For many years one of the biggest problems some people face is nervousness and anxiety. To the onlooker, who only experiences mild nervousness every now and then, it doesn't seem like much of a problem. However, to the person fighting extreme nervousness, complete with attacks of anxiety and/or panic, it seems like an insurmountable problem!

Though many think anxiety is some new manifestation that has come on the scene in recent years; this is not true. Anxiety has been around forever. It doesn't have a favorite era, nor does it prefer one gender to another or one particular age group.

Anxiety pulls people into a maze of bewilderment. It plays tricks on their minds and bodies. Worst of all, the harder we fight to break free of its grip, the more we are drawn under its control and the more our lives become disorganized by it.

Those effected by anxiety, only care about becoming free of it and living the life they once knew, where they controlled their fear instead of having fear controlling them.

In this article, we will discuss the three preliminary steps to becoming anxiety free. When you are through reading it, you will be familiar with the essential ingredients necessary to overcoming anxiety. As this knowledge seeps in, you will start to gain control over the illness of anxiety. This doesn't mean a short article can be a cure all, but don't think it cannot be very helpful.

First... Understand how anxiety works.

Anxiety works through adrenal glands in your body. If you are just a little nervous or very nervous, or if you are experiencing a full-fledged panic attack, it is adrenaline causing the feelings you are experiencing. It is as simple as that. What is causing your glands to secret the adrenaline is another story, but it is insignificant as far as overcoming anxiety is concerned.

Knowing there is nothing more than adrenaline causing the horrible manifestations of anxiety is helpful because adrenaline secretion is a normal function of the human body. When we are in an anxious state we are just secreting too much of it, that's all.

Adrenaline is a response to fight or flight. So, when we are fighting or running away we are secreting adrenaline. This is important to know because if we are afraid of the feelings adrenaline brings us, we will become more anxious to fight it or run away from it. So, what is the antidote to this extra anxiety we bring on by fearing adrenaline's wrath?

Second... Facing anxiety is a necessary step towards overcoming it.

When we become nervous for any reason and then we try to run away from or fight the feelings it has brought us, we become more anxious. Maybe, we will even promote panic attacks.

By the same token, if we are not currently experiencing anxiety but we are afraid we will, we might just bring on anxiety. The trick is to take whatever anxiety gives us and let it be. Well this may seem easier said than done, with practice we can master the art of accepting anxiety without adding any more anxiety to it.

Once we do master passively living with anxiety, the anxiety attacks we experience will become weaker and weaker until one day, they will disappear. What do we do in the meantime?

Three... Don't hide your anxiety while you are recovering.

This is just part of being yourself. Pretending your life is not being affected by anxiety is running away and of course, running away brings on adrenaline.

There is no sin to being anxious or suffering panic attacks. Suffering the effects of adrenaline just means you are under the weather. You don't mind telling people you have a cold. There is no difference if you are ill with anxiety.

In closing, don't put a lot of pressure on yourself. You will get better on your own timeline. Don't race. Just digest what has been said in this article and you have started on the road to recovery.

By the way, I know these things because I have been through it all with anxiety and panic attacks. I no longer experience these things. I am cured of nervous illness and you will be, too.