SESSION 20: SECURITY AND ANXIETY
Man's security comes from within himself, and the security of all men is founded upon the security of the individual.
Manly Hall
There are two sources of security:
External sources:
· wider society (e.g. a political system that respects human rights, a fair and efficient legal system, or an economic system that secures jobs)
· a group (family, club, religion, nation), personal image (professional role, status, wealth)
· individuals and objects (a partner, parent, lucky charm, cross, etc.)
Some of these sources may not always be reliable, which is why it is a good idea to consider the other sources that come from yourself.
Internal sources:
· Accepting uncertainty (like a surfer who enjoys the uncertainty of waves rather than trying to control them)
· Piece of mind (e.g. resolve inner conflicts, have clean conscience, know what you are doing and why)
· Self-control developed through self-discipline can be a major source of security because you know that you can rely on yourself
· Knowledge: learning how things work and why some events happen can increase security
· Faith in, for example, science, God, goodness, humankind, progress, etc., can also be an inner source of security as long as it does not contradict your experience or facts (false beliefs can work only temporary)
Anxiety and how to deal with it: Anxiety is linked to uncertainty. Uncertainty can make life more interesting, but the symptoms of anxiety can be sometimes a drag. This is how you can deal with them:
Anxiety can cause some physical reactions (sweaty palms, increased heart beat and pulse rate, shallow and fast breathing. etc.) which, in turn, can increase anxiety. One way of breaking this vicious circle is to deliberately induce opposite states, such as relaxing the body and deep, slow breathing (make sure that you breathe out fully). If reducing these symptoms doesn’t work, try to increase them (e.g. tingling sensations in fingers, heart beat, etc.). They will indeed increase for a short while, but then they will start subsiding and possibly completely disappear. It doesn’t matter what method is used, as long as you regain the sense of control.