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Antidotes for Anxiety

6 September 2025

I've struggled with anxiety since I was a kid, probably even younger than I remember. At certain times in my life it's been very bad, to the point of panic. Other times it's been a bit less severe, but still bad enough to have an effect on my daily life. Recently I'm a lot better and anxiety takes more of a back seat, though it is still there — I guess it's just closer to normal levels of anxiety now. The point is that it doesn't control my life as easily or as much, but it's not something I would consider "conquered".

A psychologist I met with regularly about five years ago came up with a list (or we made it together, I don't fully remember) of things/ideas which, once implemented in your life, should help to create an environment where anxiety is not likely to thrive. We named the list Antidotes for Anxiety, and it's been in the Notes app on my phone for at least five years now.

Here's the list, unedited:

1. Freedom
2. Containment of your life under an umbrella of activites/structure
3. Routine
4. Being clear about your goals and the paths to achieve them
5. Knowing yourself
6. Being comfortable with yourself enough to express it/reveal it to others
7. Coming outside yourself and not staying in
8. Keep your focus in close, don't think too far into the future, deal with what's right in front of you a little at a time

Freedom in your life, structure, routines, goals, confidence, self-expression, living in the moment.

I just wanted to share this list and immortalize it here. Hopefully it helps you, reader, if you struggle with anxiety. The list is not a cure-all, rather a collection of guiding principles to keep in mind — and maybe some of them will be more helpful to you than others.

— Derek Andersen

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