STRESSPersonalExpect Anxiety

Expect Anxiety

Stress, Fire Fighter, Anxiety, Firehall | CRACKYL MAGAZINE
By Jeffrey Hosick

When our system becomes disrupted, our emotional and nervous systems respond as if we are in danger. We may not realize we are stressed but wonder why we are so energized. The answer lies in the dynamic of cause and effect.

Threat means adrenaline. Adrenaline is that rocket fuel that makes us run fast and hard like a horse. The inner part of us wants to be as far away from the danger as possible. If we cannot move, we run like horses; if we stay still, we fight like a bear. We become bigger, roar, threaten, and battle if necessary.

I always say adrenaline is like driving around at 200 mph or 320 kph. When we drive that fast, our attention narrows and we become hyper-focused. We need an inner safety officer to look out for threats and potential threats we miss when hyper-focused. Generally speaking, the faster we go, the louder it screams. The opposite is also true; when we grow used to seeing the world in a hyper-focused way, we find things that aren’t critical don’t attract our attention. We may be great at work, but it takes us four hours to do the dishes at home. When we see the world as on or off, we tend to neglect ourselves, our relationships and our environment. 

Those neglected learn to get their needs met; they have to become a bigger problem than the immediate one. If we run by the rule, the squeaky wheel gets the grease; our loved ones have to be more squeaky to get our attention. To draw attention, to be the squeakiest, they need to become resentful inwardly or become a hairy-knuckled ogre to be in relationship with us. When our anxiety isn’t telling us what disaster awaits, those whom we are neglecting are forced to take the role of what will happen if we continue to ignore. We generally pay attention to our own warnings of impending disaster and dismiss others as overreacting. This dramatic dynamic leads us to divorce court quicker than any other part of our job. It is easy to see how important it is to monitor our mental health.

If we expect anxiety to rise, we can disclose it and brace ourselves and our loved ones.  Anxiety will be present when adrenaline is present. Anxiety will lower when adrenaline lowers unless we have another event spiking our adrenaline. Some of us have an adrenaline lifestyle, where we depend on adrenaline to go, go, go all the time. Dark days lay ahead for you as that operating system is not sustainable.

Jeffrey Hosick – Psychotherapist, Fire Department Chaplain, Trauma Specialist, Author, Professional Speaker and Firefighter

Photo By Unsplash

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