Monday, October 17, 2005
The next question we have to answer is: What causes anxiety?
It is not the event that causes the anxiety. It is caused by your mind playing out the event.
Anxious thoughts arise out of the belief that you are in some type of danger and that your life is at risk. Obviously, your earliest ancestors sensed the actual danger of animals and attackers so their bodies reacted to fight or escape that danger. Is your sense of fear and worry over a speech equal to the need to escape an animal?
A phobia is the belief that something is very dangerous when it is only a bit frightening. The anxiety is out of proportion with the upcoming event. For example, if you are concerned that in a meeting you will make a mistake and then fix it, your minor fears are acceptable because it is normal to feel uncomfortable. Anxiety comes when the fear is irrational or excessive.
It is not the event that causes the anxiety. It is caused by your mind playing out the event.
Anxious thoughts arise out of the belief that you are in some type of danger and that your life is at risk. Obviously, your earliest ancestors sensed the actual danger of animals and attackers so their bodies reacted to fight or escape that danger. Is your sense of fear and worry over a speech equal to the need to escape an animal?
A phobia is the belief that something is very dangerous when it is only a bit frightening. The anxiety is out of proportion with the upcoming event. For example, if you are concerned that in a meeting you will make a mistake and then fix it, your minor fears are acceptable because it is normal to feel uncomfortable. Anxiety comes when the fear is irrational or excessive.
