HOW to get better

My counselor recently shared with me three core tenets of AA: honesty, openness, and willingness to change (HOW). These are essential building blocks for overcoming anxiety disorders:

• We must be honest with ourselves and admit that we have a mental illness.
• We must be open to trying new behaviors, techniques, therapies, medications, and support groups.
• And we must be willing to do hard work, challenging ourselves to confront and overcome our longstanding fears.

I was not always in a HOW state of mind. For too long I just suffered and clinged to any moment of serenity I could come by. But now I'm ready to have the "courage to make mistakes" and ready to abandon my "passion for self-distrust"(1) in order to achieve recovery and a more mentally healthy life.

Reference
1. Low AA. Mental Health Through Will-Training. Glencoe, Ill.: Willett Publishing Co.; 1997;145-9.