In recent years I have noticed an increasing number of people seeking help for anxiety, and this seems to be, not only in Christchurch where it might be expected to some extent, but also a national phenomenom. Why is this? What is happening that we are becoming a nation of persistent worriers.

One reason might well be that every day, in the papers and on TV, we are confronted with graphic descriptions and pictures of disasters, wars, terrorist attacks, death and mayhem on the roads. We are constantly being warned by politicians that unless we agree to more and more restrictive and controlling policies, we are at risk from terrorists, hackers, predators, fraudsters etc.

Of course, bad things do happen in the world and we do need to be responsible about our own safety and the safety of our families/whanau. However, good things happen too, but they don’t get nearly as much publicity as the disasters.

When the earthquakes were happening daily (and more frequently) in Christchurch, I stopped watching the news after a while because much of it was repetitive, and just watching it reinforced the trauma I had experienced. We have to limit our exposure to this kind of secondary trauma. 

Our past experiences have an effect on how we deal with present day situations. This is normal. Understanding that, means that we are less likely to get into self-blaming. For example, if you have been bitten by a dog when you were a child, then you are likely to be nervous around any dog in the future. If your parents were worriers, then you probably picked that up.

The present situation that you are worried about has to be faced. If you are filled with worries about a number of situations, then check out those worries. Dealing with the truth, even if it is painful, is always better than not knowing but worrying anyway. 

Some things cannot be changed, but others can be. We have the responsibility for deciding which is which, and what we are going to do about it. While we couldn’t stop the earthquakes, we could take steps to make sure that in the event of one, that we were as well prepared as we could be to ensure our safety. Taking action and having a plan always helps.

Some people are more prone to be worriers than others, However, there are things you can do to help yourself. Do you have a lot of time for brooding about your worries, and do you need to have some other interests that can occupy your mind? Or are you so busy that you do not have time to yourself and are always in a rush and behind in what you think you have to do? Think about what you find soothing – massage?meditation? walking in the bush? watching the waves roll in at the beach? a good workout? Whatever works for you, do it! When self-help measures aren’t enough, then you need to see a psychotherapist or counsellor to get professional support to deal with your worries.