Causes of Anxiety

Kekich Credo #97 - Anxiety is usually caused by lack of control, organization, preparation and action.

Anxiety is usually caused by lack of control, lack of organization, lack of preparation, and lack of action.

The signs and symptoms of anxiety include feelings of restlessness, or being wound-up or on-edge. You may be irritable, easily fatigued or have difficulty concentrating.  

Anxiety can be caused by a lack of control.  This lack of control can cause a powerless feeling in the face of fears and worries. Be aware of your feelings, check your mindset, focus on what you can control and spend time doing things that are meaningful to you.

The desire for control may be rooted in a fear of uncertainty. An overbearing person tries to control other people’s behaviour and ignores the opinions and feelings of others. For some people, the need to control everything can become all-consuming.  Having a controlling personality is not considered to be a personality disorder but a control freak often has no coping skills when stressed. 

When a person tries to control or manipulate others, he or she can be intimidating, overbearing, and domineering in their efforts to get their way. When a person tries to control others, it can be a form of abuse.

Lack of preparation also results in stress and anxiety.  Being prepared or ready for a future event can reduce fear and anxiety. When you are working ahead of time, you have time to do something properly.  You have time to think carefully about what you are doing and you have time to get any extra information you might need.  Preparation is being proactive rather than reactive.  You can manage problems much quicker and more efficiently because you are prepared.  

A lack of preparation can result in a poor performance.  As a student, if you aren’t prepared for a test you will have feelings of anxiety heading into an examination.  If you are a speaker and haven’t prepared your notes or powerpoint presentation you will be stressed out about your upcoming event.  If you haven’t practiced your pieces thoroughly, you won’t be prepared for the musical performance you are scheduled to participate in.

A lack of organization means that communication deteriorates and delays in getting things done occurs. Organization is necessary otherwise responsibilities are often neglected. Disorganization means people may not know who needs the information or where to send important messages.  Having a plan in place is important. Get organized.  Focus on what is important.  Remind yourself of your goals. Make daily, weekly and monthly to-do lists and manage your time well. 

Take Action!  Lack of action or inaction is the failure to do anything. This credo statement says lack of action is another cause of anxiety.  So to reduce anxiety focus on what you can control, do some planning and preparation, get organized, and take action.

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