A is for Anxiety. B is for Biles. C is for Control. The 2021 Olympic torch has been extinguished, but the mental health debate is heating up – again. When Simone Biles withdrew from various gymnastics events, she cited “the twisties”. Previously known by the average American as the wiry item that is used to tie up a bread wrapper, we learned that it also describes a mind-body disconnect for a gymnast in mid-air.
In a July 28th article by Emily Giambalvo, we are told that “after experiencing the twisties, it’s very difficult to forget. Instinct gets replaced by thought. Thought quickly leads to worry. Worry is very difficult to escape.” Many of my clients would recognize that rather rudimentary description immediately – the ones who suffer from anxiety disorders. As a mental health therapist, I help them to identify, understand, manage, and cope with the various forms of disabling anxiety. But during this protracted pandemic, more and more of us are suffering from debilitating anxiety – a non-athletic version of the twisties.
