ANXIETY

Definition of Anxiety:
A feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease about something with an uncertain outcome.

Synonyms of Anxiety:
Worry, concern, apprehension, unease, fear, fretfulness, angst, tenseness, stress, etc.

These notes are from recovery in AA and/or related 12 step programs.
Readers are encouraged to click the external link for more detail.
We hope you find them helpful.

Love in fellowship.

Some of us suffer from a free-floating anxiety that is like a general fear.
Whatever the fear, we must apply our principles to the problem, take any reasonable action and then place the outcome in God’s hands.

This will not bring permanent victory over fear.
It will however, give us confidence in the program as a tool for dealing with fears that arise in the future. –Walk In Dry Places/Mel B. | More…

When we could not let go, when we did not know how to turn our life and our will over to the care of God, we became more and more anxious. Then we turned to our addictive or codependent escapes from anxiety and wilfulness. It is the folly of our age to try to take charge of everything. We are following a more peaceful and more successful way.
We are doing our part and receiving the benefits that come to us. –Touchstones | More…

Anxiety is the difference between now and then. Before recovery, I had a hard time staying in the present. Without permission my mind would race into the future where it was quickly mired in anxiety and the dread of “What’s going to happen then?” What I didn’t realize was that I was using drugs and alcohol because they brought me back to the now, and in the present everything was (and always is) OK.

But then they stopped working and what a dark time in my life that was. Without the immediate ability to be present, my mind galloped into the future like a pack of wild horses. At times it was all I could do to hang on, but over time I learned new ways to get present and, as one speaker said, to “Be where your feet are.”

What I’ve learned over the years is that my serenity today is directly related to how much time I spend in the now. Oh sure I have to plan ahead, but I’ve learned that after I do, it’s important to put the tool of my mind down and return to the present. And once I’m back here, right now, I’m once again safe and free from worry. I now understand that anxiety is the difference between now and then. –Wisdom Vol. III/Wisdom of the Rooms

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Anniversary anxiety is something many of us experience in recovery.
For the preceding days or weeks, we’re aware of the upcoming anniversary and its implications.

We may anticipate speaking at a meeting or celebrating with recovering friends. Will we measure up to their expectation? To our own? It helps to know that this phenomenon is a common one.

If you’re experiencing it, one of the best antidotes is to share your concerns, both at meetings and with a sponsor. –If You Want What We Have/Joan Larkin | More…

Anxiety Attack: How do we break an anxiety attack?
First, we stop.  We can’t deal with everything at once, so we stop for a moment to let things settle.

Then we take a “spot inventory” of the things that are bothering us.
We examine each item, asking ourselves this question:  “How important is it, really?”

In most cases, we’ll find that most of our fears and concerns don’t need our immediate attention.
We can put those aside, and focus on the issues that really need to be resolved right away.

Then we stop again and ask ourselves, “Who’s in control here, anyway?”
This helps remind us that our Higher Power is in control.

We seek our Higher Power’s will for the situation, whatever it is.
We can do this in any number of ways: through prayer, talks with our sponsor or NA friends, or by attending a meeting and asking others to share their experience.

When our Higher Power’s will becomes clear to us, we pray for the ability to carry it out.  Finally, we take action. Anxiety attacks need not paralyze us.  We can utilize the resources of the NA program to deal with anything that comes our way. –Just For Today | More…

Restlessness is born of frustration. We can learn from our restlessness, if we let it guide us to our inner reservoir of peace and spiritual support. Restlessness indicates our distance from our Higher Power. Restlessness is self-centered. Restlessness is a barometer that reveals my spiritual health. Perhaps prayer is called for today. –Each Day a New Beginning | More…

Fear of the unknown, often referred to as free-floating anxiety, catches up to us on occasion. Shifting our focus, from self-centered fears to another person’s needs, offers us a perspective on our own life. –Each Day a New Beginning | More…

Anxiety is the difference between now and then. Before recovery, I had a hard time staying in the present. Without permission my mind would race into the future where it was quickly mired in anxiety and the dread of “What’s going to happen then?” What I didn’t realize was that I was using drugs and alcohol because they brought me back to the now, and in the present everything was (and always is) OK.

But then they stopped working and what a dark time in my life that was. Without the immediate ability to be present, my mind galloped into the future like a pack of wild horses. At times it was all I could do to hang on, but over time I learned new ways to get present and, as one speaker said, to “Be where your feet are.”

What I’ve learned over the years is that my serenity today is directly related to how much time I spend in the now. Oh sure I have to plan ahead, but I’ve learned that after I do, it’s important to put the tool of my mind down and return to the present. And once I’m back here, right now, I’m once again safe and free from worry.

I now understand that anxiety is the difference between now and then. –Wisdom Vol. III