Why anxiety isn't your enemy

Anxiety has become one of the most feared words in modern mental health. However, in daily clinical practice, we discover that trying to "eliminate" anxiety is often counterproductive.

What is anxiety really? Anxiety is not a factory defect or an invading enemy. It is a warning signal: the red light on the dashboard of your emotional structure letting you know that the engine is overheating or running out of oil. When we ignore the signal and keep accelerating, the system eventually collapses.

At CREI, we don't seek to silence the alarm, but to read it. What is your structure asking of you?

• Firmer boundaries?
• Permission to rest?
• A restructuring of unattainable expectations?

Understanding anxiety as a messenger changes the relationship you have with it, drastically reducing resistance and associated suffering.