7 Questions to Manage Anxiety Effectively

Anxiety is an emotion rooted in fear. It often arises to help us prepare for potential future risks. It's normal to feel anxious about an upcoming exam or a first date. However, when anxiety becomes overwhelming and paralyzing, it’s a problem that needs addressing. Excessive anxiety can be managed effectively with the right strategies.

Understanding Anxiety

Anxiety is a natural response to perceived threats, helping us prepare and respond. However, when it paralyzes rather than motivates, it becomes detrimental. Here's an exercise to help manage anxiety by reflecting on a series of questions. Initially, writing down your answers will take time, but with practice, your mind will learn to reduce anxiety automatically.

Is This a Real Event or a Predicted Scenario?

Most of our anxieties are about events that may never happen. Remember, we often create our own worst fears. By distinguishing between actual events and predictions, we can begin to address the real issues.

What Can I Control?

Identify what aspects of the situation you can influence. Focus on what you can control and prepare accordingly. Worrying about things outside your control drains your energy unnecessarily. Clearly separate your responsibilities from what you cannot change.

How Can I Accept What’s Beyond My Control?

This is one of the toughest questions because it involves accepting our limitations. This step is about finding stability, whether externally or internally, to cope with the unknown and uncontrollable aspects of life.

How Does This Situation Benefit Me?

In psychology, we talk about primary and secondary benefits of situations. Ask yourself, is anxiety keeping you from taking risks or achieving something important? Recognize how this anxiety might be serving as an excuse or a defense mechanism.

What Opportunities Does This Anxiety Present?

Anxiety, like fear, points towards opportunities as it is future-oriented. For example, worrying about your health can be a prompt to take better care of yourself. Anxiety about losing a loved one might encourage you to strengthen those relationships now.

What Should I Focus on Instead?

This isn’t about denying anxiety or escaping it. It’s about choosing to engage in something meaningful despite the anxiety, based on the honest answers to the previous questions.

What Actions Will I Take and When?

Finally, create a concrete plan for your next steps. Anxiety thrives in the absence of action plans. Reduce uncertainty by having a realistic, actionable plan that you can start implementing immediately.