When we pay attention to the thoughts we experience while anxious, we can understand that anxiety sometimes lies to us. Do you experience consuming thoughts while anxious? This can be common for those with an anxiety disorder. When our anxiety constantly tells our brain these this, it is teaching our brain to believe them. Do you ever experience times when your thoughts are consuming you and telling you irrational things and making you worry?
Anxiety is a feeling of constant and intrusive worry. Anxiety can cause many symptoms such as fear, quick heart rate, or feeling fatigued. There can be many triggers to anxiety based on each unique person. We are all different and anxiety affects us all in different ways, some can experience more than others, which can cause anxiety disorders.
Lies your anxiety is telling you
- The future is going to happen or is a part of the present. These are all the what if’s you think about and are fearful of.
- You are not good enough. This voice is trying to teach you that you are not as good as others and that you never will be. This occurs because of the constant desire to be perfect or better but may have not ever been told that they are good enough.
- Everyone is judging you. This can be when your anxiety tells us that everyone hates us. There may always be a little voice in the back of our heads that we are weird or that what we do is not good enough to others.
- You are not capable of managing your daily tasks. This is anxiety telling you to fear the amount of work to be done or to avoid new tasks.
- The past continues today and in the future. This shows that all of your mistakes cannot be left behind you in the past and that you will always suffer from the consequences.
- You are going crazy and losing your mind. This voice may also tell you that not only are you crazy but that no one will ever believe you.
- You are in danger and a threat is against you. This is our anxiety telling our body that there is bad all around us and that we should be fearful of these threats.
Ways to overcome the lies
- Relax and observe your thoughts, it is important to know and understand all the lies our anxiety is telling us.
- Be willing to challenge your thoughts in order to work through and overcome them.
- Do not let your anxiety deter you from reality and be more in the present.
- Be more compassionate to yourself and know that you have control over these thoughts and lies even if it does not feel like it at times.
- Show yourself love and kindness.
Here are ways that your anxiety can be triggered
- Work
- School
- Finances
- Health
- Bad things going on in the world
- Lack of sleep
- Little exercise to relieve built up energy and stress
- Conflict with family or loved ones
- Raising children in an unjust world
- Lots of opinions from others
- Past trauma or mistakes
None of these lies that our anxiety is telling us is true. Do not let these lies consume your mind and life. In order to remove anxiety, we must identify what our anxiety is telling us. Anxiety can manifest in many ways, and it is important to be mindful of these symptoms and triggers. Be kind to yourself and know that facing your anxiety and fears are a process but will be worth it.
It can take time to unteach our brains the lies that our anxiety has been teaching it for so long. Take the necessary steps to identify what is causing your anxiety, the lies it is telling you, as well as the techniques that are right for you to overcome these lies. If you need help with your anxiety, support groups and therapy can be a great outlet to receive help to live a happier and more fulfilling life.
