A Note From Deanne
Keeping your anxiety a secret from others can be a huge burden. I know, because I kept my anxiety a secret day after day, year after year for fifteen years. Looking back, it's hard to believe!
The secret felt like a lead anchor dragging me down. It was so heavy I could hardly move, both emotionally and physically. I thought that if others found out my "secret," they would believe what I believed about myself... that I was a worthless person who had no place in this world. They would discover that I really not as intelligent, or nice, or all-together as I appeared. They would discover that I was falling apart on the inside.
Once I decided to share the "secret" of my anxiety with a safe, trusted person, guess what happened?
To my surprise, my anxiety lessened. It was like a glass prison had been shattered. The anchor I had put around my own neck lightened considerably and I realized that there was a light at the end of the tunnel. It was EMPOWERING.
This week's tip gives you a few ideas on how and when to share your secret to empower YOU. Enjoy!
(Also, please make sure to check out how to get your Conquer Anxiety Success Program for FREE -- you cover shipping and handling only -- at www.conqueranxiety.com. The free trial is a special time limited offer.)
Dedicated to your success,
Anxiety Tip
Letting Go of Your Anxiety Secret
Anxiety makes you feel like you are alone and not "good enough." These feelings naturally lead to silence. Breaking the silence is a powerful way to challenge the negative thoughts that perpetuate anxiety.
By coming out of the closet with a trusted person, you are saying to yourself that you ARE good enough...you ARE normal...you ARE smart... you ARE capable, and much more.
I am not suggesting that you climb the top of a mountain and announce to the entire world that you experience anxiety. It's up to you to decide when and with whom you would like to share.
When you decide to share the "secret," here are a few tips to keep in mind.
-- Choose a "safe," trusted person who loves you unconditionally. This person could be a parent, spouse, sibling, a close relative, or a good friend.
-- Choose a quiet, private time so that you have the time and space to speak and the other person has the time and attention to listen.
-- Expect that the person may not know how to respond or may not respond the way you'd like, even though they want to help you. It might help if you ask for what you desire up front when you broach the topic, for example:
"I have something important to tell you about what I'm going through right now. I don't expect you to understand or to "fix" this problem. I just ask you to be here for me and keep that unconditional love coming my way as I work
through the recovery process. Some 'I love you's' and hugs would be great!"
Some people find it easier to tell a more emotionally detached third party (psychologist, minister) rather than a loved one, and that's OK too.
Revealing the "secret" about your anxiety with a safe person can be an empowering step in the recovery process!
About Deanne
Deanne Repich - Founder and director of the National Institute of Anxiety and Stress, Inc., is an internationally renowned anxiety educator, teacher, author, and former sufferer who has helped tens of thousands of anxiety sufferers in more than 40 countries to reclaim their lives from anxiety, stress, anxiety disorders, panic attacks, anxiety attacks and social anxiety.
She is the creator of the Conquer Anxiety Success Program, author of more than one hundred articles, and publisher of the Anxiety-Free Living printed Newsletter for anxiety sufferers. She is a Member of Mental Health America and the Anxiety Disorders Association of America.
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