Your Fears vs Your Reality
By Kaitlin Costarene
As we transition back to our lives this semester in this new version of normal, most of us have experienced some level of anxiety or worry over the past few months, whether it has been acknowledged or not. Feeling anxious is a normal, human emotion, one that should be processed and understood before it is immediately dismissed. If you feel anxious or ever have, welcome to the club! This semester, some of us are back on campus and some of us remain in our hometowns, taking classes remotely. While we may differ in where we are physically, we are tied together under one emotion: fear of the unknown.
Reflecting back on these past few months in quarantine, I have come to know my fears more than I ever have before. In the midst of this unknown, anxious time, I have felt my very worst, but I have also learned so much about how to get back to my very best. I’d like to share some of my thoughts with you in hopes that they might help you when you find yourself going through a difficult time.
First and foremost, I’ve learned that your thoughts often reflect your fears, not your reality. If you let them, your fears can become your truth. Oftentimes, your brain will hold so tightly to one paralyzing thought, and before you know it, you are living it. If you allow your thoughts to control you, they will, but you have the power to prevent that from happening. As someone with personal experience in this area, I have finally gained some control over my thoughts, and in turn, I gained a bit more control over how I react to anxiety-inducing situations. Remember, you are bigger than any of your fears, so do not let them consume you. You have the power to identify a negative thought, and to then change it.
When you find yourself spiraling deeper and deeper into an anxious state, try to make the conscious effort to counteract the negative thought that overwhelms your mind. One way to do this is by reminding yourself of evidence or data that support a positive thought that opposes the negative one. More often than not, you will find that this strategy is quick, logical, and simple. Data and evidence will support the positive thought far more often than they will support the negative thought. Another solution is to try to stop playing out painful scenarios in your mind that don’t exist in the present moment. Instead, deal with things as they come, one at a time. You are not gaining anything from worrying about the “what if’s” of life. Remind yourself of this regularly – it can be easy to forget.
Being aware of how your brain operates, especially when it is in an anxious state, is crucial to understanding how to control your fears and anxieties. Regardless of the situation, remember that your fears are most certainly not your reality. Whether it’s a fear of coming back to campus, a fear of the current state of the world, or a fear of your own thoughts, please know that we all fear the unknown. Anxieties can make those fears affect some of us more than others. Learning how to cope with your anxieties can help mitigate them. As we all try to keep our bodies healthy in the midst of this global crisis, we must also remember to keep our minds healthy, leaning on others for help and support when we need it.
