Bustle – 9 Counterintuitive Ways To Stop Anxiety In Its Tracks, According To Psychologists

Sometimes we need new ways to stop anxiety so that we can get a healthier handle on this common emotion. Bustle asked me to weigh in on counterintuitive ways to stop anxiety, and I was very pleased to join in and help.

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First, you need to understand that anxiety is a very common biological response. “We’ve gotten somewhat confused about anxiety and have gotten the idea that it is something to be quelled and calmed,” licensed clinical psychologist and author of Hack Your Anxiety, Dr. Alicia Clark, tells Bustle. “In hearing how unhealthy anxiety can be, we have come to fear anxiety, and have complicated our relationship with this all-too-normal human emotion.” Reworking your response to anxiety can, in turn, change your relationship to these emotions in general.

A key to making this shift is facing anxiety head on, as scary as that seems. “Like diving into an oncoming wave, embracing anxiety to hear its message and use its energy is counterintuitive,” Dr. Clark says. “Our instinct is to avoid, but this only makes it worse. The more we fear anxiety, the more it escalates.” Getting to know your anxiety is actually really healthy.

Looking for more help with anxiety? Order my new book, Hack Your Anxiety, sign-up for book bonuses including a free mini-ecourse to help you understand how anxiety impacts your life and how to hack its most common challenges,or subscribe to my biweekly newsletter.