Epicurus told us that anxiety is worse than bodily pain. Present suffering soon passes; anxiety lasts a long time and undermines an otherwise happy life. He was right, and pharmaceuticals are not the answer; they only mask the problem. Many of them become less effective with time and I can think of one positively dangerous drug that makes things a lot worse.
Can anyone suggest any effective answers?
Hi Robert,
There are many answers to this question. One would be to distract yourself in some harmless way. Read a book. Watch the Comedy Channel. (Or Fox News in the US here). Take a walk in a pleasant venue, have lunch with a friend, and so on. The options are almost endless.
One thing to remember is, present troubles are NEVER permanent, even though we, seem to be programed to think that they are. Circumstances ALWAYS change, but what is necessary and natural doesn’t. And as Epicureans it’s all we need at the base.
Hope this helps! 🙂
Steve
Thank you, but I rather subscribe to the view that persistent background anxiety is actually chemical in nature, maybe an inherent trait in individuals and may be reduced a bit by reading a book but never eliminated. Outside events and circumstances might trigger particular attacks, but there are some people into whom anxiety is hard-wired. It is possible that this is an ancient survival mechanism, a way the human being deals with perceived or possible threats in a hunter-gatherer society where there is no law and no rules. I like the idea of the bell curve in things like this: there is the mass of people who occupy most of the curve, well-balanced and modestly anxious over specific matters. Then, at the extreme ends of the curve there are those who are either in a constantly elevated state of nerves or who are never anxious at all. Some think the latter have no imagination!
Come to think of it little has probably changed in ten thousand years.
Hi Robert,
You might find this advice helpful.
http://www.energybulletin.net/node/45535
Yes, some good ideas for everyone, although some of them are easier said than done. Thank you.
Robert said:
“I rather subscribe to the view that persistent background anxiety is actually chemical in nature, maybe an inherent trait in individuals.”
I strongly agree with your view. Because this sort of anxiety IS largely chemical in nature, it seems scientifically reasonable to hope that some chemical relief is possible, even if the search for helpful medications is still a relatively young one.