The Fireball of Anxiety

"As you make your way through the wilderness that is your life, you might encounter a Fireball of Anxiety that swirls in shades of

• unanswered emails from your boss;
• thoughts of speaking to people at a social gathering;
• having to ask the mechanic to check your car again, as you are sure there is an undetected fault; or
• unaddressed issues with your intimate partner.​

As you feel the heat of this Fireball, your chest becomes heavy, your skin pricks with sweat, your face flushes, and your hands shake. 

Behold, the Fireball of Anxiety

It is okay to live with a little bit of worry, but too much can whirl a Fireball into your heart and mind, leaving you unable to focus on anything.  Here are some of the reasons why you might identify anxiety in your own experiences:

• You get stuck on a loop as you ruminate over the smallest things.
• You fear a catastrophic experience in the near future.
• You underestimate your ability to handle a situation.
• You assume others are better than you.
• You believe you must perform perfectly.
• You see a dark future where there is the same suffering.
• You assume you will always fail.
• You assume others will always treat you badly.
• You often feel rushed, irritable, and angry.
• You over-eat or under-eat.

Anxiety's flames can hypnotize and trick you into believing you can see the future. You really start to believe that if you keep vigilant and anticipate every aspect of the road ahead, you will never have to suffer negative consequences.  You have it all mapped out, you have the equipment, you have even rested for it — you have it covered.

This, of course, is an illusion.  No matter how hard you prepare, there are bound to be unexpected turns in the road of life — for the good as much as the bad — and this uncertainty fuels your Fireball of Anxiety."

Read more in Beyond the Blue, available in paperback and ebook.

Chris Warren-Dickins LLB MA LPC
www.chriswarrendickins.com
Psychotherapist, author of Beyond the Blue, and LGBTQ+ advocate
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