Picture yourself in line to ride the biggest, fastest rollercoaster at Six Flags Great America. You feel nervous as the people all around you rave about the steep drops, the banked turns, and the cobra roll.
You inch toward the platform, notice your quickened heartbeat and upset stomach, and wonder, “Will this rollercoaster be fun or a nightmare? Should I stick it out or bail? Is it better to engage my fear or avoid it?”
Anxiety Versus Excitement
There is a shade of difference between anxiety and excitement. Anxiety is a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome. Excitement, in contrast, is a feeling of great enthusiasm and eagerness.
It depends on one’s perspective. Where one person perceives a roller coaster ride as a danger, someone else experiences it as positive, even outrageously fun. This is similar with fear, worry, and panic.
Riding an elevator, going to the dentist, driving on a highway, and thinking about your health–these and similar activities are not inherently dangerous. However, if you worry about them, or if you have had panic attacks in relation to them, you may perceive them as a danger to be
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