Dear worrywart,

Your question and current concerns may have understandably been sparked by the terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001, and all the talk about what might be next. Indeed, over the last few weeks, many people have described feeling as though what they've seen, heard about, and experienced in the wake of the disaster has caused them extreme anxiety. Therefore, one of the things to consider when dealing with your fears is what has prompted them. Did your worries begin or worsen after the terrorist attacks? Or, did you find yourself preoccupied with these concerns before those events? Are your fears focused around possibly realistic anxieties, or are they fabricated purely out of your imagination?

On the one hand, examining the root causes of your worry can help you find ways to prevent your apprehension from negatively affecting your life. However, no matter what, many of your options for coping with your fears will remain the same. Here are some questions to ask yourself, and discuss with a trusted friend, mentor, or counselor:

• When did these fears start?
• Do they seem to worsen or ease depending on other circumstances in my life?
• Are other people experiencing similar reactions?
• Are my fears getting in the way of my ability to go on with my normal activities?

Many people find that imagining worst-case scenarios and worrying a lot helps them to feel more in control. Playing out the many possible situations that could occur can help people feel as if they'd be prepared if they actually needed to cope or take action. Some have learned to do this in response to life events that felt scary and overwhelming, especially during childhood. Others have picked up these habits by spending time with parents or other family members or close friends who used these mental strategies to cope with their own anxieties. In some cases, focusing on catastrophic fears serves as a distraction from more mundane concerns about our school or job performance, relationships, or many other responsibilities.

In reaction to real catastrophic events — such as the attacks on September 11th and the current military response — vividly imagined scenes of destruction and intense fear can be a normal, and even realistic, response. Fear, in this case, may be focused on any number of things: future terrorism — including the possible use of chemicals and diseases to harm people, hate-crimes targeting Muslims or others assumed to be from an Arab country, anxiety about the loss of or harm to civilians or military personnel, worries about our economy, or an increased awareness of our own mortality and the preciousness of those we care about. These are all understandable reactions, both for people who have been directly affected, as well as for those who have simply watched TV and listened to radio broadcasts, and felt scared, a loss of control, and deeply saddened.

Perhaps knowing that your reaction is not an uncommon one can help to ease the anxiety you feel about your anxiety... using some of the following strategies may help as well:

• Accept your various emotions and find healthy ways to express them — through writing or listening to music, talking with friends and colleagues, or exercising.
• Stick to a regular schedule. Rest and sleep, eat nutritious meals and snacks, and try to continue doing the things you need to, such as going to work, shopping for food, and cleaning your home.
• Volunteer with organizations helping with relief efforts, or simply with a group in your community. Spending time with children, older folks, or at a shelter or animal adoption agency might help keep you grounded in the here and now.
• Take time out to do things you enjoy and that provide you with a sense of internal peace. Meditating, gardening, dancing, sewing, cooking, making home repairs, playing with pets, or spending time outdoors work for a lot of people.
• Continue practicing comforting spiritual or cultural rituals — or developing new ones with family and friends. These are helpful for many people, and can be as simple as a weekly potluck dinner, listening to a favorite song each night before bed, or reciting a meaningful poem or prayer.
• Practice some deep-breathing and relaxation exercises — instructions are available in Alice's Meditation and Wedding bell butterflies answers.
• Seek out information that might help ease your mind. Develop an evacuation plan at work, refill prescriptions, read about the culture of Afghanistan, or research biochemical terrorism.
• Set new realistic goals for yourself that will help you feel focused and a sense of accomplishment. This may mean re-prioritizing or delegating certain tasks, or concentrating on repetitive duties, such as filing, re-organizing a closet, or paying bills.
• Stay connected with those you care about. Use e-mail, the telephone, and even old-fashioned mail to express what you're feeling and get the support you need.

The key here is to try to continue functioning as you usually do, while also integrating some adjustments or special activities that can help you to feel less fearful. If you find that your worries are intrusive, don't ease with time, and affect your ability to fulfill your responsibilities and feel at ease, the help of a trained counselor may be necessary. Many people even find that after a traumatic experience, a few meetings with a therapist can help them put their anxieties into perspective and learn some new coping strategies. Or, if your vivid imagination and worrying habits are more entrenched, some on-going work, and possibly even medication, can help you to smooth out your worrywart tendencies.

In a lot of ways, having a vivid imagination is a great gift. It can allow you to create a positive vision for your life, spur creativity, spice things up with fantasy, and provide an escape when life feels dull or frustrating. In light of worrisome current events, maybe you can transform your active imagination from one that imagines the worst to one that focuses on the good in the world and what each of us can do to work for peace.

Take care,

Alice

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