I have a similar story with anxiety and I got mostly rid of it in steps, including therapy. I wish more people realized feeling constant worry about the world is not normal.
It’s not that the world is doing great, but that you or me worrying about it doesn’t have any benefit, so it’s unnecessary. We can’t control everything, so we should focus on what we can.
E.g. I live in the EU, so I didn’t vote for or against Trump. His crazyness does affect my life, but I literally cannot affect his behaviour in any way. So no need to obsess over it - I might roll my eyes over some headlines, but that’s it. I remember when I felt devastated in 2016 after he was first elected, and I felt paralyzed with fear and the lack of control I have. I’m so happy I’m not at that mental place anymore.
And again, I’m not gaslighting myself that the world is perfect. I’m accepting I can’t control everything, and focus my attention on the things I control in my life, and stop constant worrying on the million things I was anxious about. It’s very hatd to explain, took a lot of introspection and some therapy, but it’s possible. Therapist said I had general anxiety disorder (GAD) that I developed due to my mother’s constant negativeness and worrying. Now when I talk to her it’s so obvious, but I never realized it back then. Interesting how big an impact our childhood has on even those of us, who are lucky with regular middle-class upbringing.
Interesting, mine also came from my parents, I guess that’s more common than I thought!
I think 2016 is when it started for me too actually, and it was probably because of the upward trajectory we were on that then became obvious that we werent, at least not how I thought it would be, and I had to learn to cope with that
I have a similar story with anxiety and I got mostly rid of it in steps, including therapy. I wish more people realized feeling constant worry about the world is not normal.
It’s not that the world is doing great, but that you or me worrying about it doesn’t have any benefit, so it’s unnecessary. We can’t control everything, so we should focus on what we can.
E.g. I live in the EU, so I didn’t vote for or against Trump. His crazyness does affect my life, but I literally cannot affect his behaviour in any way. So no need to obsess over it - I might roll my eyes over some headlines, but that’s it. I remember when I felt devastated in 2016 after he was first elected, and I felt paralyzed with fear and the lack of control I have. I’m so happy I’m not at that mental place anymore.
And again, I’m not gaslighting myself that the world is perfect. I’m accepting I can’t control everything, and focus my attention on the things I control in my life, and stop constant worrying on the million things I was anxious about. It’s very hatd to explain, took a lot of introspection and some therapy, but it’s possible. Therapist said I had general anxiety disorder (GAD) that I developed due to my mother’s constant negativeness and worrying. Now when I talk to her it’s so obvious, but I never realized it back then. Interesting how big an impact our childhood has on even those of us, who are lucky with regular middle-class upbringing.
Interesting, mine also came from my parents, I guess that’s more common than I thought!
I think 2016 is when it started for me too actually, and it was probably because of the upward trajectory we were on that then became obvious that we werent, at least not how I thought it would be, and I had to learn to cope with that
Thanks for sharing your story