2023-06-25 04:36:38
6.7% of the population in Spain lives with anxiety, exactly the same number of people with depression. In both, it is more than double in women (9.2%) than in men (4%), according to data from the Mental Health Confederation Spain. Anxiety affected Ferran Cases since he was 15 years old. It came to produce bodily paralysis. Ever since he got over it, he has worked to help fight it. Casses has written several books on mental health.
His latest post, ‘The Little Big Book of Anxiety’, analyzes all aspects related to the disease in a very systematic and practical way. The author warns that his testimony is that of a person who is not a professional, doctor or psychologist, and points out that although his personal experience may be valuable, «does not replace the perspective of a health professional».
And he adds that his main objective is “to simplify complex problems so that they are more accessible to everyone.” To which he adds: “I address issues related to neuroscience, psychology, but also with meditation, Chi Kung and yoga.
If I think something can be helpful, I share it with others.” In his opinion, the society we live in today definitely favors suffering from anxiety. «We are over-informed, and so much news flooding us can overwhelm us and drag us towards worry. Social networks confront us, by comparison, with a relentless competition with others, in which we often feel dissatisfied and inadequate».
On the other hand, “social, work and economic expectations impose a burden on us that sometimes seems unbearable and leads us to be very self-demanding with ourselves. In addition, it seems clear that the uncertainty and instability in which we live further fuels anxiety.
The possible solutions
Anxiety can become very disabling and transmit a state of anguish and fear that must be identified, calmed and treated. In the words of Ferrán Casess, to overcome anxiety we must approach it from two parallel fronts. «The first is the physiological or biochemical aspect, which will help us to reduce and eliminate the symptoms. This includes actions that we can take for our mental health, such as practicing sports and improving our diet, for example. The second approach is psychologicalwhich although it can be slower, is essential to ensure that the anxiety does not reappear in the future.
Social, work and economic expectations impose a burden on us that sometimes seems unbearable and leads us to be very self-demanding with ourselves.
«This approach involves getting to know ourselves, analyzing how we interpret the world around us and how we can reinterpret it differently. In this way, we will be able to overcome our fears and face them successfully. One of the important notions developed in the book is understanding that anxiety nothing in particular causes itbut is produced by the thoughts we have about those events “In the book I transformed that idea into the following: we do not experience anxiety because of what happens to us, but because of how we interpret it.”
We do not experience anxiety because of what happens to us, but because of how we interpret it
And he explains that “this perspective can be difficult to accept, especially if we are trapped in the cycle of anxiety. It is easier to blame society, work or our partner than to assume before our own responsibility». However, he considers that, faced with the same situation, some people experience anxiety while others overcome it with little suffering and learning from the experience. «Life itself shows us that everything depends on our interpretation».
The role of neurobiology and neuroscience
Casses considers that to combat anxiety it is very useful to have a basic knowledge of neurobiology and neuroscience. «It is without a doubt one of the best tools, at an informative level, that we have to overcome anxiety, since it provides a solid base on how the brain works and how emotions are processed, which results in a increased self awareness y better symptom management». Furthermore, he adds, neuroscientific knowledge helps destigmatize mental health disorders by recognizing that anxiety is the result of brain processes and not simply personal weakness. And that, “I assure you that as a person who is suffering, it is very reassuring.”
formulas that work
We must first calm the body and then calm the brain, so there are many tools we can use, he says. Thus, «we must remember that anxiety is a pathology multifactorial and therefore requires an approach multidisciplinary to treat it properly. The author conveys his experience: «The yoga It has helped me alleviate my symptoms by relaxing my nervous system through stretching and mindful breathing. On the other hand, The philosophy It has been and continues to be useful for me to understand the world around me and to get to know myself better. In the end, the important thing is to understand that we will have to consider various tools and approaches to address anxiety effectively, just one will not work.” Every one of the strategies he has used has been valuable in his fight against anxiety. “Anxiety has taught me to keep a open mind already apply a critical thinking in everything I do”, concludes Casse.
#rid #anxiety