Speaking broadly, there are 2 kinds
of worry - 1 & 2... Worry 1 is an actual problem - there are loads of real
problems - and problem-solving is important, though not all problems can be
fixed, or maybe there's a piece that's not easily fixed.
Worry 2 is the ??? - there's plenty
that goes in this category, & we try to predict, & forecast, &
prevent... sometimes it works, sometimes not. There's often LOTS of stuff
beyond our control.
Worry Exposure... Christina has
often told me that learning to tolerate uncertainty is key in treating Anxiety.
Learning to tolerate uncertainty means
exposure. I did NOT want to do exposure, but I now get that it's necessary - anxiety
treatment can't be done just by thinking about anxiety, or talking about
anxiety - you have to expose yourself to what makes you anxious (with meds
supervised by a doctor, in my opinion)... Fun, right?
Exposure is different for everyone,
because what actually makes people anxious differs, & you DON'T start with
whatever rates a 10/panic attack! To be
successful, you start exposing to what is, for example, a 2,3, or 4. Hopefully
over time, anxiety decreases. Working with a professional is also, in my
opinion, recommended.
I'm don't know how often anxiety
that rates a 10/panic attack successfully diminishes, but I DO believe that
anxiety that's between 5 & 10 diminishes... I ALSO believe it takes time,
& doesn't go in a straight line... Dealing with problems - particularly
difficult ones - rarely does. So as I head into 2019, I want to keep trying, do
the best I can.
http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/anxiety/exposure-therapy-anxiety-disorders
