I need help with my worry illness. What should I do?

Hey Mark,

I read your article and it really opened my eyes that I need help with this illness because I'm killing myself slowly with worries. The one 3.5-minute relaxation really helped me and made me open my eyes.

My girlfriend has seen the worst of the disease and is here to help me; she says I need meds. I have been prescribed Klonopin and tried Xanax and it helped majorly. Not sure what doctor to go to in my area; just really need a helping hand from an expert ASAP.

Thanks, Mark. I look forward to hearing from you.

Dennis

This question was submitted by 'Dennis'

Mark says...

Hi Dennis,

I'm glad you found my article useful. Thinking of anxiety and worries as 'a disease' might help some people. Things that were a normal part of life quite recently are now often 'medicalized' as 'diseases' and 'illnesses'. Pretty soon, every part of what it is to be human will come to be called 'a disease', especially in America. : )

Meds might help you in the short-term, but long-term you want to be your own man. If and when you come off any meds, do it slowly with the help of your doctor. In the meantime, remember that worry is the misuse of the imagination. Your imagination isn't diseased, but is a tool for you to use to make your life better.

You need to relax every day, even if only for ten minutes. This will help bring down your general stress levels. For more on this, please check out my blog on the Primal Human Needs. This article might also help you, Dennis: '4 ways to help your client stop worrying'.

You can feel better again; you don't have a lifelong condition.

All best wishes,

Mark