As a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner starting her own tele-psychiatry practice, I am encountering anxiety about an unknown future. I remember telling many of my clients dealing with anxiety to “Take the bull by the horns” and overcome it. Much easier said than done!
How do you take the bull by the horns when so many factors are beyond one’s control? Anxiety is an “apprehensive uneasiness or nervousness usually over an impending or anticipated ill,” according to Mirriam-Webster dictionary. I have heard it said that depression is living in the past and anxiety living in the future. What happened to my present moment? I think I have been robbed of my present moment.
Consider anxiety an enemy. I have not been bullied but this is how anxiety feels to me. As I find myself worrying about the future, I am caught off balance in my mood. I sense a pushing and pulling at my mind. My thoughts are speedy and out of control like a car ready to crash. I do not like it and consider it my enemy.
These external factors are exactly that – external. In fact, when in conversation with others who are experiencing anxiety most of the conversation is related to the anxiety being rooted in external forces. The external circumstances and internal well-being and peace are not on even playing fields. Many external factors are uncontrollable but internal factors can be controlled by individuals.
Fight with self-efficacy. Making mental health about factors beyond one’s control decreases one’s self-efficacy. Albert Bandura coined this term self-efficacy as a person’s belief in her or his innate ability to reach goals. It is a personal judgment and belief about internal ability to deal with life. Please believe in yourself!
Fight with locus of control. When playing the victim or blaming others for negative feelings or hardships, external factors are being allowed to control you. You must recognize this in yourself. Make a list and focus on what can be controlled in circumstances. Focus only on yourself and ability to rise in stressful circumstances. This is not selfish, it is smart!
Make no excuses for yourself. You are the only one who can control what you let in your thoughts and mind. You must fight to retain your individual right to protect yourself. No one else will do it for you.
I am going to win this battle and so will you. This perpetual worry and anxiety must be addressed in our thoughts and minds. It must be reined in like a bull and tied back up in its stall. I oversee what is going on inside of me and so do you.
Anxiety related to specific mental health diagnoses. This blog only addresses anxiety related to change. In future upcoming blogs, I want to research and address for you the topic of anxiety as it relates to mental health diagnoses. Please stay posted and best wishes overcoming anxiety related to change!
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