3 Creative Questions to Explore Anxiety
Anxiety in the perinatal period is no joke. Whether trying to conceive, pregnant, postpartum, or dealing with loss, experiencing anxiety on top of everything else can be a lot.
One of the most challenging aspects of anxiety (along with many other mental health concerns) is its uncanny ability to become more and more of a problem the more we try to avoid it. Think of anxiety like a pile of dirty dishes in the sink- the longer we pretend it’s not there, the bigger the pile grows. In order to lessen the impact of the pile of dirty dishes, we have to see it!
So, how do we do this with anxiety? Well, as someone who loves using creative means to address all sorts of mental health challenges, I love to encourage the people I work with to do what’s called “externalizing!.”
“Externalizing” is a way of thinking and talking about a problem so that it is seen as separate from the person experiencing it. By imagining the problem as a separate entity, we can get creative with how we address it.
Below are three creative lines of questioning that can start the process of externalizing anxiety:
Does it have a name? Is it called Anxiety, or does it go by something else?
What does it look like? Does it have a familiar shape? Is it human?
What does its voice sound like? Is it high, low? Gravelly? Oily?
By answering these questions, you can begin to envision anxiety as its own entity- and you can be as creative as you want! Make a doodle, write some letters in anxiety’s voice, or bring out the paints! Once you have a picture of what anxiety is like for you, you can get a better idea of how to counteract its voice.
If you find that anxiety is becoming a larger presence in your life, or if it is changing how you live your life, seeking professional mental health support may be beneficial. A therapist can help you to investigate anxiety more thoroughly and develop skills to resist its pull.
