© 2012 by Stacy Lynn Harp

In keeping with our new blog focus to look at mental health issues on Wednesdays, I thought that we should discuss anxiety and how to increase it in our lives. I mean seriously, how often do you read about the benefits of increasing your anxiety? Not much, right…

Well, I’m about to change that. If anxiety were a person most people would be completely rejecting her. They might say something like… “Hey Anxiety, you bug me and I just want you out of my life. Wherever I go, there you are…with me… sticking around… all the time… Geez already… get a clue… I’m sick of you. Get lost, evildoer.”

When we look at it that way, don’t you kind of feel sorry for Anxiety? I do…but that’s because I’m an empathetic and compassionate person.

So let’s talk about how we can increase anxiety in our lives and put to sleep, all of those negative stereotypes about anxiety.

I propose that for one day a week, we all set out to increase our anxiety and then see how positive it can be. For your convenience, I’ve listed three steps below.

1. Play a high pitched sound constantly for a few minutes each hour.

Most of us are told that in order to reduce our anxiety, we should play something soothing like ocean sounds or calming music.  This makes complete sense and when you do that, it actually reduces the stress hormones in your body and therefore you become relaxed.  I propose that you play a high pitched sound for a few minutes each hour.  Do it a few times each hour, this will put you on edge and totally increase your anxiety.  Here’s an example on You Tube. Note: If you have a small dog and play this, it will get their attention.

The benefit to playing this sound is that you will be aware that your hearing is well and in tact.

2.   Drink a lot of caffeine.

This is really a no-brainer when it comes to increasing your anxiety, drinking a product like coffee, Coke or Red Bull that has caffeine in it, is a sure fire way to increase your anxiety because caffeine is a drug that stimulates the central nervous system.  In fact, the use of caffeine is so well known  that there are numerous disorders in the  Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders  associated with it.

If you drink caffeine you could possibly be diagnosed with caffeine intoxication, caffeine-induced anxiety disorder, caffeine-induced sleep disorder, and caffeine related disorder not otherwise specified. A fifth, caffeine withdrawal, is listed under the heading of “Criteria Sets and Axes Provided for Further Study.”

Read more: Caffeine-related disorders – causes, DSM, functioning, effects, therapy, adults, withdrawal, drug http://www.minddisorders.com/Br-Del/Caffeine-related-disorders.html#ixzz1jAio34cz

If you don’t want to be diagnosed with any of these caffeine disorders, I recommend not going to a doctor who can diagnose you.  I also say that if you cut back on your caffeine use, you’ll reduce your anxiety. Keep in mind, I’m trying to tell you how to increase your anxiety, so if you cut back,  just know, you may not get your desired result.

The benefit to drinking lots of caffeine is that you will have more energy, not be able to sleep and you’ll have more time to get things done.  You may even be more productive and make more money as a result.

3.  Think of Horrible Things that Scare You and Dwell on Them

Did you know that you can literally train your brain to react in an anxious manner?  It’s true – and the way you do that is to think about those horrible things that scare you and then dwell on them every minute of the day.  I’m serious…if you want to increase your anxiety – just do that.

To put this another way, stay HYPER-focused on what it is that scares you.  If it’s a spider that scares you….think about all of the ways a spider can get to you.  What if you are going to take a shower and you’re afraid that a spider may be in your bathtub waiting for you when you step in?  Or what about at night, when you’re getting ready to go to sleep…spiders like the night and so what if the spiders come out of the walls and then they begin to crawl on your bed, and make it to your pillow and then walk on your face.  What if the spider wants to walk inside your nose…and then what if it makes it inside your nose and somehow then makes it to your brain and then starts eating your brain….

Things like that.  Naturally, if you don’t want to be scared and anxious, don’t think about spiders and all the horrible things you think they can do.  Think happy thoughts and realize that you can kill spiders easily and that they are more afraid of you than you are of them.

The trick is to be hyper vigilant and hyper aware of everything horrible that scares you and dwell on them.  The benefit is that you’ll always be on the look out and ready to act when necessary.

If you don’t want the benefits of dwelling on all of your fears constantly, focus on things that give you peace…like the color blue that has a calming effect, or a nice smell like vanilla or lavender that has been proven to reduce anxiety.

In conclusion, mastering increased anxiety is really a piece of cake and can be done literally in seconds.  Make sure your environment is filled with annoying high pitched sounds, unlimited coffee and Red Bull to drink and of course your thoughts of things that scare you.  If you focus on these things, anxiety will be your reward and she will be your best friend.  If you reject them, you will lose Anxiety as a friend and she’ll have to go away and bug somebody else. The choice is yours, choose carefully.