This Trauma Therapist Is Talking About A Symptom Of Anxiety That Isn’t Talked About Enough
Anxiety is one of the most common health concerns in the United States. So chances are, you probably know someone who struggles with anxiety, or maybe you even battle it yourself.
According to the American Psychiatric Association, anxiety affects almost thirty percent of adults. Unfortunately, mental health services have not always been as accessible as they are now.
In the past, open discussions of mental health were practically non-existent because of the stigma surrounding it. Society viewed mental illness in a negative light. Those who went to therapy were believed to be “crazy.”
While it’s still something of a taboo subject for many people, more and more progress is being made toward educating the masses about the importance of mental health. Plus, going to therapy is becoming more normalized.
However, honest conversations about mental health are still a recent development, and there are many things that people have yet to be informed of.
Simone Saunders (@thecognitivecorner) is a trauma therapist, and she’s addressing a symptom of anxiety that isn’t talked about enough in hopes of spreading more awareness.
At some point in our lives, most of us have probably been guilty of using distracting stimuli to take our minds off stressful thoughts or situations.
Simone says this could look like continually occupying your mind with music, podcasts, or TV shows, so you don’t have to be alone with your thoughts.
For example, you may scroll on social media until you fall asleep, so there’s no risk of your mind drifting into a dark place as you lie awake.
AntonioDiaz – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only, not the actual people
Or perhaps you always have to watch a YouTube video while you eat instead of simply enjoying your meal in the moment.
Sometimes, we don’t even realize we do it. It’s a coping method we subconsciously adopt to busy ourselves and avoid being in the present.
When struggling with anxiety, using distraction as a coping strategy may feel like something that provides you with safety and comfort.
And it can be a healthy way of dealing with anxiety. But distraction can also be an easy escape that quickly turns into a harmful pattern.
If you consistently use binging Netflix shows as a fallback and fail to face the causes of your anxiety head-on, you are only maintaining the anxiety in the long run.
To combat this, try sitting down with a cup of tea and simply doing nothing. Your mind might protest at first, but try to ignore the tension and stay calm for as long as possible.
Focus on getting through any overwhelming emotions that will arise. You might even feel proud of yourself afterward for being able to sit with an uncomfortable feeling for ten, twenty, or maybe even thirty minutes!
@simonecsaunders Being with our thoughts can feel difficult when we have a hard time regulating ourselves. A subconscious coping mechanism that we might adopt is continually busying ourselves so that we dont have to be present with our mind and body #anxietyawareness #therapytiktok #healingtiktok
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