Causes of Anxiety Disorders Negative, unrealistic and irrational thinking patterns People who live with high levels of anxiety often experience many negative, irrational and extreme thoughts. Many of these thoughts are automatic and the person is not even aware they are having them. Thoughts such as What if I have another panic attack?, What if I do something stupid?, What if something terrible happens to me or my family?, What if I cant escape?. Thoughts such as these are based in fear, and the emotion that is associated with fear is anxiety. Unhealthy beliefs Your thoughts come from underlying beliefs about yourself, others and the way you view your world. Most people develop their belief and value system during their childhood. Many people are not consciously aware of their beliefs as belief system is generally found in our subconscious. Our belief system has a major influence over the thoughts we generate, the emotions we experience, and our subsequent behaviour. Types of beliefs Albert Ellis identified ten types of beliefs which tend to commonly emerge in people who live with high levels of anxiety. These include: I must be loved or liked and approved of by every person in my life. Some people are bad, wicked or evil, and they should be punished for this. I must be completely competent, make no mistakes and achieve all the time if I am to be considered worthwhile. It is dreadful, nearly the end of the world, when things aren’t how I want them to be. My bad feelings are caused by things outside of my control, so I can’t do anything about them. If something might be dangerous, unpleasant or frightening, I should worry about it a lot. It’s easier to put off something difficult or unpleasant than it is to face up to it. I need to depend on someone stronger than myself. My problem was caused by some event in my past, so that’s why I have it now. I should be very upset by other people’s problems and difficulties. Reference: David Burns M.D., Feeling Good, The New Mood Therapy, 1980 Have a look through this list and see if you believe in any of them. If you do, they will be causing you problems, as they are all irrational and unhealthy beliefs. Talk to someone about these beliefs and try and come up with some other, more realistic ways of looking at them. Focusing on fear and negativity Whatever we focus on, we experience. People who live with high levels of anxiety will tend to focus solely on their symptoms of anxiety or negative stimulus, often looking for negative stimulus that is not there, but what they perceive to be there. Suppressed emotions Many people who live with high levels of anxiety often deny and or suppress their emotions. When we suppress our emotions they will continue to rise to the surface at various times throughout our life, especially during times of increased stress and emotional vulnerability. Giving yourself permission to express these emotions often assists in decreasing your high level of anxiety. Lack of self-esteem and self-worth Many people who live with high levels of anxiety often have a low self-esteem or sense of self-worth. This is often eroded further when you continue to experience high levels of anxiety and believe that you have no control over it. Development of high self-esteem by acknowledging your qualities is helpful to your overall emotional and physical health, as well as beneficial in reducing your anxiety Lack of assertiveness Being unable to ask for what you want or to express your feelings, needs and opinions in an open and direct manner will often lead to resentment and confinement which both serve to perpetuate and aggravate anxiety. Lack of meaning in life Many people who live with high levels of anxiety find it difficult to focus on other areas of their life, their goals, and their direction. This lack of sense of purpose only exacerbates the anxiety. A comprehensive recovery program will discuss goals, plans and available options in the person’s life to help them establish a sense of meaning and purpose.
Posted on: Thu, 04 Dec 2014 09:00:01 +0000
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