The National Institute of Mental Health estimates 29% of US adults will experience an anxiety disorder during their lifetimes.  Lets look at what anxiety is from my perspective.

An anxiety is a broad based fear that something “bad”or not wanted or not preferred is going to happen.  People have said to me “it feels like there is a cloud or sword hanging over my head.”   What they are describing is the emotional response to life when we view life through the rose colored glasses of fear.  Fear ensues when we believe that we are not going to experience the happiness that we desire.  That someone or something won’t go the way we expect, which will result in us being sad, disappointed, grieved, etc.

So we fear “not being happy” or that our source of eternal happiness may change, shift or be denied and then feel anxiety.  This is really the tip of the iceberg because in reality, the current feelings are really a projection of many unresolved conflicts within ourselves, our family’s and our society.

Here’s a small exercise to pursue:

Regardless of what your conscious mind thinks is the cause, resists the impulse to name, judge, diagnose or “fix” the “anxiety”.  Simply practice the 4 Square Breathing we speak of as BEST practitioners.  Breathe in for 4 seconds, hold that breathe for 4 seconds, breathe out for 4 seconds and hold that breath out for 4 seconds.  Repeat this until you feel a physical, mental or emotional shift.  This could take up to an hour, yet if you do not retreat, but embrace how you feel you can progress on your healing journey.  Or you can judge it, run from it, medicate it and create a health time bomb which will eventually need to be faced.  It’s your choice – choose wisely.

In Health & Service,

Dr. Roland F. Phillips Jr., BA, BS, D.C.