Mindful Anxiety Therapy in Whitestone, Queens

Mindfulness as a Tool in the Treatment of Worrying and Anxiety

Uncertainty may be understood as the basis for worrying. Once we become certain, worrying stops. The more uncertain we are, the more opportunity we have for worrying, and the more we worry the more anxious we’ll ultimately feel.

Worrying may be triggered by a lack of certainty regarding the occurrence of some future unpleasant event. It is important to recognize that the future is always uncertain. Worrying may also be triggered by being uncertain of some past event, such as: “did I lock the front door when I left the house?” This form of uncertainty may be due in part to being momentarily distracted, inattentive, leaving one to worry about some awful consequence, e.g., ”what if I didn’t lock the door and a burglar entered?”

Mindfulness, on the other hand, is the practice of being present, “in the moment”, fully engaged in one’s experience without judgment. Anxiety is always anticipatory. When we practice mindfulness, we learn to be present, in the moment, and fully conscious and aware, and process our actions as they occur. Being fully conscious and aware of our actions eliminates any uncertainty as to whether these actions have taken place. This state of being present can help reduce anxiety and promote a greater sense of calm and well-being.

Overall, practicing mindfulness can be a helpful tool in managing the relationship between uncertainty, worrying and anxiety. Being more mindful of our actions can eliminate or significantly reduce uncertainty based on inattention, and consequently reduce worrying and the suffering associated with anxiety.