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Often we have a difficult time giving ourselves permission to heal health anxiety due to the overwhelming resistance that comes with things changing in our lives.
Giving ourselves permission to let go of worry and anxiety can be challenging due to a variety of psychological and emotional factors. Here are some reasons why it can be difficult:
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Fear of Loss of Control: Anxiety often gives individuals a false sense of control over potential negative outcomes. Letting go of worry may feel like relinquishing control, even though excessive worry doesn’t necessarily lead to better outcomes.
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Cognitive Habits: Over time, worrying can become a habit. The brain forms neural pathways associated with worry, making it easier for the mind to default to anxious thoughts. Breaking these cognitive habits requires conscious effort and practice.
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Negative Reinforcement: In some cases, worrying may be reinforced by occasional positive outcomes. For example, worrying about a potential problem might lead to taking preventive actions, and if the problem doesn’t occur, the individual might associate worrying with successful problem-solving.
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Catastrophic Thinking: Anxiety often involves catastrophic thinking, where individuals imagine the worst possible outcomes. Breaking free from this pattern requires challenging and changing these negative thought patterns.
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Enjoy!
Dennis
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Thank you so much for joining us. For you to begin your healing journey, visit anxietyexit.com to start the program today. Now, here’s your host, Dennis Simsek.
Permission to Change
Welcome, warriors, to the Health Anxiety Podcast, episode number 51.
If you’re ready to begin your health anxiety healing journey, head over to theanxietyguy.com today and learn more about my programs, blog posts, and all my previous podcast episodes on the main podcast, The Anxiety Guy Podcast.
Understanding the Inner Dynamics
Enjoy the website, theanxietyguy.com. And you know, today’s podcast episode is connected to a very simple but powerful topic. The topic is related to permission.
When I was suffering from health anxiety, I never realized that I was two parts. I was a subconscious or unconscious part, and I was a conscious part, two parts. And it was almost like I had to reteach myself things. I had to guide myself away from the old and towards the new in terms of belief systems.
Apologies for any confusion. I’ll add H3 headers to break up the topics in the “The Inner Dynamics” snippet:
The Inner Dynamics
Facing Fears and Embracing Change
And that part of me that was afraid, that part of me that was scared of change, that part of me that feared environments, that part of me that was ready to panic at any moment, that part of me that was afraid to experience a disease or an illness, I needed to listen to that part. I needed to guide that part. I needed to give that part. I needed to give that part of me permission to change. And this is important.
Understanding Your Dual Nature
I need you to go about your days understanding that you are two parts. You are the adult, recent, conscious, full of willpower, rational, logical, very smart and intelligent. And then you are the inner child. You are the subconscious, highly emotional, clinging on to past beliefs, storing those traumas deep within the mind and body, playing out in the present moment. These are called anxiety symptoms.
Give Permission to Change
Embracing Change and Recognizing Good
We need to give that part, that inner child part, permission to change. We have to let that emotional side of us know that it’s okay to change, number one, and all the good that’s going to come from change. Because one of the biggest things to healing health anxiety is giving yourself the ability to change. Giving yourself permission to change, number one, and recognizing all the good things that will come because of change, number two.
Confronting Fears and Comfort Zones
We’re so focused on the difficulties. We’re afraid to take that leap forward. We’re afraid to move away from our comfort zones connected to ways of thinking and ways of being and things we believed in. We’re afraid of change. We’re afraid of being vulnerable.
Dissatisfaction as Motivation
Acknowledging Dissatisfaction and Anger
But you know what? There was a day when I was so dissatisfied. I was so angry. I was dissatisfied with living with health anxiety, constantly checking every bodily symptom. And I said, enough is enough. I got angry, and anger was my motivation to change.
Opening Up Emotionally
And during those times of anger, I started opening myself up. And I realized that the pain was coming from me suppressing everything. And I began by putting a chair in front of me. And when I put that chair in front of me, I also put a past teacher in front of me. A teacher that was very hard on me. A teacher that emotionally abused me. A teacher that took out all their anger out on me.
Expressing Suppressed Emotions
Releasing Suppressed Fears and Guilt
And I said, you know what? I’m going to imagine this happening, this reconnection, this rebuilding of this relationship. And I began to speak. And boy, did I speak. I got emotional. I let them know that these fears, this blame, this guilt, this way of living, wasn’t mine. It was theirs. And I had to give it back to them. And I did this with all my relationships, one by one. And I said, you know what? I said, here you go. Here’s your fear back.
The Power of Emotional Expression
And I started to express myself rather than suppress everything because those anxiety symptoms are there because you’ve suppressed too much. And I cried. And I laughed. And I sweat. And I was okay with it because I was dissatisfied. Dissatisfied with living with fear. Afraid to take that big leap forward.
Comforting Your Inner Child
Acknowledging Emotional Needs
Today, I want you to give your inner child permission to change. When your inner child arises and you feel like these negative feelings are turning into emotions, comfort them. Comfort that inner child rather than distracting yourself to your phone. Just say, you know what? I’m here for you.
Becoming a Mentor to Your Inner Child
And many times, when we can be the person that we wanted when we were a child, and what starts to happen is we become a mentor to our subconscious minds. And when we become a mentor, a teacher, to our subconscious inner childs, we begin to heal.
Working with Your Emotional Side
So today, work with that emotional side of you, the symptoms, everything. Give yourself permission to change. And I promise you, the next step will be just in front of you. I love you from the bottom of my heart. If you’re enjoying this podcast, please give it a positive rating and review. A new podcast episode is out every month. And I’ll see you in the next podcast episode.
If you have any other questions on any of my programs, head over to theanxietyguy.com today. Have a wonderful day, warrior, and keep going with your progress. Great job. Bye-bye.
A Message to Warriors
Warriors, if you are enjoying this podcast, please subscribe and give it a positive, rate, and review. Also, don’t forget to check out the original Anxiety Guy podcast on iTunes with new episodes airing every Monday morning, Pacific Standard Time. Remember, you are more than anxiety. See you in the next episode.
