Perspectives On Aging
The Age of Anxiety
It is often said that we now live in an age of anxiety, where people are always in a hurry, where danger lurks around every corner, and people are always on the move, but often don't know where they are heading or what they want out of life.
No wonder anxiety in all of its different varieties makes itself present on so many, not allowing them to have peace of mind. It is now rare to find someone who doesn't complain of panic episodes, phobias, obsessions or generalized anxiety. Anxiety is ubiquitous; it has become an epidemic.
Sometimes the solutions are worse than the problem itself, as people often attempt to control it by indulging in alcohol, street drugs or even on anxiolytic medications borrowed from friends or family, which can become addictive if used indiscriminately without adequate supervision.
Perhaps we should first deal with the problem by going to its root, changing the way we live, introducing structure and order to our chaotic lifestyle. We live in a time when shotgun, quick fix solutions to whatever is wrong has almost become the norm. It seems as if we don't have the time or willpower to go deep into the root of our problems, and for that we often have to pay the price.
This does not mean that medications are never needed; in some cases they are necessary, but only when prescribed and supervised by a professional. §
