Are We Addicted To Anxiety?
Many people who struggle with anxiety describe a frustrating experience.
They know they are overthinking.
They know worrying isn't helping.
They know they have already thought about the problem dozens of times.
Yet somehow their mind keeps returning to it.
This often leads people to ask:
"Why do I keep doing this when I know it isn't helping?"
One possible explanation is that our minds and bodies become familiar with certain emotional states.
Over time, anxiety can become a well-rehearsed pattern.
The brain learns to anticipate danger, uncertainty or problems that need solving. The more often this happens, the more automatic the process can become.
Eventually, the mind begins scanning for something to worry about before we are even consciously aware it is happening.
For some people, anxiety becomes less about the original problem and more about the habit of responding to life through a lens of threat, uncertainty or responsibility.
This is particularly common in people who struggle with OCD, health anxiety, perfectionism or chronic worry.
The difficulty is that anxiety often tricks us into believing that more thinking will lead to more certainty.
Unfortunately, the opposite is usually true.
The more we analyse, review and mentally rehearse, the more significant the problem begins to feel.
Many people find themselves caught in a cycle:
A thought appears.
Anxiety follows.
The mind attempts to solve the anxiety by thinking more.
Temporary relief appears.
Then the anxiety returns.
The cycle begins again.
This is one reason why therapy is often less focused on changing thoughts and more focused on changing your relationship with them.
Rather than automatically following every anxious thought, we begin learning how to notice it, tolerate the discomfort it creates and respond differently.
At first this can feel counterintuitive.
Everything inside you may want to keep analysing, checking or seeking reassurance.
Yet it is often by resisting the urge to engage with the thought that the cycle begins to weaken.
Many people discover that anxiety behaves much like a wave.
When we fight it, it often grows stronger.
When we feed it with endless thinking, it stays around longer.
When we allow it to rise and fall without constantly responding to it, it often passes more quickly than we expect.
This doesn't mean ignoring genuine problems.
It means recognising the difference between productive thinking and repetitive thinking.
One moves us forward.
The other keeps us stuck.
If you struggle with anxiety, OCD or persistent overthinking, you may also find these articles helpful:
• When Being Strong Becomes A Problem
• Living With OCD: Why Logic Isn't Enough
You can also learn more about my approach on my OCD Therapy page and Self-Esteem Therapy page.
If you would like support understanding these patterns and developing a different relationship with anxiety, I offer a free introductory consultation.