Ways To Approach Decision-Making When You Have Anxiety

Suffering from anxiety can have repercussions in several areas of your life, making many moments throughout each day difficult. It can be challenging to conquer severe anxiety on your own, so you should consider seeking out a counselor who specializes in this topic to help put anxiety behind you. While anxiety can manifest in several ways, one struggle you may commonly experience is having trouble making decisions. With anxiety, you can often have a deep fear that whatever decision you make will be the wrong one. Here are some ways to approach decision-making to try to shift this belief.

Don't Try To Rush

The faster you need to make a decision, the tougher it can be — and the more anxiety you may feel. While there are occasional moments in which it's necessary to make a split-second decision, you'll generally notice that most decisions can allow for a period of calm thinking. When you're presented with the need to make a decision, don't try to rush an answer. Even if someone asks you something, you can specify that you'd like a few minutes to think of your answer. When you're able to slow down this process, it can help you to reduce your anxiety.

Make A List

If you feel your head swimming with ideas and your anxiety beginning to creep up, when you're trying to make a decision, grab a piece of paper and a pen. Jot down the two or more decisions that you're wavering between, and then begin making points for each of them. As you write out these points, you'll often notice that one of your ideas begins to look better. If you've written down multiple decision ideas, you can slowly eliminate them, until you're left with one idea — which you'll have proven is the best way to proceed.

Note Which Decisions Are Most Difficult

As you go through each day, try to keep a running tally of the decisions that you find most difficult to make. Write these down so that when you visit your counselor, you can share them. In many cases, counselors will be able to notice patterns that emerge, when you cite your examples. For example, you might have more anxiety when it comes to making a decision that could affect a family member or friend in any way. With this knowledge, your counselor can focus on this type of decision-making during your sessions.

For more information, talk to companies like Toby Beach Therapy.


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