An Addiction?

[Snuz]

So another member mentioned that anxiety issues are like an addiction. She mentioned the choice factor as a playing a role in that. She said that she is choosing not to indulge that anxiety no matter what. This is so interesting a way of looking at it. Does anyone have thoughts about this?

[Jayavyan]

We have to ask: what would be the harm in treating anxiety like this?  Assuming we've taken the necessary steps (like professional help where needed), what's stopping us from not indulging our anxiety?  We have this self-defeating vigilance that serves no other purpose than to tense our bodies and mess with our brains.  So it is probably healthiest to relieve this over-zealous defender inside us of its duties.  We can trust ourselves to take care of any serious problems as they arise. 

But the other side of all this, of course, is that we then have to recognize the habit of indulging anxiety.  Making the choice not to promote this tendency is more than merely saying "I refuse."  As we've discussed, it means observing yourself, the ways you engage in this behavior, and the logic you are employing when doing so.  Getting to know why your inner guard is working so hard is a monumental first step, I believe!

[shrublet]

Just to clarify, I didn't say that all anxiety issues are an addiction, merely certain facets of it. For example, reassurance-seeking with hypochondria is very much an addiction. I would not, however, apply this mode of thought to all subclasses of anxiety.

[Snuz]

Shrub -- I'm glad you clarified that. Curiouser and curiouser.  (I didn't want to add your name because I wasn't sure I would get your point right and didn't want to misquote you.) But the behavior is the addition? It may be seeking reassurance for someone, but it's eating for me. That is how I deal with it, and it is definitely an addiction.

But can't the thoughts that come before the behavior be addictive too? I thought that's what you meant by indulging the anxiety. Not challenging them, just allowing them to happen and not using ways to deal constructively? Certainly it's easier to indulge the thoughts than it is to do something differently.

Jay -- That is the key to my anxiety, I don't know about anyone else's -- not trusting myself to be able to handle life. Where did we get this? Not trusting ourselves? Feeling that we are helpless to handle life's challenges?

Yes, I think awareness is often -- if not always -- the first step.

[forwells]

Hi Snuz

 Anxiety is a complex beast but in a word Yes it is a addiction.

 You have the chose on what you think about , only you can change this. Yes you can go and pay a Counsel to tell you what you need to hear. But really they are only showing you the way. It will not change until you tell yourself what they are telling you.

 Its like the old saying You can lead a horse to water but you cant make it drink.

 Like any addition , you cannot change it until the person chooses to change there ways.

But can't the thoughts that come before the behavior be addictive too The thoughts are really a side effect of that addiction , That addiction of negative thoughts that increase chemicals in your brain and bring on these thoughts.

Where did we get this? I stressed about this for so long and to tell you the truth Who cares ?? You got it and there is no amount of stress that will change that. You can stress about it all day every day but it will not change the fact that it happened. Trust me when i say it is best to just except you got it and put that energy into getting better. By wondering why all the time you are really just feeding it.

 Cheers and good luck kev 

[Snuz]

Wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute.  I'm not on board with the "just get on with healing" boat, kev. I'm not sure I think you can counteract a negative thought without understanding it and then using the appropriate technique for that very thought. Or, is that not what you mean?