S. will suffer at some time in their life from anxiety, depression, or addiction. That means you, me, someone in our family, a friend, etc., is currently or will be dealing with one of more of these life-altering issues.
Why?
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Medication does work, especially if the anxiety producing situation is temporary or periodic. Foregoing medication can cause anxiety to cascade and produce worse problems. Persons who know they have addictive tendencies should avoid medication.Avoidance is a good statagy in a lot of cases. That’s why human beings have anxiety, to alert them to things they should avoid. Dangerous people or situations for instance.
Medication that becomes an addiction or recreational drugs and alcohol are all avoidance issues.
Being somewhat excellent at avoidance myself, without the addictions per se, I can see how attractive getting drunk or getting high could be. Luckily, hopefully, I will remain high on life’s miracles and continue to use the medications that have proven to work well for me, see my counselor regularly and pretty much take each day as it comes.
Yes medication does work which is what the author clearly said, “Medications can be a wonderful asset” but she also said if you take medication and don’t tackle the real issue that’s when “medications may or may not work”. She also said Avoidance is a bad strategy when you are avoiding the inner problem. Obviously she wants us to avoid dangerous situations which is why she warned against things like drinking too much to cope with stress. GREAT ARTICLE! Thank You!
Hi –
Thanks for this article. One question (and I struggle with this): What if you cant solve or change the problem – poverty, out of work, etc. Those are real issues, and I struggle to find a job everyday. But I haven’t worked in 6mos. This is real, constant stress and anxiety. Yes, I have spoke with a therapist, and she did give me some “coping mechanisms” but in the end the problem is still there. I know professionals say to get professional counseling, but as we all know if you don’t have any money or health insurance, it can take months to get into a free or low-cost mental health expert, unless you are suicidal or a threat to others So that really is not an option for me (or many other people) Now what?
I suffer what they call generalised anxiety disorder. Contrary to the above it is not worry, as I don’t know what I fear. When it first hit I suffered catastrophic nocturnal panic. I was 17. Now I am 66 and although I rarely panic, I still have the same pervading nervousness about God knows what. Looking back though I can see things in perspective. I now see that I became well when sharing a flat or living with a family. I advise people who suffer in this way to NEVER live alone, although like me now, there are times when you just find yourself alone. My two sons have left home, and my wife died a little while ago. Perhaps I need a lodger although I hope to find a female companion soon. This however makes me nervous too. Perhaps we need to battle through the avoidance to get a secure relationship. And that, for me, is what my anxiety is really about: insecurity, possibly stemming from infancy