If you struggle with anxiety, it is easier to understand when your reactions were inflated beyond what was warranted in the objective incident by looking back and analyzing the situation that triggered you. Your feelings are valid, but it is important for you to understand the reason you might feel inclined to respond to occurrences the way that you do. In an article provided by Forrest Talley Ph.D. for Psychology Today, possible ways to distinguish between if you are reacting from recall or the objective reality of the present moment are discussed.
Anxiety is often created by a perceived, not actual, threat. “Perceived” is the key word here, because your reaction to events can often be extremely warped and not entirely based on the actual events occurring. Your reaction can instead be influenced by the memory of traumatizing events, often from childhood. The triggering of these painful memories that are similar to current incidents may cause you to subconsciously bring up childhood emotions, which makes dealing with situations in adulthood much harder. This is known as recall, as opposed to reality.
Reacting from recall can make anxiety flare, because it causes a heightened feeling of being unsafe or at risk. As a child, if you experienced certain situations when you were unsafe, it only makes sense that this could carry into your adult experience, if the past has not been properly worked through. Though you may feel at risk, remember that you are actually as safe as any other adult.
When you are becoming anxious and can’t tell if you are reacting from reality or recall, ask yourself the following questions. Firstly, question if you are reacting to the memory of past events that feel familiar to the current situation, or if you are responding entirely to the present day situation. Next, think about what age you are in the memory that is actively triggering you. Then, ponder how you are wiser now compared to back then. Understand the options you had then, versus the options you have now. Lastly, think about if you are safe.
So much of the anxiety you carry with you daily is displaced from the past and stored in your memory. Accepting that your childhood trauma is a thing of the past can be crucial when you are working to ease your anxiety as an adult. Recognizing when you are sliding back into recall is equally as important, and it can be key when you’re