What Anxiety Affects Your Brain and What You Can Do About It
Worry is a completely normal and natural part of human existence. There will always be times when we are more nervous or anxious than others, but for some, anxiety is a much stronger and more frightening force that never goes away. But what is anxiety and what happens in your mind (and body) when it hits? How do you cope when it takes root?
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) reports that more than 40 million people over the age of 18 in the United States suffer from certain anxiety disorders, and these are the only people who have been diagnosed or whose symptoms fit into the preliminary diagnosis. -described condition. Millions more remain undetected.
On the other hand, anxiety itself is a natural human response that serves a specific purpose. Our goal shouldn’t be to give it up entirely – just to make it a healthy and manageable part of our lives. Even if you don’t have anxiety disorder, you probably had to deal with it and deal with it in the best possible way. Anxiety is a part of our world, just like stress, sadness and happiness, but the key is understanding how to deal with it and how to prevent it from becoming unhealthy.
To help us achieve this, let’s talk about what exactly happens in your brain when anxiety occurs, how it affects us, and then with the help of some experts, what can we do about it.
What is anxiety and how is it different from stress
Simply put, anxiety is a feeling of fear and apprehension that is alarming. Biologically, this should give us a heightened sense of awareness so that we are prepared for potential threats. Unfortunately, when we start to feel overly anxious or live in a constant state of anxiety, we get into trouble. Our bodies never shut off our fight-or-flight response , and we live with the physical and emotional effects of anxiety day in and day out, even when there is no reason or reason for it.
At first glance, anxiety may look like stress ; but in fact, not everything is so simple. Anxiety can arise from stress, but stress can manifest itself in other ways. Stressors can make a person feel sad, angry, restless, or anxious, while anxiety is, in particular, feelings of fear, fear, and apprehension. You may never even know what is causing your anxiety, and in some cases it can manifest itself on its own, without any real trigger or reason. Stress is often triggered by external influences , and anxiety is often triggered by an internal reaction. This is partly what separates anxiety from stress, and also why it is so difficult to deal with.
What really happens in your brain when you worry
You know this feeling: it’s a feeling of tension in your stomach, an increased sense of awareness of everything that’s going on around you, a mild fear or feeling of dread is anxiety. However, before your body feels the impact, your brain is already working. The NIMH Guidelines for Anxiety Disorders also provide the following description of the neurological processes at work:
Certain parts of the brain play a key role in creating fear and anxiety. Using brain imaging technology and neurochemical techniques, scientists have found that the amygdala and hippocampus play an important role in most anxiety disorders.
The amygdala is an amygdala structure deep in the brain that is thought to be the communication center between the parts of the brain that process incoming sensory signals and the parts that interpret those signals. It can alert the rest of the brain to a threat and trigger a fear or anxiety response. Emotional memories stored in the central amygdala can play a role in anxiety disorders associated with very different fears, such as fear of dogs, spiders, or flying.
The hippocampus is the part of the brain that encodes threatening events into memories. Research has shown that some people who are victims of child abuse or combat have a smaller hippocampus. Research will determine what causes this decrease in size and what role it plays in memories, explicit memory deficits, and fragmented memories of a traumatic event that are common in post-traumatic stress disorder.
Feeling anxious is part of your body’s response to stress. Triggers your reaction to “hit and run” , and your body is flooded with norefinefrinom and cortisol . Both are designed to improve perception, reflexes and speed in dangerous situations. They increase your heart rate, increase blood flow to your muscles, breathe more air into your lungs, and generally prepare you to deal with any threat. Your body is completely focused on survival. Ideally, everything shuts down when the threat passes and your body returns to normal.
Where does worry come from and where things go wrong
The effects of stress are well understood, but where does anxiety come from? How do we know when it’s time to “worry” and where is the line between “feeling anxious” and “suffering from worry”? We spoke with clinical psychologist Jeffrey DeGroat, Ph.D., and Roger S. Gil, MAMFT, to find this line.
There are a number of psychological theories as to why anxiety exists, according to Dr. DeGroat. There is a neurological (which we mentioned above) and a psychoanalytic, which describes anxiety as a battle between id, ego and superego. In this battle, he explains, “anxiety serves as a danger signal to the ego and / or superego of the individual that the individual is at increased risk of acting on an unacceptable id impulse. In the face of this anxiety, the ego and / or superego of the person reacts by trying to control the individual’s id impulses with heightened means. “
Basically, anxiety is a warning sign that you are about to do something that you might not want to do. There is also a cognitive theory that suggests that anxiety occurs when cognitive biases or irrational thought patterns cause a person to perceive everything as a physical threat, be it a real physical hazard, an annoying colleague, or an outside police officer. road. In behavioral theory, anxiety is a learned response to frightening or stressful situations.
Regardless of which theory you support, it’s unhealthy to turn on these instincts all the time. Your body’s response to stress is something to engage when needed and then turn it off. But constant worry constantly keeps us on our toes. Constant worry is a problem.
Gil explains that whether it is due to genetics or raising anxiety in an environment such as noisy environments or constantly screaming parents and teachers, the problem arises when your body and brain are “wired” to work. search for potential threats that can come from any direction at any time, real or imagined. Anything that can trigger unwanted emotions, he says, be it fear, frustration, or doubt, can trigger anxiety – and once you develop thought patterns that turn every event in your life as a threat, it becomes endless. cycle.
Both experts agree that this is a problem when you realize that your anxiety persists and you live with it every day. But some people find it easier than others – if you have suffered for so long with anxiety that this is just part of your personal norm, you may not even realize that this is a problem, as Gil explains:
Many people live in an anxious state for so long that they do not know any other feelings, so they do not realize that they are suffering from constant anxiety. Recognizing anxiety in such situations is not easy; however, identifying its red flags is a good way to start. Are you pessimistic about the most inoffensive situations to the point that it keeps you from taking risks? Do you think what possible negative consequences could be? Are you immediately attributing a positive outcome to some external circumstance that can be seen as the result of your efforts? If you answered yes to these questions, you may be suffering from constant anxiety.
For some people, anxiety is situational. It’s okay to be nervous about the prospect of public speaking. It’s not okay to worry about your daily conversation with a barista. Situational anxiety is one of those things that we can only overcome when we face it. Generalized anxiety can only be dealt with by trying to rewrite the way of thinking that triggers it.
Whether you are living with anxiety or suffering from an anxiety-related condition, there are ways to manage and reduce the effects of anxiety. It starts by recognizing the consequences of anxiety and then learning the right ways to deal with them.
What can you do with anxiety
Once you’ve realized the consequences of worrying, it’s time to do something about it. You don’t have to just try to keep your head above the water, there are many tricks and tricks you can use to get yourself out of anxiety or relieve anxiety when it is getting worse. Here are a few.
Refer to relaxation techniques: music, meditation, exercise, your personal rituals.
Learning a few good relaxation techniques will serve you well. For example, simple rhythmic breathing may seem too easy, but it is a great way to bring your body into a more relaxed state. This is something that you can do at your desk at work, in the car, before or after the event. Inhale for four seconds, then exhale for six seconds. Count in your head and focus on your counting and the feeling of your breath. Repeat as many times as necessary to relax a little.
DeGroat offers visualization as a relaxation technique (he also offers it as a coping mechanism for stress ). Imagine being in the most relaxing environment you can think of, whether at home in bed or on a tropical beach. Stop and mentally position yourself where you think you would feel most relaxed. He explains that if you are on the beach ask yourself how warm it is and if there are clouds in the sky. You’re alone? Is it quiet here, or can you hear the sound of the ocean? The goal here is not only to paint a beautiful, relaxing picture in your head, but to get your brain to work on those details – the more you do, the further your mind will be from what caused your anxiety.
You can get similar benefits from music, exercise, or meditation . Relaxing music can help you distract yourself from anxiety or refocus your attention after anxiety attacks. Exercise is similar, but instead of being a distraction, it actually has neurological (as well as physiological) benefits. Gil explains that the endorphins released in our brains during exercise make us happier, and that the sense of accomplishment we get from regular activity can help curb anxiety.
Meditation – especially guided meditation – can also help, as it’s all about calming the mind and throwing away erroneous thoughts that lead to anxiety and stress . Meditation can help you focus on your surroundings or remember the present instead of letting the background come to the fore.
Finally, turn to your own relaxation rituals to relieve anxiety. If you don’t have them, create . They can work wonders for your mental and emotional health, and having positive habits and rituals that you can turn to when stressed or anxious can help you get rid of bad habits.
Track your mood to spot patterns
We’ve talked about how helpful mood tracking can be and how to get started early, but Gil explains that it’s useful for more than just clearing your mind and getting rid of thoughts. It can also help you identify patterns and root causes of your concern:
Once the person learns about the anxious mindset, they can start working on interventions to manage their anxiety. One of the first things clients do that I do is keep a “thought journal” of thoughts that cause them anxiety (ie, their body’s limbic response to a potential threat). We often find that there is a pattern in these thoughts. A trigger can be anything from the time of day to specific people. Once the pattern is identified, the person can act proactively and make plans for when these triggers appear on the horizon.
Does your boss call you into his office making her nervous? Then become aware of this and start challenging the thoughts that are troubling you. For example, tell yourself that you have fulfilled all your commitments and have done nothing wrong (assuming this is true). Challenge your anxiety-provoking thoughts by telling yourself that you haven’t done anything to trigger a negative conversation (again, if that’s true).
Then come up with a “positive outcome thought” by telling yourself that your boss might call you to compliment you. While this exercise may not relieve you of your anxiety, it will probably help you avoid becoming a nervous breakdown. In other words, the train of negative thoughts should slow down and not drive you to Panicville.
For example, if you suffer from social anxiety or embarrassment, keeping a mind diary like this can help you identify the types of situations that are causing you anxiety. If you can paint a clear picture, it will be easier for you to find methods to respond positively to such scenarios.
Talk to a professional
Discussing your concern with a mental health professional (not a therapist) is an important step in learning how to deal with it. Many of us deal with anxiety on a regular basis and simply ignore it because we don’t want to be perceived as “neurotic,” but the truth is that more people suffer from anxiety disorders – or at least persistent anxiety – than you do. understand. If you find it difficult to deal with this on your own, see a mental health professional to discuss the situation . If you’re concerned that mental health services are too expensive or might not be covered by your insurance, don’t worry, you still have options .
Gil also advises you not to rule out anxiety medications. Many people see significant benefits from anxiety medications, but he suggests choosing them only in conjunction with talking therapy:
If a person is suffering from persistent underlying anxiety and finds they cannot deal with it on their own, seeing a psychiatrist can be beneficial because there are medications that can help their mind stabilize their mood. When combined with talking therapy (often with a trained therapist), medications are very effective in managing anxiety.
Ultimately, many people can overcome their underlying negative beliefs that are causing them anxiety and may stop taking medication altogether. I often tell people to take medications and therapies (not just medications) because therapy can help them develop behavioral interventions to manage and / or prevent anxiety. Relying solely on medications is like taking insulin for diabetes … they will relieve your symptoms, but it won’t make you feel better.
Ultimately, this is a personal decision that should be made by you and a mental health professional you trust, but either way, if you find yourself having a hard time dealing with your anxiety, see a professional who can help.
Don’t try to suppress anxiety: instead, learn to cope
Finally, it is important to remember that anxiety is a natural human response. If you are struggling with this, your goal should not be to just make him go, this is unrealistic. You can’t just get rid of anxiety – if you could, no one would have to deal with it. Gil explains why this is important:
As far as suppressing anxiety, it’s like expecting your body not to get hungry after you haven’t eaten for a few days. Worry is a normal and necessary emotion that protects us. The key is to define “unnecessary worry”. Unnecessary anxiety can be dealt with by taking preventive measures (such as exercise and meditation) and checking the truth of anxiety-provoking thoughts (as CBT does).
Your goal should instead be to learn how to deal with it and minimize it, as well as develop mechanisms to deal with it, take your mind off the things that worry you, and get on with your life, Gil said. We hope that some of the tips we have mentioned will help. If you see a friend or loved one who is suffering from anxiety, Dr. Degroat offers the following tips:
Talk to them, let them know you’ve noticed, that they seem to be under stress lately, and you’re ready to talk if they want to. People who experience anxiety may avoid communication due to overwhelming anxiety, which leads to feelings of loneliness. If you have a friend who is giving up a relationship, talk to him more often, inviting him to meetings more often. While they may refuse you often, just knowing they are invited can help them feel more connected. If your friend’s concerns seem to be interfering with his or her life (not going to school, stopping communication, talking about taking his life), I will immediately contact the crisis hotline, mental health professional, and / or your friend’s family members.
Of course, entire books have been written on the topic of anxiety and anxiety disorders , and we could go on to describe their causes and possible treatments. Hopefully, some of these suggestions will help you deal with anxiety or bring it out to your friends or loved ones so that they can get the help they need to cope.
Many people who live with anxiety disorders, or just experience anxiety from time to time , are highly functional , so don’t assume that anxiety is something you can definitely see on someone’s face. It can also often be associated with depression or other conditions. With the right attention, we can all learn to deal with unnecessary anxiety and minimize it.
This story was originally published in October 2013 and was updated on December 6, 2021 to follow the Lifehacker style guidelines.