Many people seek relief from anxiety. In fact, on searches using Google



and Yahoo, anxiety is the keyword used over thirteen hundred times

per month. The experience of anxiety is pervasive, bothersome and often

painful.

Anxiety is about loss of control. We feel anxiety when something,

someone or situation is not what we can manage. For most of us,

this is external, like when we have to speak in public and we imagine

all kinds of evils that are about to happen, little of which we can handle.

Anxiety is also internally generated; that is, we feel anxious when there

is something inside ourselves that we cannot manage. The most common

experience is our feelings. Usually, something triggers an association

or associations to past memories; thoughts we do not like and ultimately

to feelings we do not want to feel. The specter of experiencing these as

they rise into awareness produces uneasiness. When it reaches a crescendo,

we call it anxiety.

In both cases, internal and external loss of control, the dynamic is

the same. Anxiety is like a red flag the brain waves to itself from the

inside out, or if you prefer from the back to the front of awareness.

When something is set in motion (via a cue, stimulus or trigger), the

deeper parts of awareness (think subconscious or even unconscious) begin

to associate and recall anything related to the initial perception.

Rumblings are felt as vague, or general sensations that build into more

and more uncomfortable sensations--anxiety.

That is our cue to either change what we are thinking now or change our

venue (leave). This changes the trigger and we stop the associations

that create anxiety. Presto, we have learned to control our anxiety by

changing what we think or where we happen to be or by altering what we are

saying or doing.

However, for some of us, the anxiety is automatic and severe.

In other words, there is not much of a build up between cue and symptoms.

It can happen almost instantly. These unfortunate people have anxiety

disorders, of which there are seven major ones. In addition, they can

suffer from any one of thirty-three signs of anxiety, none of which are

pleasant.

To complicate matters, anxiety can tag along with other psychological

disorders. Major Depression has as one component, anxiety about

seventy-five percent of the time. Minor Depression comes with anxiety

about a third of the time. Have a psychotic disorder? That will

really spike fear.

Substance abuse disorders, including alcoholism (a liquid drug) comes with

anxiety, which is usually why people indulge in drinking or drugs in the

first place. If they did not have anxiety before they indulged, they

usually have more anxiety afterwards. This is most severe in those who

indulge in the use of amphetamines, which more obviously and dramatically

alter moods. (There are many exceptions because all drugs alter our

intrapersonal process in some fashion.)

Understanding how this works, the details of anxiety disorders, and the

many symptoms is what psychologists impart to patients in their psychology

practices. Many of us also have written books, or in this author's case,

an ebook that provides step-by-step instructions for the do-it-yourself types.

Many people do not realize they have an anxiety disorder. Conversely,

many people think they have a disorder when they do not. This author's

ebook shows everyone how to differentiate just these aspects of their

experience and if there is something worth paying attention to, what to

do about it.

Dr. Griggs