Understanding where your anxiety comes from can help you find effective ways on how to manage it. 

Identifying the original root of your anxiety consist of two processes: 

• Identifying what you’re really afraid of

• Understanding why you’re afraid of it

• This understanding can help you identify and work on hurtful patterns 

How to explore the root of your anxiety:

• Can be better done with the support of a mental health professional, who specializes in anxiety disorders

• Starts with managing your current anxiety symptoms so that you can think clearly and reflect

• Keeping a kind mindset:

• Listen to yourself with compassion, curiosity, and patience

• Getting to know with your anxiety:

• Understanding how your anxiety functions

• Noting:

• When your anxiety happens

• Where it happens

• What’s happening at that time physically and mentally

• How long the anxiety symptoms last

• Listing your fears:

• Making a list with “I am scared of…” 

• Ask questions about the list such as “when do I remember first having this fear?” or “what was going on at that time?”

• Diving into the anxiety- provoking situation:

• To stop fixating on the fear, try “fact checking” the consequences (ask yourself if this will really happen?)

• Exposure therapy can be an effective approach for treating anxiety

• Exploring the home life:

• Helpful to reflect on childhood

• Acknowledging, not blaming, your loved ones for the actions that might’ve hurt you

• Habits:

• Habits like alcohol use can worsen anxiety

• Noting if any new habits or sleep schedules changed 

Figuring out the root of your anxiety is a hard self- reflective process, but will be worth it in managing it and getting treatment for it.