Introducing our manifesto

If you go to a therapist to improve your mental health, there is a key ingredient to the relationship: being on the same wavelength. If you believe one thing and your therapist believes something different, you are going to struggle to make it work.

The exact same thing is true in other contexts too. Your relationship with us, for example. If you see anxiety differently to the way I see anxiety, we are going to end up working at cross purposes.

Therefore, we have written a manifesto to spell out what we believe about anxiety. It is the five points that guide how we do things. Do you agree with them? Read on to find out...

Anxiety is a normal human emotion

Occasionally, I hear mental health professionals say things like "anxiety is not a normal state". This is not the case. In fact, anxiety is an essential part of life. It is the reason we look both ways before crossing the street.

A more accurate way to look at anxiety is to recognise it as a natural and useful tool that the human body has.

Of course, it is difficult to feel that way when you feel like anxiety is ruining your life. For many of us, the level of anxiety that we experience can be so high that it gets in the way of us achieving our goals and leading the life we want to live. This is when anxiety becomes a problem.

When it comes to fixing this problem, what we are looking to do is to reduce anxiety down to a level when it is once again a useful tool, and no longer a hindrance to our lives.

Anxiety should not control our lives

Anxiety might be something we have had for a long time, and perhaps something we were born with. However, that does not mean that there is nothing we can do about it.

We believe that it is possible to change how we think, and reduce our levels of anxiety. It may be difficult, it may be hard work, but it can be done. We choose to do something because we want to be in control of our lives, not anxiety.

The best way to control anxiety is through lifestyle

A healthy lifestyle forms the basis of a healthy mind. Without this strong foundation, we will struggle to do anything about our anxiety.

That is not to dismiss therapy or drugs. These are important tools too. However, it all starts, and ends, with a lifestyle designed to support good mental health. Clean living, healthy eating, strong social networks and active participation in communities all form part of this.

Our approach should be evidence-based

We all have things that we have found personally help us with our mental health. When pressed, maybe we could not explain why they work, simply that they do.

This makes complete sense when we are working from a personal perspective. If it makes you feel better, why not do it? However, here at Worfolk Anxiety Management, when we publish something, we aim to hold ourselves to a higher standard.

If we are going to tell people all over the world that something works, we want to be able to back that statement up with clinical evidence. That way, when we offer some advice, you can use it in the knowledge that it has already helped many other people.

Together we are stronger

For a long time, mental health was a taboo. It was something to be ashamed of. Increasingly, this is no longer the case. Research across the board shows that more people now feel about to talk about mental health and accept others with mental health issues.

This is important because having an open and honest society that feels it can seek treatment for mental health issues is the foundation of a healthy society. We want everyone to come together for mutual support and understanding.

Conclusion

That is the list: our five pillars, if you will, laying out our core beliefs about anxiety and how we should tackle it. If you find you agree with us on most of these points, then we are on the same wavelength. Here is to a brighter future of mutual understanding and compassion.

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Published 2 January 2017. Written by Chris Worfolk.