As an anxiety sufferer it is normal to feel like you’re all alone in the world. But according to some studies you are part of a growing number of people with an anxiety disorder. Some scientist believe that as much as 16% of the worlds population will have prolonged anxiety during their lifetime. That means that out of the worlds current population of 6.6 billion people a little over a billion of us will have problems with anxiety.
Clearly you have plenty of company and you are by no means a special case. In fact, anxiety disorder is one of the most common mental health ailments on the planet. It effects millions of people at any given time and can last from several weeks to several years. So what’s behind all the angst?
Much of this disturbing trend I think is rooted in the modern era and its ability to “bring out” anxiety in those that are prone to being anxious. There is no doubt that family history and brain chemistry are the usual suspects but it’s also our environment that contributes to our daily angst.
Think about the world as it is right now. It is easy to see why people are on edge and feeling a bit shaky. If enough uncertainty is created and talked about people will feel anxious even if they don’t know why. The world is more stressed out and anxious than ever it seems. This is not to say that people didn’t have problems circa 1521, but they also didn’t have to contend with the curse of knowing about every major event as it actually unfolded.
Before the advent of CNN and similar information outlets people got their news in chunks and had time to digest it. Today on the other hand, you can be watching the stock market, sports, and the most recent explosion all at the same time. There is definitely an information overload component to our anxiety disorder.
In addition people normally have way too much going on in their lives at the same time. There is school, work, sporting events, maybe a few violin lessons and that’s just the kids. People have hectic lives and they race from red light to red light as they make their way to the next really important “thing”.
Busy schedules and too much information have us on edge and the world seems to be headed for anxiety overload. Therefore you should take note of the obvious and not add to your daily angst. Unplug yourself from time to time and try to focus on the things you have influence over. Stay informed and occupied but just don’t drive yourself too hard. Your anxiety disorder is complex and is not just a “you” problem. It is an environmental (your surroundings) problem spurred on by the constantly changing world which you see changing at light speed. You can slow down your own world by reducing non essential tasks and not focusing on the next best disaster. Instead focus on yourself and those you love and stop the modern era’s tendency of robbing you of your peace of mind one little bit at a time.
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