Having had bad neighbors and anxiety about any number of difficulties, I empathize. When going through experiences that feel threatening, the body and mind respond in ways that are meant to prepare us for action, but feel so uncomfortable, it’s tempting to try to get rid of the anxiety without understanding the underlying causes.
In #Buddhist #psychology, we’re encouraged to shift the focus from the symptoms of our suffering to the causes. This is an especially helpful method when it comes to working out the triggers for anxiety. When we slow down and have a look at what’s causing the clenched jaw, or shallow breath, or dreadful feelings of wanting to jump out of our skin, we’ll have a better chance of recognizing how the mind is reacting to circumstances that might feel dangerous, but upon reflection, might have solutions.
The benefits of this process are significant and surprising. If we can first just noticing the signs of anxiety, then offer ourselves time to just sit with the distress signals, then ask ourselves what might be going on, then step back to think things through from a less emotionally charged vantage point, we’ll have a much better chance of feeling a genuine relief while also potentially identifying solutions.
But this process also can protect us from the conviction that we’re just a nervous wreck, end of story. No one is born with an anxiety disorder. Struggles with #anxiety develop over time, usually in the context of important relationships, often influenced by losses that seemed out of our control. Better understanding these contributing factors will soften any faulty conviction of being inherently disordered by anxiety. And this is likely to help people trust that they are so much more than their struggles and suffering.
Buddhist Healing Response to Anxiety
