Anxiety is an Attention Problem
Altering attention diminishes worry more simply and powerfully than trying to directly conquer the emotional aspects of anxiety.
Anxiety can feel tremendously uncomfortable, unsettling and discombobulating. Whether one experiences an isolated case of situationally driven anxiety, or whether one’s anxiety is so severe or pervasive that it becomes a diagnosable anxiety disorder, people tend to focus on the strong negative emotions stirred up by their worries, and on the perceived threats that drive those feelings.
Some medications can quickly alleviate anxiety. Talking therapies can aid in regulating emotions over time. But emotions can be challenging to work with directly. Emotional distress such as anxiety also makes it harder to apply cognitive tools — when you’re overwhelmed it’s hard to think clearly.
An anxious person misdirects their focus in unhelpful directions, which blocks them from attending to, and dealing with, life as it is happening now.
Situations don’t force us to be anxious. Anxiety is an individual emotional reaction to what we think might befall us. When we feel anxious we unduly fixate on the potential harm of a future event, even if the risk of a bad outcome is low.
