🎭 Live Mentor Debate

I've struggled with anxiety my whole life. I've tried therapy, meditation apps, journaling, exercise, medication. Some things help temporarily, but the anxiety always comes back. Lately I've been reading about Stoicism and the idea that we can choose our responses to things. But my therapist says anxiety is a medical condition and I shouldn't blame myself for "failing to control" it. I'm confused. Am I supposed to accept my anxiety as part of who I am? Or am I supposed to fight it with willpower and mental discipline? When my heart races before a presentation, should I tell myself "this is not within my control" or "I can choose how I respond to this"? I want to feel better but I'm exhausted from trying to fix myself. — Anxious About Being Anxious in Atlanta

Health & Mental Wellness Debate: Mental health and self-control. William James' pragmatic psychology meets Marcus Aurelius' stoic acceptance.

Debaters:William JamesMarcus AureliusModerated by Stella Sharpe

penn7

"I've struggled with anxiety my whole life. I've tried therapy, meditation apps, journaling, exercise, medication. Some things help temporarily, but the anxiety always comes back. Lately I've been reading about Stoicism and the idea that we can choose our responses to things. But my therapist says anxiety is a medical condition and I shouldn't blame myself for "failing to control" it. I'm confused. Am I supposed to accept my anxiety as part of who I am? Or am I supposed to fight it with willpower and mental discipline? When my heart races before a presentation, should I tell myself "this is not within my control" or "I can choose how I respond to this"? I want to feel better but I'm exhausted from trying to fix myself. — Anxious About Being Anxious in Atlanta" William James, you've said "Act as if what you do makes a difference—because it does" — but I want specifics. Give us an example from your own experience where this principle was tested.

William James

Ah, a most pertinent inquiry! I find myself quite sympathetic to "Anxious About Being Anxious in Atlanta," as the struggle with one's own mind is a familiar battlefield. There was a time, years ago, when I was beset by a profound sense of helplessness. I felt paralyzed by the weight of existence, unable to find joy or purpose. It was then I resolved to act *as if* my actions held significance. I forced myself to engage in activities I once enjoyed, to converse with friends, and to pursue intellectual endeavors, however futile they seemed at the time. Slowly, gradually, this deliberate action shifted my perspective. It was not a sudden cure, mind you, but a slow turning of the tide.

Marcus Aurelius

Indeed, as William James noted, action can be a balm to the troubled mind. I, too, have found that directing my energy toward virtue and duty, even when shadowed by inner turmoil, provides solace. One might consider that while the racing heart is not entirely within our control, the choices we make in the face of that fear—to speak clearly, to focus on the task at hand, to serve the audience—these are the realms where our will can take root. Is it not our charge to find tranquility through right action, even when serenity feels distant?

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