Hello. From what you've said, it's clear you want to change your situation and stop being prone to anxiety.
Let's walk through your story together.
1. You're naturally anxious, easily nervous, and anxious when things go wrong.
2. You've learned a lot about psychology and have been paying attention to psychological regulation.
3. After learning a lot and making a conscious effort to adjust.
You still get anxious when you encounter things that matter to you, and you're constantly battling with yourself.
4. You hate this self-defeating aspect of yourself.
5. You feel like you've learned a lot about psychology and tried to adjust your mentality,
It's all useless.
6. You have a tendency to overthink and make things seem worse than they really are.
7. Others don't panic when things happen to them, but you can't do that.
8. Feeling unhealthy and incomplete, different from others
After reading your text, I really feel like there are two sides to you. One is pointing out the other's mistakes and trying to correct them, while the other is stuck between two options and really struggling.
You have this critical voice inside that judges and condemns you.
Your description got me thinking:
Every emotion has its own meaning.
We all welcome positive emotions like joy, happiness, and cheerfulness, but not negative emotions like guilt, sadness, anger, and anxiety. However, there isn't much we can do about when these emotions arise and when they disappear.
There's nothing we can do about them coming and going.
Let's think together. Even if these aren't great emotions, is there something unique about them?
What does anxiety tell us? What positive values can we find behind it?
Before a physical exam, I get anxious. It shows I care about my health and am afraid of something going wrong with my body.
Before an exam, I get anxious. This shows that I want to do well and that I'm feeling positive about it.
If I just muddle through, it doesn't matter if I get sick or die. Would we still be anxious before a medical exam then?
Then you might even forget about going for a medical checkup.
It's okay if you fail an exam. At worst, you'll just be delivering takeaways or carrying bricks in the future.
So, do we still care about exams? Maybe the exam is the next day, but the night before you play video games all night.
Anxiety means that we care about, value, want, and work towards things. These things give our lives meaning.
People who are anxious don't think life is meaningless.
It's not the anxiety itself that's scary.
The real problem is that the anxiety won't go away.
Anxiety can really affect studies, work, and life in general.
We don't have to see anxiety as the enemy. It's there to remind us of what we care about and cherish.
So, how can we stop worrying?
Anxiety happens in the mind and is a judgment made at the thinking level.
Our brains are wired to capture dangerous and negative information to help us avoid risks and improve our chances of survival.
This is a survival rule that our brains have evolved to run automatically.
We need to break this cycle and move from thinking to reality.
The brain feels anxious because it thinks the medical exam results might not be good.
At the reality level, we can see that…
1. I went to check the results of the physical exam.
2. If I really do get sick, I have insurance and savings to pay for treatment.
The brain thinks that failing the exam will have serious consequences.
Reality level:
1. Is it possible to retake this exam?
2. If I can't take the exam, are there any other ways I can boost my career prospects?
Give your anxious little voice a name, and when it pops up, tell yourself, "There goes my anxious little voice."
Remind yourself that anxiety is part of the picture, but you have problem-solving skills.
I can handle this. It's going to be okay.
I'd like to draw your attention to the following points:
The thing that really gets the anxious little person going is the thought of messing things up. You know, academic failure.
Career setback. Love setback.
I think we can all agree that life is a failure.
It's afraid of these things the most.
So, let's aim to increase our successful experiences, as well as our sense of control and achievement.
These positive experiences can start with small things.
I made a great breakfast today, and I'm really happy with how it turned out.
I have a few plants that are thriving, and I'm pretty good at taking care of them.
I played badminton with someone for an hour today. I had good stamina and my skills were decent. I exchanged smashes and kills with the other person several times.
I walked 8,000 steps today, which is pretty good.
I've been able to get this week's work done in an orderly manner and organize my tasks accordingly.
...
...
Instead of dwelling on emotions like anxiety, we focus on what we can do and how we can handle each situation as it arises.
The little anxiety character is like a student who makes a fuss in class on purpose.
Just ignore it and let it cool down.
Just do what you need to do.
It will also die down. There's no need to worry about it.
The main thing to remember is:
In general, there are three parts to our inner selves: an inner parent, an inner child, and an inner adult. These three parts switch in and out.
I'd like to give you an example from my own experience.
The inner parent is the embodiment of harshness and is very strict. They have high standards and high demands.
It's never enough. There's always something more.
The inner child is lively, cute, romantic, and naïve. I enjoy petting kittens and getting emotional during touching parts of a movie.
I tend to be quite emotional and impulsive. I'm generally kind to others without thinking.
I really dislike seeing other people suffer.
As an adult, I'm more level-headed. I consider the pros and cons, keep my emotions in check, and stand up for what I want.
I also accept it when I can't do it.
If the inner child simply takes control of my external body, I tend to be especially lively and cute during that time. I also become silly, innocent, talkative, and my emotions are relatively high. I enjoy playing.
I enjoy snacking.
If the adult controls the external body, I'm more methodical and not as carefree. I'm dependable and a bit uninteresting.
Not very amusing.
The worst thing is when the inner parent and child appear together. One is scolding the other.
Then I'm at a loss. I don't know what to do.
It feels like it can't do anything right. It has no confidence at all.
It's really frustrating.
At this point, the external self will step in to support the inner child. Offer encouragement and comfort.
Tell it that it's okay to make mistakes.
The inner child is our true self—the most authentic part of ourselves.
The inner parent is basically our superego, the part of us that punishes.
As we grow up, we need to learn to balance our ego, id, and superego.
I grew up with very anxious and strict parents. I was afraid of them for a long time.
I'm worried she'll scold me.
Over time, this external voice of condemnation becomes internalized, and when I encounter challenges, I become afraid. I'm afraid that I'll fail.
Fear of failure.
I believe that people who are particularly prone to anxiety did not receive enough love and support as children. They were not accepted or supported in the way they needed.
So, the self isn't very stable, and there's a stronger desire for external recognition to gain a sense of self-worth.
To sum up, there's a lack of unconditional love.
We weren't loved unconditionally.
Anxious as we are, when we grow up, we need to try to nourish the timid and fearful child within, support it as it grows up, and build up lots of small experiences of success to increase a sense of control and accomplishment in reality.
With time, anxiety will have less and less of an impact on us.
So, anxiety isn't a disease. It's not a reflection of someone's character.
We just need to take better care of our inner child—give it confidence, encouragement, support, and love.
I hope this has been helpful.
Comments
I can totally relate to how frustrating it feels when you've worked so hard on yourself but still get triggered by certain situations. It's like taking two steps forward and one step back. Anxiety has a way of making us question all the progress we've made. Yet, remember that each time you face your anxiety, you're actually strengthening your resilience.
It's important to recognize that having moments of setback doesn't mean your efforts are wasted. Think about it as part of the journey rather than a failure. Everyone's path is unique, and sometimes we need to be patient with our own healing process. Maybe acknowledging that these feelings are normal could help ease the pressure you put on yourself.
Sometimes it's not about stopping the anxious thoughts but changing our relationship with them. Can you try viewing these thoughts as just passing clouds in the sky of your mind? They don't define you or your health. When the anxiety starts creeping up before a checkup, perhaps there's a comforting ritual or relaxation technique you could turn to, something that centers you.
Your dedication to selfimprovement shows strength, not weakness. It's okay to have setbacks; they offer lessons too. Could this be an opportunity to explore what triggers your anxiety most deeply? Understanding the root might give you more control over your reactions. And if it feels overwhelming, seeking professional support can provide new coping strategies.
The fact that you're aware of your patterns and working on them is already a huge victory. Sometimes, accepting that anxiety is part of who you are right now, without letting it dictate your worth, can be incredibly freeing. It's about living with it rather than fighting against it constantly. How can you make peace with this part of yourself?