Let’s talk about anxiety. It’s that nagging feeling of unease, that tightness in your chest, that constant hum of worry that seems to be the soundtrack of modern life.
We’re bombarded with images of perfection, pressured to achieve, and constantly connected – no wonder so many of us feel anxious!
But what if this uncomfortable feeling, this anxiety, isn’t something to be avoided, but something to be understood?
What if, by facing it, we could actually unlock a deeper sense of freedom and become more truly ourselves?
This blog, drawing on some insights from Jungian psychology, explores how we can conquer anxiety, not by running from it, but by leaning into the experiences that make us feel it.
“Man is not worried by real problems so much as by his imagined anxieties about real problems.” – Epictetus
What Is Anxiety, Anyway?
First, let’s get a clearer picture of anxiety. It’s that feeling of intense worry, unease, and apprehension – a sense of dread that can be triggered in countless ways.
We’re talking about acquired traumas and negative experiences from the past, deep-seated insecurities, the gnawing uncertainty of the future, and even those irrational fears that took root in childhood.
These triggers, in Jungian terms, often reside in the Shadow – that unconscious part of ourselves where we store repressed fears, weaknesses, and the experiences we’d rather forget.
Physical Symptoms
We can’t ignore the physical side of anxiety. This feeling can trigger panic attacks and serious somatic symptoms: muscle tension, sweating, tunnel vision, and stomach pain.
These aren’t just “in your head” – they’re real, physical manifestations of fear.
There are methods to help manage these symptoms, such as deep abdominal breathing, gentle stretching, or meditation. Sport is also a great outlet, a way to channel that anxious energy and ease the burden.
The Exam Room Nightmare
Imagine you’re a student, and you’re incredibly anxious about an upcoming oral exam. The roots of this anxiety could be tangled and deep.
Maybe this particular exam is extremely important to you? Perhaps you’ve even failed it a few times before?
What if, when you were younger, you were humiliated during an oral exam, and the anxiety stems from a fear of public speaking, of being judged in front of others?
Or, consider this: maybe your parents put immense pressure on you during your childhood, punishing you for poor grades.
That unresolved pressure might still be haunting you, manifesting as anxiety whenever you anticipate a result, a judgment, a performance.
All of this sounds pretty terrifying, right? You might even feel your stomach clench or your palms sweat just thinking about it.
And the awful truth is, it’s often not just one of these sources fueling the anxiety – it can be a combination, a tangled web of past experiences and present fears, amplifying that dreadful feeling.
The Unconscious Roots
Sometimes, the roots of our anxiety aren’t so obvious. They’re buried deep in our unconscious, hidden even from ourselves.
This is where Jungian psychology becomes particularly powerful. Working with a Jungian analyst, exploring your dreams, and identifying recurring patterns in your behavior can be incredibly revealing.
Dreams, in Jungian thought, are a direct line to the unconscious, offering symbolic clues to the underlying causes of our anxieties. By understanding these unconscious patterns, we can begin to address the root of the problem, not just the surface-level symptoms.
This deep dive can illuminate connections between past experiences, seemingly irrational fears, and the present-day anxiety we experience.
Social Anxiety
Let’s take social anxiety as a powerful example. The pandemic and the rise of the internet have, let’s be honest, somewhat crippled face-to-face interactions. The modern world is battling social anxiety more and more.
Talking to a stranger? For many, it’s far from pleasant. To develop this skill – to diminish that intense feeling we’re talking about – you have to go through the process of interacting with people.
Start small. Maybe it’s just making small talk with the cashier at the store, or the taxi driver. Then, you might stop someone on the street to ask for directions (even if you know where you’re going!).
Next, try to have a more in-depth conversation with colleagues at work that you don’t know well. And finally, you might even work up the courage to ask someone you find attractive out for a drink.
The Antidote to Anxiety
So, now that we’ve faced the beast and painted a vivid picture of what we’re up against, how do we actually deal with it?
The secret weapon, the antidote, the “magic potion” in your arsenal is labeled: “experience.”
Anxiety often thrives on the unknown, or on things we think we know because of past, negative associations. It’s that feeling that flares up before the actual event, dominated by uncertainty – the dreaded “what ifs.”
The way to resolve this uncertainty, to cut through the fog of fear, is to experience the very thing you’re anxious about – repeatedly.
We need to learn, through direct experience, that the consequences aren’t as catastrophic as our anxiety paints them to be, and that, believe it or not, positive outcomes are also possible.
To paraphrase Jung’s thought – the only thing that truly matters in psychological development is experience. Everything else is mere theory, and theory alone cannot lead to development, only experience can.
It Is Hard, and That’s Okay
This might sound easy in theory, but believe me, it’s not. Gaining experience – little by little, step by step – requires effort, time, and immense courage to overcome fear, even when that fear is irrational.
It’s a gradual process of integrating the Shadow, of facing those repressed fears and proving to ourselves that we are capable.
It’s also a bit unfair to expect one person to tackle all of this alone. That’s where psychotherapy comes in as a powerful ally in our fight against anxiety.
A therapist can be an invaluable guide, helping us uncover the origins of our anxiety, learn how to cope with it, and create a concrete, step-by-step plan to reach our goals.
Embracing the Fight
So, in the end, we’ve concluded that anxiety is a serious beast. But modern humanity isn’t about to surrender. We have a wealth of information, support systems, and evolving perspectives.
This gives us hope that we’ll continue to evolve and improve our treatments for this ‘new disease.’ And this little blog is our contribution to that effort!
We’re all in this together, and there is always a solution – we just need to stay persistent and embrace experience.
The more experience, the less anxiety. That should be our mantra.
