What Am I Afraid of? Banishing Anxiety Part 2

by Lydia Floren

The first step toward banishing anxiety is recognizing it is there. The signs of anxiety can be subtle: irritability, depression, desire to escape, mental fogginess, lack of concentration, tendency toward isolation, change in personality. So if we sit back for a minute, and ask ourselves, “What is the matter?”, and identify that we are anxious, we can move forward towards dispelling it. 

But before we talk about the next step in banishing anxiety, let’s talk about what anxiety is.

What is anxiety?

So, what is anxiety, really? There are all kinds of fancy definitions, but the bottom line is this: anxiety is fear. If you are anxious, you are afraid. You might be afraid of something in particular. Or, of multiple things. Or, you might  have a generalized sense of fear all the time, which we doctors call “generalized anxiety disorder.”  

What am I afraid of?

The first step in banishing anxiety is to admit that we have it. The second step is to ask ourselves, What am I afraid of?  What has changed? What is bothering me so much that my peace and hope has evaporated? What fear has paralyzed me, or kept me stuck in a cycle of discouragement and worry? 

So, what AM I afraid of?

Recently I have noticed some of the signs that let me know my anxiety levels are up. So what am I afraid of? Me, personally? Right now, I am afraid of losing my mother-in-law.  She is 88 years old, and for the last couple of months has been in and out of the hospital (mostly in), with multiple medical problems.  I am afraid of her having to suffer. And of watching her suffer. I am afraid of doing too much for her when she is ready to go. And I am afraid of not doing enough. And, most of all, I am afraid of losing her. 

Once I identify these fears, I can bring them to my Heavenly Father, my friend who is closer than a brother, who says “You don’t need to be afraid. I am here with you. You are not alone. And you are not on your own. I love her more than you do. And I will help you, and the rest of her family, help her make the right decisions. And when the time is right, I will bring her home to Me. Just relax. And trust me. Rest in me. Rest with me.”

As I write these words, God’s inexplicable peace settles over me.

And the fear, the anxiety, goes away.

Are you feeling unsettled? Not yourself? Take a moment and ask yourself: What am I afraid of?

Click below to read other posts in this series:

Part 1: “What’s the Matter?”

Part 3: “Fight or Flight?”

Part 4: “Another Way”

Part 5: “Putting Things in Perspective”

Part 6: “Anxiety from a Doctor’s Perspective”