Well said flake!
I guess it depends on how you define 'the fight'. The problem with fighting SA directly is that you can never win. Anxiety is the fear of pain. The focus with anxiety is on stopping pain. If we succeed at stopping the pain (which isnt possible), then the absolute best we can do is stand still and still not get better.
People who are very outgoing are not there because they are less afraid. That's one of the biggest misconceptions. They are there because they *desire* to do well, they desire to be a better person. Their focus is on succeeding and doing well. They love the challenge. They don't go into a party simply without fear, they go into a party like its their love, their meal, their passion. They don't NEED anxiety to fight, they have something much more powerful.
Switching the 'voice' from negativitiy to love and desire and positivity, sounds to most people who have SA as stupid or a ridiculous joke. I was there for many years. I thought to myself...oh really? all I need to do is be positive and love myself? ...why thank you doctor! The reason why its so difficult to comprehend a switch like that is because anxiety is always a last resort in our brain. If we can't fix ourselves with anxiety, the why in the world would positivity work? It's impossible to comprehend.
When we have severe SA, the thinking pattern is that we are working anxiety in an effort to stem the pain so that we can equalize, and then maybe *later* we can look to the positive. But the problem is that when we use anxiety to stop anxiety, we create anxiety out of anxiety, so its a forever process and we never get to that point where we can automatically switch focus.
Sometimes we need a leap of faith. Trust that love and success and positivitiy is possible. That anxiety is flawed when its focus is on anxiety itself. We can get better. And we can 'fight' if we know what we really need to fight against.
.
