The 3 Questions of Anxiety
Anxiety therapists in Orlando utilize skills associated with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). One of the most common skills and tools to be utilized is reframing the integral dialogue you have with yourself when it comes to anxiety. Anxiety, the biological defense mechanism in all people can make it seem that you are being crushed by the world. However, before giving in to this, anxiety professionals suggest asking the three questions of anxiety: what you are feeling, where is it coming from, and what are the next steps/actions to be taken. Asking these questions, internally or externally, can have the feeling of anxiety become “tangible” and clear out the prefrontal cortex so that healthy anxiety coping can begin. Yes, during an anxious state it is hard to listen to your internal voice but the ability to have this skill mastered vastly improves anxiety coping in a person as suggested by anxiety therapists in Orlando.
What are you feeling with your anxiety?
Anxiety therapists and counselors in Orlando would agree that anxiety is more emotion-based than anything. This is because emotions are what activate the defense system due to a stimulus causing those emotions to emerge and take hold. Anxiety kicks in to defend yourself and thus induces an anxious state of mind. The first internal dialogue question needing to be asked is what are you feeling with your anxiety? Emotions do not come from nowhere but do come from somewhere and asking this question can provide insight into why this emotion is coming out at this given moment. Once you can identify the emotion, you can go into the second question.
Where is the emotion of anxiety coming from?
This takes the previous statement and expands on it. The emotion you are feeling that is triggering such anxiety is an emotional trigger. A trigger happens when someone feels a similar sensation to a previous emotional episode from their past. In an anxious moment, the rush of feelings is flooding the prefrontal cortex which thus induces the need to control and protect yourself. Instead, ask the question of where it is coming from, and why it comes from that place. Doing this can challenge the past reality of the emotional trigger and help to know that the past is the past, but it does not need to be your future emotional state.
What are the next steps/actions to be taken with this anxiety?
This is where speaking and working with an anxiety therapist in Orlando anxiety therapy practice cements this process. The final integral question to ask is easier said than done. These next steps or actions refer to skills learned to push past the anxiety, appropriately and positively cope with it and not allow oneself to be riddled with anxiety. This could be looking at what is in your control as compared to out, grounding yourself in the present reality, meditating, or just even going for a walk and seeing what is different. Nevertheless, it is a question that can give hope to anxious individuals and inspire them to be fearful of anxiety but empowered to tackle it!
