Anxiety Friend or Foe?
- Craig Brown
- Oct 5, 2020
- 3 min read
How to use your anxiety to your advantage
Anxiety has always been an issue but in the last two decades it has become even more evident and profound. Anxiety can definitely be a very difficult challenge to overcome but let’s not forget that it as a natural response.
It is a common occurrence for people to give in to and respect their anxiety more than is necessary. Out of fear some even self-diagnose themselves with severe anxiety altogether with out being diagnosed by a mental health counselor.
What happens is when you are faced with a situation that causes you anxiety the body responds by flight, flight or freeze. But you may be surprised to hear that there are benefits to anxiety too...... Yes I said Benefits.
The fight, flight, freeze response of the body can actually be helpful in the following ways.
Your body knows that’s the situation is dangerous or important to you.
You are more alert to dangers
Your focus is sharper
Your body redirects all blood and available energy to your muscles in case you need to make an escape, freeze to the point you resemble a statue or fight for your survival.
You can use this state to
Respond faster because that available available energy and adrenaline.
Block out other distractions.
Have tunnel vision towards achieving your goal.
In a challenging situation
Flight can be compared to running because the danger or opponent is too strong. In a combat situation this could mean using a lot of footwork and movement to make yourself harder to hit. In a situation where there is no winning by attacking it head on, it may be better to walk away.
Freeze could be related to having an opponent/situation that is stronger than you if you go head to head but would also defeat you if you ran.
If this is an opponent who pounces at the smell fear, or a situation that you can neither fight or run from, freezing or standing your ground may be the best option.
As by this, they will think you know something they don’t know and may feel reluctant to take the risk incase you have a surprise for them. Situation-wise, it could be a situation that need to weather until it passes.
Fight of course is when you know you are the more than capable of overcoming the challenge ahead.
But even this can be taken for granted. I mean, how many times have seen players or teams loose to people they just are not meant to. There are also situations in which we expect there to be little resistance that turn out to be a lot tougher when tackling them. So in this case, It’s best not to take it easy or for granted but it’s important to stay confident, consistent and deal with the threat quickly.
As much of this is automatic, having a simple, well rehearsed game plan is important when you first start work at attacking the situation and using your anxiety to your advantage.
When you get better at managing this state, this can get more sophisticated.
To check out my video from my YouTube Channel on this topic click the link below:
As always, Thank you for reading, hope this was helpful. Please leave your comments or questions in the comment box below share this post, and if you haven’t already please subscribe/become a member so that you get notified when my next blog post comes out.
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