Excessive Anxiety Linked To Shame, False Beliefs

May 29, 2000

In 1983, I joined the staff of a community mental health center in Rapid City, SD. Across the hall was a dynamic, enthusiastic and personable therapist, Rex Briggs. Within that first year, he resigned and went into private practice, specializing in the treatment of anxiety disorders.

Rex’s reputation as a therapist was excellent and I made referrals to his practice. He has since become a leader and speaker at the Anxiety Disorders Association of America. Recently Health Communications Inc, of Deerfield, Florida published Briggs’ first book, "Transforming Anxiety, Transcending Shame." He has had a national book tour and appeared on a nationally televised talk show addressing the impact and treatment of anxiety disorders.

Why is his book different? What insights does he have about anxiety disorders that causes his star to rise in the firmament of information-age gurus?

This is not a book about managing symptoms and looking backward over your shoulder wondering when the anxiety ‘bear’ is going to bite you. It is a book about making anxiety disorders understandable in simple, clear terms. It offers a pathway of hope and practical steps for healing and change.

Excessive anxiety versus normal anxiety. "Anxiety is generally considered a normal reaction if it is roused by a realistic danger and if it dissipates when the danger is no longer present. If the degree of anxiety is greatly disproportionate to the risk and severity of the possible danger, and if it continues even though no objective danger exists, then the reaction is considered abnormal." - Aaron Beck

Anxiety is a normal human reaction that is meant to keep us safe. Briggs cites Beck’s explanation of four reasons why healthy anxiety is useful. Anxiety feelings serve as, 1) a check against carelessness, 2) a spur to maturation, 3) a signal flag to underlying conflicts, and 4) to mobilize our bodies in response to danger.

Many symptoms of anxiety such as headaches, digestive disorders, heart palpitations, breathing problems, dizziness, chest pains and so forth are the body’s way of sending messages to make changes. According to Briggs, excessive anxiety is based on irrational perceptions of danger by bright, sensitive, creative people who use their imaginations against themselves based on false beliefs. Since the body doesn’t know the difference between real and imagined danger, the assumptions people make about danger becomes the source of their physical symptoms.

What is behind excessive anxiety? Excessive anxiety is based on feelings of inadequacy, helplessness, and a fear of what others think. Highly anxious people make a negative assessment that they don’t have what it takes to deal with the threatening situation. They worry about being trapped or out of control. Once emotions become attached to the irrational beliefs then anxiety sufferers limit their choices, live life narrowly and avoid uncomfortable situations. They see their physical symptoms of anxiety in the worst possible light. Their object of their worry is magnified by heightened self-monitoring.

Briggs contribution to the field of anxiety disorders is that he connects irrational beliefs and coping abilities to feelings of shame. Shame is a feeling that we are insignificant, a sense that we don’t belong, that we are not equal with others or that we are not good enough. It is lack of self-acceptance. It is a feeling that we are alone and have to solve problems on our own.

Many of these negative views of self come from childhood experiences: being ignored, being scared, being criticized, being overprotected, being neglected, abused or emotionally abandoned, and being exposed to inadequate role models. Briggs states, "Based on their respective histories, you can see how people with excessive anxiety are using their creative minds and intelligence to scare the heck out of themselves."

Core feelings of shame have also been connected with other problems such as rage, contempt, perfectionism, abuse of power, blaming, withdrawal, people-pleasing or caretaking, or by a variety of compulsive-addictive behaviors. Briggs adds anxiety disorders to the list.

Treatment Issues. Briggs addresses the feelings of isolation, irrational beliefs, lack of trust, feelings of not belonging and perceived inadequacy by restoring the human connection. "There is one thing, and only one thing, that heals our sense of shame - healthy, intimate human relationships." That is the basis for his doing anxiety treatment in groups and occasionally in combination with a one-to-one therapeutic relationship.

The groups are 16 weeks long and presented in a psycho-educational format. These sessions include a wide variety of topics: losing fear of symptoms, deep breathing and self-soothing, false beliefs, shame, goal setting, boundary setting and self-regard, healthy sexuality, conflict resolution, developing and maintaining loving relationships, dealing with loss, communication, relating to others, and spirituality/purpose in life.

People slowly face what they have been fearful of and gradually develop confidence to face situations they previously avoided with new skills. Anxiety doesn’t scare them. They recognize "excessive" anxiety as something that they do to themselves. They transcend their anxiety.

Through group support and new ideas they learn to:

develop a new vision for themselves
face life instead of avoiding it
are courageous instead of careful
learn to live life proactively instead of reactively
learn to live life passionately and confidently instead of trying to survive life
feel they belong.

That is more than managing symptoms, those are stepping stones to a more fulfilling life.

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	Val Farmer 35 Years of Counseling Rural Topics III. Farm Crisis and Stress 2. Coping Excessive Anxiety Linked To Shame, False Beliefs May 29, 2000 In 1983, I joined the staff of a community mental health center in Rapid City, SD. Across the hall was a dynamic, enthusiastic and personable therapist, Rex Briggs. Within that first year, he resigned and went into private practice, specializing in the treatment of anxiety disorders. Rex’s reputation as a therapist was excellent and I made referrals to his practice. He has since become a leader and speaker at the Anxiety Disorders Association of America. Recently Health Communications Inc, of Deerfield, Florida published Briggs’ first book, "Transforming Anxiety, Transcending Shame." He has had a national book tour and appeared on a nationally televised talk show addressing the impact and treatment of anxiety disorders. Why is his book different? What insights does he have about anxiety disorders that causes his star to rise in the firmament of information-age gurus? This is not a book about managing symptoms and looking backward over your shoulder wondering when the anxiety ‘bear’ is going to bite you. It is a book about making anxiety disorders understandable in simple, clear terms. It offers a pathway of hope and practical steps for healing and change. Excessive anxiety versus normal anxiety. "Anxiety is generally considered a normal reaction if it is roused by a realistic danger and if it dissipates when the danger is no longer present. If the degree of anxiety is greatly disproportionate to the risk and severity of the possible danger, and if it continues even though no objective danger exists, then the reaction is considered abnormal." - Aaron Beck Anxiety is a normal human reaction that is meant to keep us safe. Briggs cites Beck’s explanation of four reasons why healthy anxiety is useful. Anxiety feelings serve as, 1) a check against carelessness, 2) a spur to maturation, 3) a signal flag to underlying conflicts, and 4) to mobilize our bodies in response to danger. Many symptoms of anxiety such as headaches, digestive disorders, heart palpitations, breathing problems, dizziness, chest pains and so forth are the body’s way of sending messages to make changes. According to Briggs, excessive anxiety is based on irrational perceptions of danger by bright, sensitive, creative people who use their imaginations against themselves based on false beliefs. Since the body doesn’t know the difference between real and imagined danger, the assumptions people make about danger becomes the source of their physical symptoms. What is behind excessive anxiety? Excessive anxiety is based on feelings of inadequacy, helplessness, and a fear of what others think. Highly anxious people make a negative assessment that they don’t have what it takes to deal with the threatening situation. They worry about being trapped or out of control. Once emotions become attached to the irrational beliefs then anxiety sufferers limit their choices, live life narrowly and avoid uncomfortable situations. They see their physical symptoms of anxiety in the worst possible light. Their object of their worry is magnified by heightened self-monitoring. Briggs contribution to the field of anxiety disorders is that he connects irrational beliefs and coping abilities to feelings of shame. Shame is a feeling that we are insignificant, a sense that we don’t belong, that we are not equal with others or that we are not good enough. It is lack of self-acceptance. It is a feeling that we are alone and have to solve problems on our own. Many of these negative views of self come from childhood experiences: being ignored, being scared, being criticized, being overprotected, being neglected, abused or emotionally abandoned, and being exposed to inadequate role models. Briggs states, "Based on their respective histories, you can see how people with excessive anxiety are using their creative minds and intelligence to scare the heck out of themselves." Core feelings of shame have also been connected with other problems such as rage, contempt, perfectionism, abuse of power, blaming, withdrawal, people-pleasing or caretaking, or by a variety of compulsive-addictive behaviors. Briggs adds anxiety disorders to the list. Treatment Issues. Briggs addresses the feelings of isolation, irrational beliefs, lack of trust, feelings of not belonging and perceived inadequacy by restoring the human connection. "There is one thing, and only one thing, that heals our sense of shame - healthy, intimate human relationships." That is the basis for his doing anxiety treatment in groups and occasionally in combination with a one-to-one therapeutic relationship. The groups are 16 weeks long and presented in a psycho-educational format. These sessions include a wide variety of topics: losing fear of symptoms, deep breathing and self-soothing, false beliefs, shame, goal setting, boundary setting and self-regard, healthy sexuality, conflict resolution, developing and maintaining loving relationships, dealing with loss, communication, relating to others, and spirituality/purpose in life. People slowly face what they have been fearful of and gradually develop confidence to face situations they previously avoided with new skills. Anxiety doesn’t scare them. They recognize "excessive" anxiety as something that they do to themselves. They transcend their anxiety. Through group support and new ideas they learn to: develop a new vision for themselves face life instead of avoiding it are courageous instead of careful learn to live life proactively instead of reactively learn to live life passionately and confidently instead of trying to survive life feel they belong. That is more than managing symptoms, those are stepping stones to a more fulfilling life.