Yet, most of us have learned to avoid and ignore this useful emotion – to our detriment. Think of anxiety like a smoke alarm, warning that the house is catching fire, and priming us to take useful action. What if, instead of running out of the house and calling the fire department we just ignored the alarm, or removed the battery, or avoided places in the house where the alarm was loudest. So, instead of benefitting from the alarm, putting out the fire, and preventing future fires, we just hope and pray the house doesn"t burn down.