Last weekend, I went to the cinema to see Inside Out 2. As you can imagine, I adore the first Inside Out film because of it’s wonderful portrayal of emotions and psychological processes. There are so many rich moments in this film that visually represent certain emotions in a way that makes them easier to understand, and the sequel follows in the same vein.

Inside Out 2 introduces a number of new emotions, including Ennui, Envy and Embarrassment. But the one I was most interested in is Anxiety. One of my specialties is working with people who are learning to manage anxiety, so I was looking forward to seeing how this film would present this complex emotion, and it did not disappoint.

Throughout the film, Anxiety works hard to plan ahead and direct Riley’s (the protagonist’s) behaviour in an attempt to avoid the worst-case scenarios that it has dreamed up. As Anxiety continues unchecked, it’s grip on Riley gets stronger, and it’s actions become more frantic and impulsive. But the thing I found most fascinating is that Anxiety isn’t treated as the villain. Anxiety isn’t trying to hurt Riley; it’s trying to protect her. And that’s one of the key things that I try to help clients to understand when we’re working with their anxiety.

All emotions serve a function. They either move us towards things that are pleasant and good for us, or protect us from things that are dangerous and unpleasant. And Anxiety’s function is to look after us, to protect us. Unlike stress or fear which respond to actual threats, anxiety responds to perceived threats. It conjures up possible scenarios where we might be placed in danger and attempts to help us to avoid those scenarios and the negative outcomes.

Anxiety is a normal emotion that serves a very real purpose. Everyone experiences anxiety, but some of us feel it more keenly or more often than others.

For those who have struggled with chronic anxiety, they tend to view this emotion as the enemy, a monster lurking in the back of their mind ready to leap out and drown them in tension and imagined threats. A demon that keeps them awake at night, turning circles in their heads and ruining their lives.

When you see anxiety as the enemy to be vanquished, learning to manage your anxiety feels like an impossible quest. If your goal is to eradicate anxiety entirely, you’re likely to be disappointed. As I’ve said, anxiety is a normal emotion. You can’t get rid of it any more than you can get rid of hunger, or happiness, or anger. But you can learn to manage it, and one of the first steps to doing that is to change your relationship to anxiety.

The first thing I do when working with a client who wants to manage their anxiety is to help them understand what anxiety is trying to achieve. When you’re able to see that your anxiety is looking out for you, you can start working with your anxiety rather than fighting against it. You can begin to notice when anxiety starts to rear it’s head, and allow it to be present without letting it take control of your thoughts and behaviour. And over time, you’ll notice that you’re capable of managing that difficult emotion with greater ease.

Anxiety isn’t the enemy. You don’t need to fight against it or try to get rid of it. If you feel like anxiety is taking over your life, I can help you to change your relationship with anxiety and take back control of your thoughts and behaviours.