Help me stop hiding from anxiety

FLICKR image by Silvia Sala

In this week's podcast we're answering a listener's question about help with hiding from anxiety.

Hi, I hide from my anxiety with video games. I use brute force, fighting with myself to cope but there is so much pain that I need to numb. I'm working with my doctor, but do you have any tips?

Points covered in this podcast include:

- hiding is an understandable response to anything that causes us pain, especially anxiety

- there are many ways people hide from anxiety: TV, alcohol, recreational drugs and video games are some of the most common choices

- to escape into a game is not so harmful as some other choices, but it does present it's own challenges that, in the long term, won't help you recover from anxiety

- video games stimulate the nervous system and can cause adrenalin spikes if you are intensely engaged in battle or role playing quests

- the last thing we want to do when we feel anxious is face anxiety head on - it hurts us and it makes us feel scared so we want to avoid it

- the answer lies in finding ways that we can feel safe relaxing: reducing stress and adrenalin and finding ways we can be OK to be with ourselves

- initially this sounds uncomfortable, but there are ways to do it that can help you pre-occupy your mind so you can begin to manage anxiety without having to fight it head on

- for this we recommend soft martial arts like tai chi, where you can move your body with full concentration and awareness

- yoga is also ideal for pre-occupying your mind mindfully and overcoming anxious feelings


- EFT tapping is excellent for calming feelings of wanting to hide from anxiety and any other unwanted emotions or painful feelings you are fighting

Listen to the full podcast here (if your browser doesn't show the podcast player please listen on iTunes)

Recommended Resource: EFT for Anxiety Relief

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