Attention and Anxiety

When people have a anxiety disorder, there are usually a number of triggers in the environment that cause in them the anxious symptoms. But the main factor in that equation isn't necessarily the presence of the triggers... it's the attention that the anxious person pays to them.

As a person with a specific anxiety disorder goes along her daily life, the mind finds itself scanning the surroundings for that feared something. This can often lead to panic by antecipation (worrying about the possibility of finding a threat). So, in view of this, anything that can distract the mind is an effective coping strategy, in the sense that it eliminates not only the worry, but also the probability of being triggered. Here are a few examples:

- Listening to music (be careful when using headphones on the street)
- Talking to another person
- Calling a friend
- Reading a book or magazine
- Doing favorite activities
- Focus on a specific harmless element of the surroundings

As for professionals, one of their tasks can be to help the anxious person find these coping strategies or activities, taking advantage of the distraction strategy, helping to take attention away from the stimuli that trigger the disorders.

Disorders don't need to take over your mind (and life)... your mind can be a great help in taking over the disorders.