Anxiety pt 2

[Ahanu]

Today our time is sometimes labeled the "age of anxiety." Being born in 1986 helped me see how anxiety affected me over the years. Many Americans suffer from anxiety. More Americans experience anxiety than any other countries on the planet. Even third world countries, with their lack of technology, have a very low anxiety rate compared to North America. Think of how Americans constantly worry about time. People of third world countries in African villages probably don't sweat it. Also, the events of reason as the sole guide for humankind in our recent centuries have also helped in lifting anxiety up to a higher pedestal. Depending on how you handle anxiety, it can shape you or break you over the years.

What is anxiety? Wakeful anguish afflicts many of our family and friends, yet it shows no exterior signs for their loved ones to see. In this case, anxiety is like screaming in outer space, a place where nobody can here you scream like a little girl. Also, it is as if we’re hurled out of the Goldilocks zone, where everything is just right, to a space we find that our “soul is alarmed.” For those of us who experience anxiety on a weekly basis, we know it is an invisible burden that bypasses others unseen, eventually weighing us down, and then finally leaving us holding on to a strong intolerance for uncertainty.

Often, these anxious thoughts involve my future career in English education, my lack of an intimate relationship with the opposite sex, my families’ personal problems, my church, and so on. Anxiety compels obsessive contemplation. I am haunted by what ifs. What am I failing to be? Is love real? What about trust? Will I repeat the same mistakes in my past? By the way, just substitute any problem you may worry about. For instance, worrying about the energy crisis, religious fundamentalism, or our planet being engulfed in World War 3 are a few examples. People on a couple of online forums are probably preparing at this very moment for total annihilation of the majority of the human population! So, just what is the way forward here?

While listening to my lonely thoughts, it is important to note that I move through it. Because anxiety keeps us in arrested development, it paralyzes us to such an extent that it wears us out. Worry, as if it is the rust on a blade, can potentially render us useless in our daily activities. This is an excellent moment for me to sit back and reflect on my automatic thoughts, however, this time I plan to change them with an awareness of something fresh and new. So I see how I have developed over the years by adjusting these automatic thought processes in my mind by remaining confident in my ability to grow. As Rumi would say, “Don’t look for the remedy for your troubles outside yourself. / You are the medicine. / You are the cure for your own sorrow.”

I wanted to personally share some of my findings on anxiety and how it dramatically has an effect on society today. This “age of anxiety” has changed us all at some extent. Well, hope this helped somebody too. Thank you for taking the time to read this.

[17th Angel]

Originally Posted by Ahanu

What is anxiety? Wakeful anguish afflicts many of our family and friends, yet it shows no exterior signs for their loved ones to see. In this case, anxiety is like screaming in outer space, a place where nobody can here you scream like a little girl.

Originally Posted by Ahanu

While listening to my lonely thoughts, it is important to note that I move through it. .

While listening to your lonley thoughts, may I suggest you think of speaking to others? Isolating yourself and describing your pain as screaming in outer space.... That ain't good... I'd suggest you find someone you can hang out with and talk honestly to..

Originally Posted by Ahanu

Often, these anxious thoughts involve my future career in English education, my lack of an intimate relationship with the opposite sex, my families’ personal problems, my church, and so on. Anxiety compels obsessive contemplation. I am haunted by what ifs. What am I failing to be? Is love real? What about trust? Will I repeat the same mistakes in my past? By the way, just substitute any problem you may worry about. For instance, worrying about the energy crisis, religious fundamentalism, or our planet being engulfed in World War 3 are a few examples. People on a couple of online forums are probably preparing at this very moment for total annihilation of the majority of the human population! So, just what is the way forward here?

That all came over as a speed blur... Way forward? Slow down and let go lol....

Originally Posted by Ahanu

You are the cure for your own sorrow.”

Yeah to a degree, but you need happiness and joy... You CANNOT sustain that alone......

Sadness/depression/anxiety/insert something simular here.... Are key factors in ill health and death if you ask me, the more you stress and worry the quicker your ride goes, I used to have panic attacks and all that crap now I am careless... And for me it pays off I smile, time goes by at a nice speed and I feel weightless... Holding onto things such as stress and anxiety ain't good.

[arthra]

Thanks for sharing Ahanu!

I think sometimes when we reflect on these things it's important to avail ourselves of the Writings such as the following:

"Intone, O My servant, the verses of God that have been received by thee... that the sweetness of thy melody may kindle thine own soul, and attract the hearts of all men. Whoso reciteth, in the privacy of his chamber, the verses revealed by God, the scattering angels of the Almighty shall scatter abroad the fragrance of the words uttered by his mouth, and shall cause the heart of every righteous man to throb."

[Ahanu]

Originally Posted by Alex P

While listening to your lonley thoughts, may I suggest you think of speaking to others? Isolating yourself and describing your pain as screaming in outer space.... That ain't good... I'd suggest you find someone you can hang out with and talk honestly to..

Well, first I tried writing them out on paper. Yes, I have mentioned it to others occasionally. Somebody gave me some great advice. They said that everybody needs at least one person to share their secrets with. It has to be a trustworthy friend. However, most of the time I do isolate myself, because I do not want to bug other people with my problems. I honestly believe that people just don't want to bother with it. You want to be the one that shows no signs of weakness, ya know? The strong type.

That all came over as a speed blur... Way forward? Slow down and let go lol....

I did not want to go in depth. Letting go is the hard part, because of all the uncertainty of what would happen by letting go of it all.

Yeah to a degree, but you need happiness and joy... You CANNOT sustain that alone......

Sadness/depression/anxiety/insert something simular here.... Are key factors in ill health and death if you ask me, the more you stress and worry the quicker your ride goes, I used to have panic attacks and all that crap now I am careless... And for me it pays off I smile, time goes by at a nice speed and I feel weightless... Holding onto things such as stress and anxiety ain't good.

Good point. That is where sharing our "lonely thoughts" with someone else comes in.

"Intone, O My servant, the verses of God that have been received by thee... that the sweetness of thy melody may kindle thine own soul, and attract the hearts of all men. Whoso reciteth, in the privacy of his chamber, the verses revealed by God, the scattering angels of the Almighty shall scatter abroad the fragrance of the words uttered by his mouth, and shall cause the heart of every righteous man to throb."

I was hoping to get a quote relating to this. Perhaps meditating on a verse for a day may help.

[Dawud]

I just thought of a really good quote, right when I saw, "I was hoping to get a quote relating to this." I'll have to get it off reference.bahai.org ...it starts, "Sorrow not, if in these days...."

"O My servants! Sorrow not if, in these days and on this earthly plane, things contrary to your wishes have been ordained and manifested by God, for days of blissful joy, of heavenly delight, are assuredly in store for you. Worlds, holy and spiritually glorious, will be unveiled to your eyes. You are destined by Him, in this world and hereafter, to partake of their benefits, to share in their joys, and to obtain a portion of their sustaining grace. To each and every one of them you will, no doubt, attain." -Baha'u'llah

I have social anxiety disorder, otherwise known as social phobia. I don't know what it's like not to have it, but I can imagine that it will make not having it (in the next life) that much better... I remember when I was little and saw commercials about M&M's saying they melt in your mouth not in your hand. Well, they melted in my hand, so I wondered why they would say that.

[Ahanu]

Originally Posted by Dawud

I have social anxiety disorder, otherwise known as social phobia.

I call it social phobia. As a student in elementary, middle, and high school, I was terrified to give speeches in front of people or read out-loud in the class, for example. It is what I had as a kid, but it is quite easily for me to make a speech in front of people or simply say hello to others right now. I have practiced on doing better at it. By forcing myself to be in and enjoy those situations instead of avoiding and despising them, I slowly became comfortable doing it . The problem I am now in is making connections with people. People with social phobia have a tendency to drop out of college, because they can't make friendships with others. I am in college now. However, I think I will slowly get the hang of it. I practice by continuously attended services with the youth group at church. This past weekend we had a game night. We had Playstation 2's and 3's, X Box 360, and the Nintendo Wii to play. By the way, Dance dance revolution is the bomb.

Worlds, holy and spiritually glorious, will be unveiled to your eyes. You are destined by Him, in this world. . .

Thanks for the quote.

[Dawud]

Hi Ahanu, and you're welcome for the quote!

For me it was hard making friends as early as first grade. I've had social phobia at least since then. I don't know what else to say right now, but keep on going to things like you're doing... I help out with a Baha'i junior youth class.