Coping With AnxietyCoping with anxiety involves learning three things: 1.) how to reduce or eliminate the physical symptoms, 2.)understanding the core conflict at the root of the symptoms 3.)using your mind intentionally to calm negative emotions to change the thinking that causes anxiety producing behavior. Here are the basic symptoms of anxiety - you may already be familiar with them: palpitations, pounding heart or increased heart rate Sometimes people coping with anxiety overcome it through medication. They have a panic attack, their doctor prescribes a benzodiazepine (Valium or Xanax)or some other medication then, they take it briefly and never have a panic attack again. But that is a rare case. 
Its more common for someone to become dependent on medication for coping with anxiety if they do not address the core conflict that is the cause of the anxiety. The human race is set up as a species to be predisposed to anxiety for several reasons: Genetics,Neurochemistry,Parenting,Social,Culture,Evolution,Psychology Evolution created the “flight or flight” mechanism in the brain to respond to a perceived threat. It comes from the need to adapt in tribal hierarchies and social ranking systems as well as surviving the threats of the natural environment. Coping with anxiety is possible when you understand that genetics can determine predispositions to neurochemistry which regulates our mood. And, these genetic tendencies toward anxiety can be passed on to children. Serotonin, dopamine, GABA, and norepinephrine are the most studied neurochemicals in the causes of anxiety. Low amounts of dopamine receptors and overactive norepinephrine and GABA play a part. The amygdala and anterior cingulated cortex are parts of the emotional brain where heightened activity appears to occur during periods of anxiety. Early signals of shyness may be partly due to genetics. These personality traits could continue into adolescence. Parenting is also a player in the problem of anxiety. Childrearing practices that model social avoidance, worry and fear may cause anxiety. Research shows that adopted children who are excessively shy are more likely to have been raised by excessively shy adoptive parents. Bullying or harassment, ostracism and being cast out can have dramatic effects on a biochemistry and patterns of thinking that can cause anxiety. Children and teens are highly susceptible to negative social experiences in school. Even the simple act of watching or hearing about a traumatic social experience that someone else suffered may also be a cause of anxiety. These are all important factors to consider when trying to figure out how coping with anxiety is going to work for you. But, understanding these factors is only part of what I mean by resolving the core conflict that is the source of your anxiety. The core conflict is uniquely specific to your life. Are you getting proper sleep/rest/nutrition/exercise. Are your family relations positive or stressful?Are you in a healthy reltionship with someone special? Are you alone? Do you want to be alone? Do you have financial problems? Are you uncomfortable in social situations? Do you know how to use your brain intentionally to stop negative thoughts? Anxiety is a warning flag to let us know that some changes need to be made. Anxiety is something you can control. You just have to understand what is contributing to it first. Using your mind intentionally is the biggest part of effectively coping with anxiety. Cognitive processes are patterns in the way we think about ourselves and the world. Negative self-talk and automatic negative thoughts are maladaptive cognitive processes that can cause anxiety. Negative self-talk is characterized by critical self-judgment. Most of the time, people who suffer anxiety are not aware that they have negative self-talk. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is an effective part of coping with anxiety whether you are taking medication or not. CBT teaches you how to use your mind intentionally by identifying your negative thinking and then retooling your thoughts to turn them into positive statements. . CBT gives you a method for coping with anxiety that leaves you in the drivers seat. CBT can be effective as an online treatment, or can be conducted over the phone as well as in the office. If you want to overcome your anxiety with a self help program, there is very successful program that thousands of people here in the United States and in Europe have been using. It’s called the Linden Method and I have had good feedback on it from the people I’ve referred.
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