Anxiety Disorders

As everyone experiences anxiety and everyone needs the anxiety response to protect us in times of real danger, the aim is not to totally rid yourself of all anxiety for life, due to it’s very important function. Recovering from anxiety is about recovering from the anxiety that is not warranted, that is, the anxiety experienced when you don’t need it. This anxiety can have a debilitating impact on your life, hindering you from pursuing the goals and activities that you enjoy. Recovering from anxiety is all about ‘management’. You will know when you have ‘recovered’ from anxiety when it no longer impacts on your life the way it used to. When you can do things previously feared without intense dread, avoidance, or putting up with uncomfortable symptoms.

A good recovery program will focus on addressing the genetic, environmental, psychological, physical and behavioural factors contributing to your high level of anxiety. For more information on the above factors visit the Causes section of this site. In order to recover from high levels of anxiety and/or an Anxiety Disorder, requires knowledge of a wide range of techniques, understanding and skills. These include...

	Understanding of how your anxiety developed and what is maintaining it
	Rational Thinking Skills / Cognitive Therapy
	Focusing Skills
	Reality Testing / Exposure Therapy
	Deep breathing/Relaxation
	Self Esteem Skills
	Assertion Skills
	Exercise/Nutrition/Balanced Lifestyle
	Developing meaning and purpose in your life

For more information on each of the techniques and skills mentioned above, visit the Treatment & Therapies section of this web site.

You will need to work out for yourself what other strategies and what frequency they need to be implemented into your week according to your lifestyle.

	Be Responsible
	Motivation & Identifying Goals
	Stepping out of your Comfort Zone
	Commitment
	Support

From the information provided on this site, you are probably more aware now that there are specific reasons as to why you have been living with high levels of anxiety. If you want to decrease these levels of anxiety, it is only you who can do this. While it is not your fault that you developed a genetic sensitivity, or that you were brought up a particular way, or that certain environmental circumstances impacted on you when you were younger, it is now your responsibility to do something about it. Your recovery is up to you! And there is no better time to start than the present. The day you really take responsibility for your experience of anxiety, is the day you will start to recover.

Taking responsibility for your recovery is the first step. Having the motivation is the next step which will actually allow you to do something about your problem.

Are you really ready to change? A good place to start is to answer these questions. "Why do I want to change?" Firstly write down how your high level of anxiety impacts on your life, what does it stop you from doing? Secondly ask yourself "If I did not live with high levels of anxiety, what would I be able to do? Write down your answers. These are the things you are currently missing out on experiencing and will become your goals, your motivation for overcoming your high levels of anxiety. Depending on how much you would like to be able to achieve your goals will determine your level of motivation to make them become a reality.

You are entitled to live a satisfying, fulfilling and meaningful life, free from high levels of fear and anxiety. Why settle for being hindered from pursuing your dreams and goals by fears and unhealthy patterns of thinking and beliefs that developed in your past?

Often the hardest step for many people when they start a recovery program is to step out of their comfort zone and experiment with new ways of thinking and looking at situations. Initially, this may cause some anxiety, however, when you experience the benefits of being more in control of your emotions, it becomes easier to challenge old patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving. If you don't challenge yourself, and take that risk, you will never know what lies ahead, however, you will always know what has gone before. Is that where you want to stay? Be daring. You have nothing to loose except high and uncomfortable levels of anxiety.

While you may have the motivation to so something about overcoming your high levels of anxiety, the hardest part is often maintaining that motivation. To achieve a full recovery takes a great amount of commitment to integrate all the skills and techniques into your daily life, over a long period of time. Some days will be easier than others. One step at a time, over time , will produce better results over the long term.

It is very important during recovery from any illness or condition that you have adequate support in your life. Trying to work through a problem that may have been with you for many, many years on your own can make the road to recovery much harder. Support can be found through talking with your partner, family or friends. Support groups offer a place where you can meet other people who have similar experiences, gain encouragement, hope and inspiration on your road to recovery. Most metropolitan, regional and rural areas of Australia have support groups for people living with and anxiety disorder.

For more information on your nearest support group, visit the 'Support Group & Community Organisation' section of this site and or Social Anxiety Australia web site.

Disclaimer...

This site is not intended as a means of disseminating medical advice. If medical advice is required it is advisable to seek expert medical assistance. This site contains links to other sites, practitioners and therapists providing health related materials, treatment and therapies. However, the content and materials, treatment and therapies provided by these third party sites, practitioners and therapists, are not produced by nor are they the responsibility of the author of this site.