“Apologizing for your anxiety is not helpful, to you and others.”
A sincere apology is a positive thing and an act that allows you to increase your comfort in your surroundings. Apologizing can in fact be a very brave act. Admitting that you are wrong is an essential aspect of all human communication. It is a skill that lots of stubborn people should learn and inculcate in their lives.
It may however be noted that people with anxious disorders often apologize excessively and unnecessarily. This kind anxious driven apologizing is something that needs to be stopped.
Why stop apologizing for your anxiety?
Anxiety is often a part of what and how you are feeling and apologizing for how you feel is incorrect. It is akin to you apologizing for speaking the truth. Hence, never apologize for your feelings and frame of mind.
People with anxiety often feel as if they need to keep on apologizing, especially when they are in the company of others. The apology is usually for the unusual behavior and feelings that people experience due to anxiety. But apologizing means that you are saying sorry for your anxiety and thus reinforcing the common belief that it is something that you need to be ashamed of.
In order to recover and overcome anxiety episodes and the challenge itself, you need to be fine with how you feel.
Only doing so will help you accept your true self and pave the path towards the goals of your life. Constantly explaining and apologizing for your driven actions will only act as a reminder about the control that the mental condition has over you; it will help boost the power of anxiety and allow it to continue existing. People need to train their minds to understand the fact that their anxiety does not require any apology, to self or to others. Apologies for anxiety are never warranted and never will be.
Changing the approach towards anxiety
In order to stop apologizing for your anxiety, the first thing that you need to do is stop explaining yourself to anyone you meet, every time, all the time! There is no need to secure the validation of every person that you come across or meet. This approach does not mean that you need to become selfish and stop caring for others. It is only about understanding the fact that most situations do not warrant an explanation or an apology.
“Remember, It’s Always Something You’re Doing It’s Not Who You Are.”
Everybody makes mistakes and that’s how one learns. It’s just a better option to move on instead of apologizing or explaining, especially if the situation does not require it. You may apologize only if you are sure that the other individual is upset or you have done something wrong. Otherwise do not apologize as it can affect your self esteem and confidence levels and fill you with guilt.
Give specific answers when required to varied questions. In case the answer is a ‘no’ or a ‘yes’ and answer in that manner instead of giving a long drawn explanation. If you try to explain, then all your anxiety may come tumbling out and eventually result in you apologizing unnecessarily.
Tired Of The Mask You Keep Wearing For Other People Due To Your Anxiety? Begin A CBT Based Program Today To Turn Fear Into Freedom.
