Anxiety is a very normal part of being human, and we all experience it on some level from time to time. It’s our inbuilt early warning system that has been designed by evolution to warn us when there might be trouble, and ready us to deal with it. Sometimes though, the early warning system works a little too hard, switching on too often when there’s just no need.
Your happy-go-lucky child has turned into an anxiety-ridden teen. It is a painful thing to watch. Activities that were once enjoyable are now avoided. Going to school is a daily miracle. Instead of driving to the mall, you are driving to the doctor with mysterious stomach issues.
We all feel anxious from time to time, but for many people, anxiety is a daily intrusion. Anxiety is driven by a strong, healthy brain that works too hard to be the fearless protector. An anxious brain is super-sensitive to threat, which means that it can often hit the panic button ‘just in case’. This is a great thing when there’s trouble about, but when it happens too often, it stops being a great thing and becomes an anxiety thing.
An anxious mind is a strong, powerful mind, as anyone who has tried to rationalise themselves out of anxiety will tell you. An anxious mind can outrun, outpower and outwit rationality and logic any day of the week. What if you could harness the strength and power of that fiercely protective mind and use it to work for you instead of against you?
It is very normal for all children to have specific fears at some point in their childhood. Even the bravest of hearts beat right up against their edges sometimes. As your child learns more about the world, some things will become more confusing and frightening. This is nothing at all to worry about and these fears will usually disappear on their own as your child grows and expands his or her experience.
It is always a welcome thing when science confirms that the beautiful things will strengthen us, nurture us and protect us. Well here’s one for you – recent research has found that being in nature for thirty minutes a week will strengthen and protect mental health, and increase feelings of belonging.
If only anxiety was the well-worn jacket that could be loosened and thrown to the floor like an unwanted thing when someone was feeling warm enough, brave enough, sure enough and ready enough. People with anxiety are all of these things, but anxiety is persuasive and has a way of convincing the strongest mind otherwise.
