{"id":83292,"date":"2025-07-22T13:36:12","date_gmt":"2025-07-22T13:36:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/83292\/"},"modified":"2025-07-22T13:36:12","modified_gmt":"2025-07-22T13:36:12","slug":"4-ways-to-identify-and-escape-your-anxiety","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/83292\/","title":{"rendered":"4 Ways To Identify And Escape Your Anxiety"},"content":{"rendered":"

Nearly 1 in 5 Americans<\/a> has anxiety. So when my therapist said I was one of them, it wasn\u2019t a surprise. As a recent cancer survivor, busy mom of five, and a journalist immersed in terrible global news, I\u2019d heard that before. But I hadn\u2019t learned that feeling unsafe and out of control are actually two of four ways people with anxiety get \u201cstuck.\u201d That part was new \u2014 a pattern to the chaos?<\/p>\n

Suddenly, the condition wasn\u2019t just \u201canxious\u201d versus \u201ccalm\u201d \u2014 there were patterns and triggers I could understand. My therapist was referencing principles from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), schema therapy, and attachment theory, said Dr. Nicolette Natale<\/a>, psychiatrist and chief marketing officer at Recovered.org<\/a> in Bellmore, New York. <\/p>\n

For non-therapists, this means anxiety often stems from four common \u201ccognitive distortions\u201d or \u201ccore beliefs,\u201d Natale explained. \u201cIndividuals who have generalized anxiety disorder may ruminate or get stuck on thoughts associated with fear\/safety and lack of control, whereas someone with social anxiety may deal with more thoughts about self-worth or fear of judgment,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cCBT suggests that our thoughts, feelings and behaviors are connected, and that certain \u2018thinking traps\u2019 or belief systems often maintain anxiety,\u201d said Stacy Thiry<\/a>, a licensed mental health counselor at Grow Therapy.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what I discovered about the four ways anxiety traps us \u2014 and how to break free.<\/p>\n

\"\u201cWhen\u201cWhen people believe that in the future they won’t be safe enough, they feel anxious,\u201d said Eran Magen, assistant clinical professor at the Yale School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry.<\/p>\n

The Four Ways People With Anxiety Get Stuck<\/strong><\/p>\n

Feeling Unsafe<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cIf someone gets stuck in fear\/safety, they might constantly scan their environment for danger, catastrophize situations, or live in a near-constant state of hypervigilance,\u201d Thiry said. You might not even realize you feel this way. \u201cLooking at these thoughts with curiosity instead of fear is a major step,\u201d Natale said. <\/p>\n

\u201cWhen people believe that in the future they won\u2019t be safe enough, they feel anxious,\u201d said Eran Magen<\/a>, assistant clinical professor at the Yale School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry. He added that people in this situation might not trust themselves to be able to create a safe environment, or they might mistrust other people or factors, such as the weather. Safe might mean accepted in a social setting<\/a>, physical safety or something else entirely.<\/p>\n

Feeling Out Of Control<\/strong><\/p>\n

The pandemic, global unrest and events in our personal lives can leave anyone feeling unsure of what\u2019s next. \u201cIf it\u2019s lack of control, they might obsess over plans, schedules, or the future, because not knowing what\u2019s next feels intolerable,\u201d Thiry said.<\/p>\n

Blaming Ourselves<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cSelf-esteem\/self-blame often shows up as intense self-criticism<\/a>: \u2018I should have done more,\u2019 or \u2018It\u2019s my fault things turned out this way,\u2019\u201d Thiry said. \u201cFor those stuck in self-blame, self-compassion is essential, but it\u2019s not always intuitive. It helps to reframe your inner dialogue. Ask yourself: \u2018Would I say this to someone I love?\u2019 And for those struggling with trust, relational work, whether with a therapist or through secure relationships, can help slowly challenge those internalized fears.\u201d<\/p>\n

Distrusting Others<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cDistrust of others might look like chronic relationship anxiety, difficulty letting people in or assuming the worst in social settings,\u201d Thiry said. Maybe others have let you down in the past, or maybe you perceive they will in the future. Living in a world where you can\u2019t trust others is isolating \u2014 but you aren\u2019t alone.<\/p>\n

\"Identifying<\/p>\n

Daniel de la Hoz via Getty Images<\/p>\n

Identifying the sources of your anxiety through journaling is a good first step.<\/p>\n

How To Get Unstuck<\/strong><\/p>\n

Notice And Name It<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cStart by paying attention to what your anxiety sounds like in your mind. Does it focus more on your external environment (\u2018Something bad is going to happen\u2019)? Or more on yourself (\u2018I\u2019m not good enough,\u2019 \u2018I\u2019m going to mess this up\u2019)?\u201d Thiry asked. \u201cJournaling can help you spot patterns, especially if you track your anxious thoughts across a few days or weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stuck on how to notice those thoughts? She recommends the following questions:<\/p>\n