Facing Fear: Finding relief from
Anxiety

Anxiety is one of the most profoundly challenging experiences a person can endure. For many, it’s not just an occasional worry but a pervasive, sometimes debilitating force that influences every aspect of life.  The breadth and depth of anxiety’s impact can be difficult to put into words. We know it’s not something you can simply “get over.” Anxiety can feel like an unrelenting shadow, always lurking, ready to disrupt even the simplest of moments with a rush of fear, dread, or panic.

Anxiety need not be an abstract concept; it is a lived experience that can range from a mild, persistent worry to feelings of sheer terror that seem impossible to escape. It’s crucial to understand that anxiety exists on a spectrum and that every person’s experience is unique. For some, it’s a constant hum in the background, a feeling of unease that never quite goes away. For others, it’s a full-blown panic attack that feels like dying. Sometimes it comes briefly, for others it stays for days without relief. Some have observed there seems to be no upper limit to the suffering that anxiety can create. No matter where you find yourself on this spectrum, we at Volo want you to know: we are here to support you. Even in cases of very intense and unrelenting anxiety, there is way out, others have gone before you and found it and it’s going to be ok. With the right tools, education, understanding and a road to travel you can begin to heal.

Anxiety is not a one-size-fits-all experience; it presents itself differently in everyone. At its mildest, anxiety might manifest as a vague sense of unease or a tendency to overthink minor issues. This level of anxiety can still be disruptive, causing stress in daily life and relationships. It can hint at a fear that lingers and cast a shadow over many events in life. However, as we move along the spectrum, anxiety can escalate into more severe forms, such as panic disorders, social anxiety, or generalized anxiety disorder. For some, this can mean avoiding social situations, experiencing crippling self-doubt, or feeling a constant state of dread. For some, eating becomes difficult, sleep becomes almost impossible and the late hours of the night when the clock hits 1am and 2am become a familiar sight.

At its most severe, anxiety can be paralyzing. It can lead to panic attacks that feel like heart attacks, obsessive-compulsive behaviors that take over daily life which are all aimed at avoiding the electric agony of anxiety, or agoraphobia, where leaving the house feels impossible. It’s essential to recognize that these experiences are not just “nerves” or “worry.” They are intense, often terrifying experiences that can make everyday activities seem insurmountable. And it’s not just the severity of the symptoms that can be confusing—it’s the unpredictability. Anxiety can come out of nowhere, triggered by something seemingly benign, leaving you wondering, “How did this happen? Why am I this way?”

Anxiety takes many forms and as such can create a lot of uncertainty. You may feel like ‘What I am feeling doesn’t quite sound like that but it still feels horrible and fearful’ is a common thought. We advise not to try to fit yourself into any diagnosis or particular bucket, rather know that the experience you are having as a human being is valid and belongs and if it is fear based in any way belongs in the category of anxiety.

For those struggling with anxiety, there is often a significant amount of confusion surrounding their condition. Questions like “How did this happen?” or “Why am I like this?” are common. It’s important to know that these questions are not only normal but expected. Anxiety can feel like it’s coming from everywhere and nowhere all at once. It doesn’t always make logical sense, and that’s a big part of what makes it so challenging to deal with. For some it is clear where it is coming from, but the source of the anxiety feels like an impossible problem. The phrase ‘between a rock and a hard place’ often can apply to anxiety. Some conflict, some terrible thought about who we may be, a deep internal sense of dread about certain events coming to pass or being seen fully as who are can be crippling.

Many people with anxiety also feel isolated, as though they are alone in their experience. They may believe that no one else could possibly understand what they’re going through or that no one has gone through it and come out the other side. This sense of isolation can be incredibly painful, compounding the anxiety and making it even harder to reach out for help. An initial task when offering our support for your anxiety is to help place it in the realm of human experience and to help you realize its far more common than we may imagine. We want you to know that you are not alone and that many people share your experiences, even if they don’t always talk about them.

An often overlooked aspect of anxiety is its deep connection to sensitivity. Those who experience anxiety are frequently individuals who possess a wondrous sensitivity to the world around them—a heightened ability to feel deeply, perceive subtly, and sense profoundly the intricacies of life. This sensitivity is not a flaw or a weakness; rather, it is a unique gift, a capacity to experience the richness of the human condition with remarkable depth and clarity. People with this sensitivity often find themselves profoundly moved by beauty, touched by the subtleties of emotion, and acutely aware of the delicate balance of the natural world.

However, this beautiful sensitivity can also make individuals more susceptible to environmental traumas such as neglect, abuse, or chronic stress. When a person who is deeply sensitive encounters trauma, the experience is often felt more intensely. The very sensitivity that allows them to appreciate the world’s wonders also makes them more vulnerable to its pains. In these cases, their finely tuned awareness becomes hyper-focused on the suffering, betrayal, or fear they’ve experienced, magnifying the impact of these traumas.

Imagine sensitivity as a powerful, finely calibrated instrument—capable of detecting the faintest notes in the symphony of life. When this instrument is exposed to harsh, discordant sounds, those sounds are not only registered; they are amplified. Similarly, when a sensitive person experiences trauma, the pain and fear become magnified, deeply imprinted on their psyche. This heightened sensitivity can lead to an increased focus on the potential for danger or harm, feeding into the cycle of anxiety but instead of lamenting that this is the way we are, take a moment to celebrate the underlying beauty and wonder that lies at the center. Can you imagine yourself for a moment a small child? What are you doing? Can you feel the wonder of the world, the excitement of water as it flows over your fingers, the thrill of your own voice when you shriek in delight, the excitement of tasting something new for the first time like a fresh melon? Think about that extraordinary sensitivity and attunement to the wonder of being alive. That’s how you began. It’s how we all began.

Anxiety disorders are, in fact, one of the most common mental health issues worldwide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), anxiety disorders affect an estimated 264 million people globally. In the United States alone, anxiety disorders affect about 40 million adults every year. This makes anxiety one of the most prevalent mental health issues, outpacing even depression in terms of the number of individuals affected. Statistics show that nearly 30% of adults will experience an anxiety disorder at some point in their lives. That’s a lot.

These numbers are staggering, but they also serve to highlight an important point: if you’re struggling with anxiety, you are far from alone. There is a vast community of people who share your experiences and understand your struggles. Normalizing anxiety is not about diminishing its impact or making it seem like “no big deal.” Instead, it’s about acknowledging that this is a widespread issue that many people face, and it’s okay to seek help. By recognizing the prevalence of anxiety, we can begin to reduce the stigma and encourage more open conversations about mental health. It also means there is a lot of knowledge and wisdom on how to progress and heal from it which is a gift. Many have gone before you and come from the depths of fear and terror and have emerged whole, healed and have resolved or outgrown the reasons for the anxiety.

At Volo, we take a different approach to anxiety. Many times when researching anxiety people will find many references to sympathetic and para-sympathetic nervous system arousal, find metaphors of cavemen and tigers and while some of the biological science can be assistive, it seldom leads to the healing and changes, instead it promotes a ‘broken system’ approach to understanding anxiety which is one we reject. Many people when they first experience anxiety may be prescribed medication and this can be quite helpful for some when the anxiety is overwhelming but without dealing with the valid underlying cause can also create a outside in approach to anxiety vs an inside-out approach. These balances are best worked out with your provider but seeking the healing that anxiety offers should remain central to our relationship with it.

An important principle at Volo is ‘The Body is Not Broken’ anymore than pain when you break an arm is a signal of a biological failing. You have sustained an injury and your body makes you extremely aware of this. It is an essential attention drawing mechanism. It signals a problem that requires focus and attention often. To lose receptivity to pain is quite dangerous, a condition faced in certain medical situations like advanced diabetes and can cause severe challenges and even the loss of limbs. The system of pain is an extraordinary important one. Rather than seeing it as a problem to be solved or a dysfunction of the brain, we view anxiety as a signal that something needs our attention. Think of anxiety as your mind’s way of waving a flag, trying to draw your focus to an issue that needs to be addressed. Here it can become confusing for people and this is a focal area at Volo – helping you find the source but there is always a source even if spread across decades of the formation of a belief system. We are not born anxious even if we may have proclivities to certain things, those proclivities are not destiny and something must cause the initial trauma or suffering which then triggers the process which can lead to anxiety.

This concept is central: at our core, we are whole. We are not broken, we are not diseased, we are complete. Whatever is happening within us is always a part of a system working to attempt to assist us in some way. By drawing our attention, by signaling, by expressing something that needs to be expressed or processed. Trust in the system of our bodies and minds is an essential step in the journey.

Often, anxiety points to deeper issues—wounds from our past, unresolved traumas, or ingrained belief systems that may no longer serve us. These are not just abstract concepts; they are real, impactful parts of our psyche that influence how we feel and behave. Without anxiety, much like without physical pain, we might never recognize that these issues exist.

So now, something new emerges as we begin to change our relationship with Anxiety, a sense of curiosity. If you imagine a battlefield and a lone person struggled through the armies dodging arrows and swords to bring you (the leader) a message would you likely take a moment to listen? Anxiety is not your enemy, it is just a part of you signaling that it needs your strong attention. What might the message be. As we slow down, and do something that feels very counter-intuitive which is move toward the pain and fear we begin to develop the ability to listen.

One of the biggest challenges with anxiety is that it can lead to a fear of anxiety itself—a fear of fear. This often results in hypervigilance, where individuals are constantly on edge, scanning their environment for any potential threats. Often this can be internal. Scanning for certain thoughts, certain triggers, reminders of the core fear. While this hypervigilance might be an attempt to protect oneself from anxiety, it often backfires, increasing anxiety levels and leading to a vicious cycle. This cycle can give rise to behaviors like compulsive checking, avoidance, or other patterns meant to stave off anxiety but that often end up reinforcing it.

At Volo, we encourage a different approach. Instead of fearing anxiety or trying to avoid it at all costs, we help people learn to engage with their anxiety in a new way. By viewing anxiety as a messenger, we can begin to understand what it is trying to tell us. This shift in perception—from seeing anxiety as an enemy to recognizing it as an ally—opens up new possibilities for growth and healing. When we stop fighting against anxiety and start listening to it, we can uncover incredible truths that live within and in many cases anxiety creates the fuel to build the kind of lives that we want or to escape belief systems which no longer fit. Without anxiety we would have never understood the message.

At Volo, we guide users gently through this transformative process. We provide a safe and supportive environment where individuals can explore their anxiety and learn to see it from a new perspective. Our approach is not about eliminating anxiety but about understanding it and using it as a tool for personal growth. We offer a range of resources, from educational content that delves into the science and psychology of anxiety to practical tools that help users apply these concepts to their own lives. We then have tools which give you the space and time to internalize and make personal concepts that are essential to healing.

Our goal is to empower users to build a new relationship with their anxiety—one that is based on understanding, compassion, and acceptance. We believe that anxiety can be a powerful ally in the journey toward self-discovery and healing. By learning to listen to what anxiety is telling us, we can uncover deeper truths about ourselves and begin to heal old wounds that may have been causing us pain for years.

There is an incredibly exciting aspect to anxiety that is often overlooked: it acts as a doorway to the deepest parts of ourselves. Anxiety can be a conduit to profound personal transformation, offering a unique opportunity to explore our innermost thoughts, feelings, and beliefs. It is through anxiety that we can access our deepest stories and parts, uncovering the root causes of our suffering and finding new ways to heal.

Over time, and with the right guidance, it is possible to reach a place where anxiety is no longer feared but welcomed, even loved. Imagine getting to a point where, instead of dreading anxiety, you get excited to see it or feel it. Imagine a smile that says ‘Welcome old friend, I am so glad you are here!’  This shift in perspective is not easy, but it is incredibly powerful and very possible. And when we no longer fear fear itself, incredible changes happen.This new relationship with anxiety can be transformative, leading to profound growth in how we see ourselves and our place in the world.

At Volo, we believe that anxiety can be a powerful ally in the journey toward self-discovery and healing. By learning to listen to anxiety and to understand what it is trying to tell us, we can uncover deeper truths about ourselves and our needs. Our program is designed to compassionately guide you through this process, providing a powerful set of content, tools, and personal insights to support you every step of the way.

We invite you to join our early adopter program, where anxiety will be one of our key pathways. We would love to have you as part of our community, and we welcome your feedback on the work and its effectiveness. Sign up today and start your journey toward a new relationship with anxiety—a journey that can lead to profound personal transformation and healing.